The Riverside traffic court phone number is 951-222-0384. That single line covers traffic citations filed at the Riverside, Banning, Murrieta, and Blythe courthouses. Live clerks answer Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and the automated system takes payments, grants extensions, and reads back your case status 24 hours a day.1Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Locations and Contact Info
Which Number to Call for Your Courthouse
Look at the courthouse name printed on your ticket or courtesy notice. If it says Riverside, Banning, Murrieta, or Blythe, call 951-222-0384. If your case is handled at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, the number for all departments there is 760-393-2617.2Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Phone Numbers
For general court questions unrelated to traffic, the main clerk line is 951-777-3147. Hold times on that line can run long, especially in the afternoon.1Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Locations and Contact Info
What to Have Ready Before You Call
Your citation number is the single most useful thing to have in front of you. It’s on the ticket the officer handed you and in the upper right corner of any courtesy notice the court has mailed since.3Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Riverside Superior Court Traffic A case number works just as well if one has been assigned. Either lets the automated system pull up your fine, due date, and options right away.
Lost the ticket and never got a notice? Look yourself up on the court’s Public Portal first. You can search by citation number, case number, or name.3Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Riverside Superior Court Traffic Finding your number ahead of time keeps you from burning your short live-clerk window just identifying the case.
What You Can Do Through the Automated System
Most of what callers need is handled by the automated line at 951-222-0384 without a clerk:
- Pay by credit card. A $5.95 convenience fee applies to a one-time payment, or $2.95 per transaction on a monthly installment plan.4ePayIt. Frequently Asked Questions – ePayIt – Online Court Payments
- Check your current balance, next deadline, and whether a proof of correction has been processed.
- Request your one 60-day extension from the appearance date on the ticket. You’re entitled to it and don’t need to speak with anyone to get it.3Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Riverside Superior Court Traffic
Because the automated line runs around the clock, a payment or extension at midnight is as valid as one at noon.
Best Times to Reach a Live Clerk
Live assistance runs Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., excluding court holidays.1Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Locations and Contact Info The court itself cautions that only a limited number of staff answer phones and that waits can be lengthy. Calling at 7:30 a.m. sharp, or mid-morning on a Tuesday or Wednesday, tends to produce the shortest holds. The lunch hour and Friday afternoons are the worst.
Save the live-clerk call for things the automated system can’t do: disputing a civil assessment that’s been added to your fine, asking about a fine reduction, or sorting out a case the system doesn’t recognize.
When to Skip the Phone Entirely
For routine tasks, the court’s website is often faster. You can pay fines, look up your case, and schedule a court date online. The Public Portal takes the same citation or case number the phone system uses.3Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Riverside Superior Court Traffic Online payments go through the same ePayIt platform as the phone line, with the same convenience fees.4ePayIt. Frequently Asked Questions – ePayIt – Online Court Payments
The website also shows your full fine breakdown and every deadline in writing, which beats listening to voice prompts read numbers at you. If you already know what you owe and just want to pay, go straight there.
If You Want to Contest the Ticket
You can call 951-222-0384 to schedule an arraignment, and you’ll need your citation or case number to reserve the date.3Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Riverside Superior Court Traffic The phone call books the appearance; it doesn’t resolve the case. You’ll still need to appear and enter a plea, and the court requires the full bail amount to be posted before any trial date, held in trust until the outcome.5Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. Traffic Ticket Basics for the County of Riverside A trial by written declaration is the alternative if you don’t want to appear in person.
If You’ve Already Missed a Deadline
Call sooner rather than later. A missed deadline can trigger a civil assessment of up to $100 on top of your original fine,6California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 1214.1 and the court can notify the DMV, which places a hold on your license that blocks renewal until the case is cleared. Willfully failing to appear or pay as ordered is itself a misdemeanor under California Vehicle Code 40508.7California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 40508 The quickest way to find out exactly what you now owe is the same number as everything else: 951-222-0384.