Question 1

What is Trial by Written Declaration?

Accepted Answer

A legal process available in California, Washington, and Arizona that lets you contest a traffic ticket entirely by mail — no court appearance, no time off work. You write a short defense, mail it to the court, and the officer has to respond in writing too. If they miss their deadline (which happens in roughly 40% of cases), your ticket is dismissed automatically.

Question 2

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

Take a photo or upload a PDF of your ticket. Our AI reads the violation code, court name, and case number in seconds, checks whether you qualify, and writes three defense options for you to pick from. You review everything before paying a cent.

Question 3

How long does the whole thing take?

Accepted Answer

About 3 minutes from upload to a ready-to-mail packet. After you file, courts typically respond within 30–120 days. We keep you updated by email at every stage.

Question 4

What happens if the officer doesn't respond?

Accepted Answer

The court dismisses your case automatically — no argument needed, no hearing required. Officers have a short window to file their own response; when they miss it (which happens often), you win by default. This is one of the biggest advantages of contesting by mail.

Question 5

What if I lose?

Accepted Answer

Two things happen. First, we refund most of your filing fee (we keep $20 to cover the AI work). Second — and this is important — you can immediately request a fresh in-person trial, as if the written contest never happened. There's no penalty for having tried first, and you're right back where you started.

Question 6

Do I have to pay anything to the court up front?

Accepted Answer

In California and Arizona, yes — you deposit the full fine amount with the court when you file. Think of it as a refundable security deposit: if you win, it's returned in full. If you lose, it's applied to your fine. Washington doesn't require any deposit at all.

Question 7

How much time do I have?

Accepted Answer

Deadlines vary by state: California gives you 30–45 days from the citation date; Washington gives 15 days; Arizona gives 30 days. Miss the window and this option disappears, so don't wait.

Question 8

What does DontPayTickets actually do for me?

Accepted Answer

We handle everything except signing your name. Our AI reads your ticket, checks if you qualify, writes three defense arguments tailored to your specific charge and state, fills out the court form, and produces a ready-to-mail packet — in about 3 minutes. You can print and mail it yourself, or add certified mail and we send it for you. Nothing gets filed until you approve every word.

Question 9

Are you a law firm?

Accepted Answer

No — we're a document preparation service, like TurboTax for traffic tickets. We prepare paperwork at your direction; you're still the one filing. We don't provide legal advice, and if your situation is complex (DUI, criminal charges, CDL), we'll tell you to consult a licensed attorney instead.

Question 10

How much does it cost?

Accepted Answer

$79.99 per ticket. We keep $20 for the AI work regardless of the outcome. If you lose, the rest ($59.99) is refunded. Add-ons are optional: $15.00 for certified mail with USPS tracking, $10.00 for regular mail, or $30.00 if you later want help preparing for an in-person trial. The family plan is $100.00/year for up to 5 drivers.

Question 11

Do you guarantee I'll win?

Accepted Answer

No — nobody can guarantee a court outcome. What we do guarantee: if your ticket isn't eligible, you pay nothing. If you lose, we refund $59.99. Our success rates reflect past results and vary by violation, officer, and court.

Question 12

What states do you support?

Accepted Answer

California, Washington, Arizona, Hawaii, and Oregon. Florida is coming soon. Upload your ticket regardless — if we can't help, we'll tell you before charging anything.

Question 13

When do you charge me?

Accepted Answer

Only after you've reviewed your AI-drafted defense and tapped Pay. If your ticket isn't eligible, you're never charged. You can walk away before payment with no cost.

Question 14

What's the in-person trial prep add-on?

Accepted Answer

If your written contest is denied and you decide to fight it in court, we can generate a prep packet for you: cross-examination questions for the officer, an exhibit list, and a closing outline. It's $30.00 per ticket (or $10.00 on the family plan). Think of it as a backup if the written route doesn't work.

Question 15

Can I use this for a DUI?

Accepted Answer

No. DUI, reckless driving, and criminal misdemeanors cannot be contested by mail — you must appear in person and should talk to a licensed attorney. We'll tell you this immediately when you upload so you're never charged.

Question 16

What about red-light camera tickets?

Accepted Answer

Yes — red-light camera tickets are fully eligible in California and often dismissed because the equipment evidence has strict legal requirements that are hard to prove in writing.

Question 17

Why does my ticket say it's not eligible?

Accepted Answer

Most states (Texas, New York, and many others) don't allow mail-in ticket contesting at all. Even in supported states, DUIs, misdemeanors, commercial vehicle citations, and some equipment violations are excluded. You'll always see the reason — and you're never charged for tickets we can't help with.

Question 18

I missed my court date. Can I still use this?

Accepted Answer

Possibly — but only if the court hasn't recorded a failure-to-appear yet. Once that's on file, you'll need to clear it first, which usually means paying the fine plus a $300 penalty. Check with your court directly.

Question 19

I'm a commercial driver. Should I use this?

Accepted Answer

Proceed carefully. Commercial drivers face different rules — traffic school can't mask violations, and certain offenses have federal consequences for your license. We'd recommend talking to a CDL-experienced attorney before contesting.

Question 20

I got a California ticket but live out of state. Can I still contest?

Accepted Answer

Yes — and contesting by mail is actually perfect for this situation. You never have to travel back to California. File from home, mail the packet, and wait for the result.

Question 21

My ticket has multiple violations. What happens?

Accepted Answer

We write a defense for each charge individually. Some violations on the same ticket may qualify and others may not — we only charge for the ones we can actually help with.

Question 22

Why is the amount I owe so much higher than the fine on my ticket?

Accepted Answer

California stacks on multiple fees — court assessments, county charges, state surcharges, and more — that can multiply the base fine by nearly 3x. A $35 base fine often becomes $238 by the time it reaches your mailbox.

Question 23

How long do points stay on my record?

Accepted Answer

In California, most infraction points stay on your record for 3 years and are visible to your insurance company the whole time. DUI is 10 years. Each point typically raises your premium by 20–25% per year.

Question 24

If I win, does anything show on my record?

Accepted Answer

No. A dismissal means no conviction, no points, no DMV record, no insurance impact — and any deposit you paid to the court is returned in full.

Question 25

Is traffic school a better option?

Accepted Answer

Traffic school hides one point from your insurer, but you still pay the full fine plus $100–200 in school and court fees. If you win a written contest, you pay nothing (your deposit is returned) and no point ever hits your record. Try the written contest first.

Question 26

How do I get a refund if I lose?

Accepted Answer

Email us the court's written decision and we process your refund within 5 business days — $59.99 back to your original payment method. We keep $20 to cover the AI work that was already done. Mailing costs (certified or regular) aren't refundable once we've sent them.

Question 27

What's the family plan?

Accepted Answer

The $100.00/year plan lets up to 5 drivers share one account with unlimited written contests. Mailing costs are the same; the in-person trial prep add-on is discounted to $10.00 per case instead of $30.00. Cancel any time.

Question 28

How do I delete my account and data?

Accepted Answer

Email support@dontpaytickets.com and we'll purge your personal data within 30 days. Filed court documents are kept longer because the law requires it, but personal information is removed.

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