Miranda is a financial writer and avid podcaster with nearly two decades of experience contributing to major outlets, including Forbes, The Hill, and NPR.
Background working with banks and insurance companies
Sarah enjoys helping people find smarter ways to spend their money. She covers auto financing, banking, credit cards, credit health, insurance, and personal loans.
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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.
How much does a speeding ticket cost?
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.
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Consequences of a speeding ticket
Penalties for speeding often go beyond the ticket cost. Other potential consequences can include:[2]
Conviction for a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the circumstances
Requirement to take a driving safety course
How speeding tickets affect your car insurance premiums
A speeding ticket usually results in a rate increase with your insurer.[3] The national average cost of liability insurance without a ticket is $104 per month, compared to $145 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.
Good to Know
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.
What to do after receiving a speeding ticket
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.
How to read a speeding ticket
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.
Factors affecting the cost of speeding tickets
The following factors influence the cost of a speeding ticket:
Location
Where you get pulled over affects how much you pay since different states, cities, counties, and municipalities dictate costs.
Speed
How fast you’re going in relation to the speed limit affects ticket cost. For instance, driving 5 mph over the speed limit typically has a smaller fine than driving 20 mph over.
Speed zones
Where you commit the speeding violation matters. Areas marked as slow-speed zones, like school zones and construction zones, often result in higher costs.
Additional violations
Speeding while doing other illegal things, such as driving under the influence, can result in higher ticket costs. You could also be charged with a felony if your speeding resulted in serious damage or death.
Your driving record
Previous violations or points on your license could trigger more expensive and harsher consequences than a first offense.
Your interaction with the officer
Your ticket cost could vary based on your interaction with the ticketing officer, whether good, bad, or neutral.
Cheapest companies for drivers with a 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 $20 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.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Friday, November 1 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Insurance Company
▲▼
Liability Only
▲▼
Full Coverage
▲▼
COUNTRY Financial
$20
$49
NJM
$42
$78
Auto-Owners
$42
$89
USAA
$54
$118
State Farm
$63
$139
Erie
$63
$117
GEICO
$65
$142
Mile Auto
$68
$115
Allstate
$73
$159
Root
$83
$143
Metromile
$85
$152
American Family
$88
$193
Nationwide
$101
$222
Safeco
$101
$176
National General
$104
$207
CSAA
$105
$160
Travelers
$108
$233
Dairyland
$109
$282
Mercury
$113
$224
Progressive
$115
$179
Direct Auto
$116
$224
Clearcover
$124
$222
State Auto
$130
$276
Farmers
$130
$285
Chubb
$136
$286
The General
$139
$287
The Hartford
$140
$253
Bristol West
$143
$309
21st Century
$144
$306
Shelter
$144
$272
Commonwealth Casualty
$153
$408
Foremost
$163
$371
Elephant
$173
$279
GAINSCO
$174
$389
AssuranceAmerica
$194
$323
Amica
$213
$394
Liberty Mutual
$222
$359
Infinity
$232
$326
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
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How to get cheap insurance after a speeding ticket
If your insurance rate goes up after a speeding ticket, you may be able to take steps to save on car insurance:
Learn more about the cost of car insurance with a speeding ticket by checking out the additional information below.
How much is a 15 mph over speeding ticket in Texas?
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.
How much is a speeding fine in the U.S.?
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.
Are speeding ticket fines the same in every state or locality?
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.
How can I find out the exact cost of my speeding ticket?
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.
Miranda Marquit, MBA, is a freelance financial writer covering various markets and topics since 2006. She has contributed to numerous media outlets, including Forbes, TIME, The Hill, NPR, HuffPost, Yahoo! Money, and more. Her work has been syndicated by MSN Money, Marketwatch, Credit.com, and other publications. She has written about insurance topics for Clearsurance, HealthCare.com, and various other websites. She is also an avid podcaster and co-hosts the Money Talks News podcast. Miranda has a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Syracuse University. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Background working with banks and insurance companies
Sarah enjoys helping people find smarter ways to spend their money. She covers auto financing, banking, credit cards, credit health, insurance, and personal loans.
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