Anyone who wants to learn more about driving safety can take a defensive driving course, but you do have to meet the following requirements to get a ticket dismissed through California traffic violator school:

• You must hold a noncommercial class C, class M1, or class M2 driver's license.  Anyone who holds a commercial license, or who was written up while driving a commercial vehicle is ineligible to have a ticket dropped.

• You can not have used California traffic school to dismiss a traffic ticket within the past 18 months. This period is calculated based on the date of violation, not the date you took your last defensive driving course.

• If the violation would add 2 points or more to your license, the state will not allow you to dismiss it through traffic violator’s school.

• You will still have to pay a fee equal to the fine that you would have been charged if you had been convicted of the offense. However, at the judge's discretion, the fee may be reduced if you are financially unable to pay.  Alternatively, depending on your situation the court may be able to work out payment arrangements with you. If you are able to make arrangements on the balance, the court is required to charge an extra fee of up to $35 to cover the cost of setting up the installment payments for you.

• The judge has final discretion over whether or not you may take defensive driving to dismiss your ticket.