Reader’s Question:

Do you know if there’s a difference between the traffic school fee I paid to the court when I was charged a DWI offense and the fees for online traffic school registration? Why is that I have to pay again when I tried to take a course online? Also, if my county required me to take the final exam somewhere, how do I know where to go?

Jim

Anaheim, CA

Thanks Jim for your question. Yes, there is a difference between the fee that you paid in your court for your DWI conviction and the fee that is being asked when you take a traffic course online. The court’s “traffic school” fee is actually only an administrative fee, so it does not cover the cost of your tuition for the online traffic school course. Online traffic school programs are not run by the courts but is privately owned and operated. They have their own fees separate from the court’s fees. Usually, the fee for online traffic school course is just minimal and cheaper than having to attend a standard course in a classroom. Not only it can consume most of your time, it can also be inconvenient.

As for your other inquiry, most counties in California do not require you to go anywhere to accomplish your Final Exam. You may have the option to take your Final Exam online at home or at work or anywhere with a use of computer that has Internet. However, there are a few counties in California that requires you to take your Final Exam in an “Approved Testing Location”. So it will best to go to your county and find out if they require you to take your Final Exam at an Approved Testing Location.