How Much Does a Speeding Ticket Cost? (By State)

A speeding ticket is never just the fine on the ticket. Between court fees, insurance increases, and points on your record, a single speeding ticket can cost you $2,000 or more over three years.

Here's what you'll actually pay, broken down by state.

Speeding ticket fines by state

These are the base fines for speeding 1–15 mph over the limit. Going faster costs more.

State	Base fine (1–15 over)	Base fine (16–25 over)	Base fine (26+ over)
California	$35–$100	$100–$200	$200–$500
Florida	$129	$179	$279+
Texas	$150–$200	$200–$300	$300+
New York	$45–$150	$90–$300	$180–$600
Arizona	$165	$235	$330+
Georgia	$0–$200	$200–$500	$500+
Illinois	$120	$140	$160+
Ohio	$150	$200	$300+
Pennsylvania	$35	$42	$50+
Virginia	$100	$200	$350+

These are just base fines

Court fees, surcharges, and processing fees can double or triple the base fine. A $100 base fine in California often becomes $250–$400 after all the add-ons.

The hidden cost: insurance increases

The fine on the ticket is just the beginning. The real cost is what happens to your insurance.

Average insurance increase after a speeding ticket: $582 per year

That increase lasts 3 years on average. Here's what it looks like by state:

State	Avg. annual increase	3-year total
California	$632	$1,896
Florida	$671	$2,013
Texas	$545	$1,635
New York	$587	$1,761
Arizona	$498	$1,494
Georgia	$612	$1,836
National average	$582	$1,746

Total cost of a speeding ticket

When you add up the fine, court fees, and insurance increases, here's the real cost:

	Fine + fees	Insurance (3 yr)	Total
Low end	$150	$1,494	$1,644
Average	$250	$1,746	$1,996
High end	$500	$2,013	$2,513

That's for a basic speeding ticket. Speeding in a school zone, construction zone, or going 25+ over the limit costs significantly more.

It gets worse with multiple tickets

A second speeding ticket within 3 years can raise your insurance by $1,000+ per year. Some insurers will drop you entirely.

How to reduce the cost of a speeding ticket

1. Take traffic school

This is the best option for most people. Complete a state-approved traffic school course and the ticket gets dismissed from your record. Your insurance company never sees it.

Cost of traffic school: $39.99 Savings: $1,746 on average

2. Fight the ticket in court

You can contest the ticket, but it's a gamble. You might need to take time off work, hire a lawyer ($200–$500), and you might still lose.

3. Negotiate with the prosecutor

In some states, you can negotiate a plea to a lesser violation (like a non-moving violation). This reduces or eliminates points but doesn't always prevent insurance increases.

4. Just pay it (worst option)

Paying the ticket is the easiest but most expensive option. You accept the fine, the points, and 3 years of higher insurance.

Speed and cost: it scales fast

The faster you were going, the more everything costs:

Speed over limit	Typical fine	Points	Insurance impact
1–10 mph	$100–$200	1 point	+$400/year
11–20 mph	$200–$350	1–2 points	+$600/year
21–30 mph	$350–$500	2 points	+$800/year
31+ mph	$500–$1,000+	2+ points	+$1,200/year
School zone	Double fines	Extra points	+$1,000/year

States with the most expensive speeding tickets

When you factor in fines, fees, and insurance increases, these states hit the hardest:

Georgia — massive fines + "super speeder" surcharge for 75+ mph
Virginia — reckless driving charge for 20+ over
Florida — high base fines + high insurance increases
California — moderate fines but the highest insurance costs
Illinois — jail time possible for 26+ over

Traffic school is the cheapest option

In every state, traffic school costs less than the insurance increase alone. A $39.99 course saves you $1,500 to $2,000 over 3 years.

Don't let a speeding ticket drain your wallet

The fine on the ticket is just the tip of the iceberg. Protect your record and your wallet by taking traffic school.

Related reading:

Got a speeding ticket?

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