Fight a Traffic Ticket in San Francisco

San Francisco's unique geography and heavy traffic enforcement mean plenty of speeding tickets. From Highway 101 to the city streets, here's your guide to fighting a traffic ticket in the City by the Bay.

San Francisco Traffic Court

Common Ticket Locations in SF

US-101 sees heavy enforcement as it passes through the city, and I-280 has known speed traps near the city limits. 19th Avenue (SR-1) features both photo enforcement and regular police presence.

The Embarcadero has speed enforcement along the waterfront, and CHP maintains a presence on the Bay Bridge approaches on I-80. These are all common citation areas where successful defenses happen regularly.

Fighting Your SF Traffic Ticket

San Francisco Superior Court accepts Trial by Written Declaration for most infractions. Request form TR-205 from sfsuperiorcourt.org, pay the bail amount online or by mail, and submit your written defense. The court will mail you their decision, and if you lose, you can request a trial de novo for a second chance.