Driving above the speed limit is illegal, and if you’re caught, you’ll likely get a speeding ticket. The cost of a speeding ticket varies based on the details of the offense, like how fast you drove over the speed limit, your location, and your past driving record.1
But ticket cost isn’t the only thing you have to worry about. Speeding tickets affect your driving record, which could make your car insurance rate go up. Here’s what you need to know about the true cost of a speeding violation.
A speeding ticket costs anywhere from $75 to $400, depending on where you live and the situation. But you could pay much more, depending on state laws and the severity of the offense.
Additional costs — including court fees and higher insurance premiums — can increase the cost of your ticket. For instance, in California, overall costs are usually five times the fine amount. Most states charge different fines, depending on how fast you were going over the speed limit and whether you were speeding in a school zone or construction zone. If you were breaking other laws while speeding, you might have to pay additional fines.
Penalties for speeding often go beyond the ticket cost. Other potential consequences can include:2
Higher insurance premiums
Loss of auto insurance coverage
Points added to your license or driving record
Court fees and other legal penalties
Conviction for a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the circumstances
Requirement to take a driving safety course
A speeding ticket usually results in a rate increase with your insurer.3 The national average cost of liability insurance without a ticket is $103 per month, compared to $128 per month for drivers with a ticket, Insurify data shows.
Getting caught speeding often indicates to insurers that you might not be driving safely and could be at higher risk of getting into an accident and filing a claim.
How much your insurance increases depends on the state where you were speeding and the situation. For example, your rate might be higher if an officer cites you for excessive speeding or reckless driving. And first-time offenders might not see an increase as significant as someone with prior tickets.
It’s common for a ticket, or points associated with the ticket, to stay on your record for a few years, depending on the state and the severity of the violation. If you get a ticket, check your local traffic laws to find out how long the ticket will remain on your driving record. You can also speak with your insurance company or agent to find out how long your ticket might affect your rate.
If you’re caught speeding and get a ticket, here’s what to do next:
Pay the ticket. You may be able to pay your ticket online, in person, by mail, or over the phone.
Contest the ticket in court. Follow the instructions on the ticket to schedule a court appearance. Then, show up for your court date and plead your case. Your ticket may be reduced or waived.
Get legal representation. For more serious cases, like reckless driving, consider hiring a lawyer that specializes in traffic violations. They can help you navigate the court system and develop a strategy to contest the ticket.
Take a defensive driving course. If you’re willing to go to traffic school, you might reduce the effect on your car insurance premiums and the length of time a citation affects your record.
Your speeding ticket contains many types of information, including date of issue, name of the agency issuing the ticket (such as a city or state), citation description, and name and badge number of the police officer. Your personal and vehicle information is also usually on a ticket.
Most tickets include information about how to make payment or schedule a court date to contest the charges.
The following factors influence the cost of a speeding ticket:
Your insurance company might charge a higher rate after a speeding ticket. COUNTRY Financial offers the cheapest rates for drivers with a speeding ticket, at an average of $43 per month for liability coverage.
The table below shows what drivers pay with different companies and which are cheapest after you get a speeding violation.
If your insurance rate goes up after a speeding ticket, you may be able to take steps to save on car insurance:
Take a defensive driving course to learn driver safety skills.
Find out if your insurer has a telematics program to monitor your habits, which can reduce your premium if you show you can be a safe driver.
Avoid other violations and tickets in the future to keep premiums low.
Shop around for better rates.
Learn more about the cost of car insurance with a speeding ticket by checking out the additional information below.
Speeding in the Lone Star State can cost you hundreds of dollars. The fine for going just 15 mph over the posted speed limit is $215 in Texas.
Speeding fines in the U.S. vary according to state law and other factors that affect how much you’ll pay, including court fines, type of violation, how fast you were going, and whether you have other citations.
No. Every state has its own laws about speeding and fines. Check with your state’s department of motor vehicles to learn more about the cost of a speeding ticket where you live.
Your citation should include information about the cost on the ticket itself. Usually the ticket is given in person or may be sent to you by mail in some circumstances. When paying online, you may also be able to see the total cost when you search by ticket number, name, or license plate number.
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Co-hosts the Money Talks News podcast
MBA from Utah State University
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Experienced personal finance writer
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At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.
We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.
Experienced personal finance writer
Background working with banks and insurance companies
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