The only way to enter the El Monte courthouse is by taking the stairs to the bridge on the North side of the courthouse. Cross the bridge from the top level of the parking garage and enter through security. This backwards system was implemented to create a single controlled entry to the El Monte courthouse when the building switched over to a full security facility several years ago. So be prepared to go through the metal detector, place everything through the machine, raise your pant legs, and take your lighters back to the car or throw them away. Don’t try to enter the courthouse with anything that can be construed as a weapon and this includes minor items like a pocketknife, scissors, nail clippers etc. Just pretend you are going through TSA security at LAX.

The traffic clerk at the El Monte courthouse is almost always busy. Lines can be upwards of an hour most days of the week. The traffic clerk’s office in El Monte includes both the court clerks as well as the dreaded collection agency of GC Services for those unfortunate enough to have a failure to appear or FTA which may be holding or suspending your California Drivers License or even an out of state license. For many people, the visit to the courthouse starts with waiting over an hour in line, only to be told when your reach the clerk that you actually need to go a separate window to deal with GC Services.