Drivers Get a Break on ‘Fix-It’ Tickets

Beginning Sunday, Ventura County drivers who receive “fix-it” tickets from California Highway Patrol officers will be able to resolve their citations without paying a $10 fee.

Fix-it tickets are issued for minor equipment violations such as a broken taillight, illegally tinted windows or a lack of mud flaps where required. They also may be issued to people who have a valid driver’s license but are not carrying it when stopped.

In the past, CHP officers have issued tickets that could be waived with proof that the violation had been corrected. Drivers were still required, however, to pay a $10 administrative fee to the county.

The new fix-it tickets will be waived with no fee if signed off by a CHP officer or police officer within 30 days. Once signed, drivers must mail the tickets to an address printed on the citation.

If the fix-it tickets are not corrected and returned within 30 days, the citation will be increased to a misdemeanor and turned over to the district attorney’s office for possible prosecution.