California · Vehicle Code

VEH §40604: (a) If the person charged with the offense has not signed a promise to appear, no warrant for arrest may be issued following the filing of the written notice to appear issued pursuant to Section 40600

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute establishes procedural requirements for serving notice and issuing arrest warrants in traffic offense cases, including timing rules and notice content standards.

Read the full statutory text
(a) If the person charged with the offense has not signed a promise to appear, no warrant for arrest may be issued following the filing of the written notice to appear issued pursuant to Section 40600, until 15 days after a notice of the filing has been served upon the person by personal delivery or by mail, addressed to the person at the address shown in the accident report. (b) The notice shall contain the name and address of the person, the license number of the vehicle involved, the name and address, when available, of the registered owner or lessee of the vehicle, the offense shown on the written notice to appear, and the approximate time of the commission of the offense. The notice shall inform the person that, unless he or she appears in the court designated in the notice within 10 days after the service of the notice and answers the charges, a warrant will be issued for his or her arrest. (c) Proof of service shall be made by the affidavit of any person over 18 years of age making the service showing the time, place, and manner of service and facts showing that the service was made in accordance with this section. If service is made by mail, no warrant for arrest may be issued until 14 days after the deposit of the notice of filing in the mail.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.