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If you’ve stepped on the gas a little too hard and ended up with a speeding ticket in California, expect to pay between $238 to $490 for your citation. The cost of your speeding ticket in California will depend on how much you exceeded the speed limit.
The base fine amount for a California speeding ticket is only between $35 and $100, but the fees and penalties tacked on make the ticket much more expensive. Your California car insurance costs will also be impacted by your lead foot, as rates in California typically increase 40% after one speeding ticket.
How Much Is a Speeding Ticket in California?
A speeding ticket in California generally costs $238 to $490, according to the Judicial Council of California’s penalty schedule. How many mph you were driving over the speed limit and the county in which you received your California speeding ticket will determine the total amount you’ll pay.
California has set a base fine of $35 for speeding tickets up to 15 miles per hour over the limit. That doesn’t sound bad but heaped on top of that are extra fees in excess of $200. Here’s the typical amount a California speeding ticket will cost, based on state guidelines.
Cost of a speeding ticket in California
| Miles per hour over the limit | Base fine | Assessments, fees and surcharges | Total ticket amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 15 | $35 | $203 | $238 |
| 16 to 25 | $70 | $297 | $367 |
| 26 to 99 | $100 | $390 | $490 |
How to figure out how much your ticket will cost
The bulk of how much you pay for your speeding ticket is made up of surcharges, penalties and assessments. These additional fees help fund the courts and certain programs, such as DNA identification. The amounts of these fees can vary a bit by county. Here is an example of a speeding ticket cost breakdown.
| Fine | 1 to 15 mph over the limit | 16 to 25 mph over the limit | 26 mph and over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base fine | $35 | $70 | $100 |
| Assessments, fees and surcharges | |||
| $10 state penalty assessment for every $10 or part thereof of base fine | $40 | $70 | $100 |
| $7 county penalty assessment for every $10 or part thereof of base fine | $28 | $49 | $70 |
| $5 state DNA Identification fund for every $10 or part thereof of base fine | $20 | $35 | $50 |
| $5 state courthouse facilities construction fund for every $10 or part thereof of base fine | $20 | $35 | $50 |
| $2 county emergency medical services (EMS) fund for every $10 or part thereof of base fine | $8 | $14 | $20 |
| Surcharge fee equal to 20% of your base fine | $7 | $14 | $20 |
| $4 emergency medical air transportation (EMAT) fee | $4 | $4 | $4 |
| $40 court operations fee | $40 | $40 | $40 |
| $35 conviction assessment fee | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| $1 night court fee | $1 | $1 | $1 |
| Total | $238 | $367 | $490 |
Your base fine amount can go up under certain circ*mstances. For instance, having a prior traffic conviction (with points assessed) within the last 36 months raises your base fee by $10. Speeding in a construction zone comes with an enhanced penalty, raising your base fee by $35 for infractions or doubling your base fine for misdemeanors.
When your base fee goes up, so do the fees that are calculated off that higher amount. For example, a 16-25 mph over-the-limit speeding ticket in a construction zone typically costs $525.
The precise cost of your speeding ticket may vary from our chart based on the fees in the county in which you received your ticket. Check online or call the county courthouse to determine the exact cost of your California speeding ticket if you haven’t received a notice in the mail detailing the information.
How Are Car Insurance Costs Affected After a Ticket?
California drivers with a speeding ticket pay 40% more per year than drivers with a clean driving record, according to Forbes Advisor’s analysis of car insurance costs.
Car insurance companies raise rates after seeing a speeding ticket on your California driver’s record because you pose more risk. Speeding is seen as a risky action that could result in a severe auto accident with higher car insurance claim payouts.
To find the best car insurance companies for drivers with speeding tickets, comparison shop with multiple companies, as each weighs minor traffic offenses differently when calculating prices.
Average Car Insurance Rate Increases After a Speeding Ticket in California
The average California car insurance cost after a speeding ticket is $3,790 per year, an increase of $1,104. Based on rates from over 20 car insurance companies, our study found California car insurance costs go up over $1,100 annually on average when you have one speeding ticket on your driving record.
Car insurance costs in California after a speeding ticket
| Driver with clean record | Driver with one speeding ticket | $ increase for speeding ticket | % increase for speeding ticket | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,685 a year | $3,790 a year | $1,105 | 41% | |||
| Source: Quadrant Information Services. Based on a 30-year-old female with full coverage policy (including liability of 100/300/100 and collision and comprehensive with $500 deductible). | ||||||
Your California car insurance cost will really rise if you receive a second speeding ticket. The average auto insurance price for having two speeding tickets in California is $5,431 per year. That is over 100% more than auto insurance costs for a driver with a clean driving record.
The auto insurance increase for speeding tickets in California is higher than the national average of 24%. That is because California requires car insurance companies to place considerable emphasis on a driver’s safety record when calculating prices.
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What To Do After Getting a Speeding Ticket in California
After you get a speeding ticket in California, you should receive a notice to appear in court for the citation. The notice should inform you of the following:
- The fine amount (called bail)
- How to pay the fine or contest the ticket
- Your due date
If you have any questions about how to take care of your ticket, the website of the courthouse in the county where you received the ticket should have the information or phone number for the clerk of court.
Can you fight a California speeding ticket?
You can choose to pay the California speeding ticket or fight it in court. If you decide to fight your speeding ticket, you can represent yourself or obtain help from a traffic ticket lawyer.
Options to take care of your ticket:
- Pay the fine. You plead guilty and must pay the fine amount by the due date. The California DMV assigns one point to your driving record for speeding convictions, and it will remain on your driving record for three years.
- Request traffic school. Your notice should say if you’re eligible for traffic school. If you are and choose that option, you’ll still owe a fine plus a fee due to the courts for attending traffic school (which is separate from the cost of traffic school). The point won’t be added to your California driving record if you complete traffic school.
- Contest the ticket. You plead not guilty and ask for a trial to present your case to the court. The judge will set the fine if you’re found guilty.
If you are convicted of the speeding ticket, by pleading guilty and paying the fine or by losing in court, it goes on your driving record. If your car insurance cost goes up due to the ticket, compare car insurance quotes to find the cheapest auto insurance company for your needs.
Completing traffic school keeps your conviction confidential, so it doesn’t appear on your driving record and points won’t be applied. To keep points off your record and the speeding ticket from impacting your auto insurance costs, traffic school can be a smart choice—if you’re eligible. To request traffic school:
- You must have a valid driver’s license.
- You must not have gone to traffic school in the last 18 months.
- The ticket must not be associated with a commercial vehicle.
How can you reduce the cost of a California speeding ticket?
If you contest the ticket and are found guilty, consider negotiating with the court to reduce the cost of the speeding ticket.
If you have a financial hardship and cannot pay the full ticket amount, you can ask the court to consider your situation. You’ll have to provide the court with information about your financial situation. In some counties, you can do this online, while in others you need to call.
The court may give you more time to pay, reduce your fine or agree to a request for you to do community service instead. A judge will review your case and make a decision.
If you cannot pay, make sure to reach out to the court to take care of your ticket. Don’t just ignore it. Otherwise, you can be charged with failure to appear, hit with an additional $100 fine (termed a civil assessment) and have your driver’s license suspended.
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What’s the Cheapest Car Insurance After Getting a Ticket?
USAA has the cheapest California car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket on their record, according to a cost analysis by Forbes Advisor. USAA has limited eligibility, so if you aren’t a military member, veteran or family member of either, the next cheapest options are Mercury and Wawanesa.
Here are the car insurance companies that offer coverage that is cheaper than $3,790 a year, which is the average cost of car insurance in California after one speeding ticket.
Cheapest annual car insurance cost after a speeding ticket
| Company | Annual cost after a speeding ticket | $ increase compare to driver with clean driving record | % increase compare to driver with clean driving record | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA* | $1,980 | $174 | 10% | |||
| Mercury | $2,431 | $587 | 32% | |||
| Wawanesa | $2,464 | $731 | 42% | |||
| CIG | $2,599 | $799 | 44% | |||
| National General | $2,616 | $118 | 5% | |||
| CSAA Insurance Group | $2,932 | $615 | 27% | |||
| Grange | $2,981 | $530 | 22% | |||
| Geico | $3,064 | $1,099 | 56% | |||
| Infinity | $3,211 | $686 | 27% | |||
| State National | $3,346 | $1,059 | 46% | |||
| Auto Club | $3,452 | $787 | 30% | |||
| CSE Insurance Group | $3,610 | $857 | 31% | |||
| Travelers | $3,732 | $1,241 | 50% | |||
| Allstate | $3,778 | $1,189 | 46% | |||
| Source: Quadrant Information Services. Based on a 30-year-old female with a full coverage policy (including liability of 100/300/100 and collision and comprehensive with $500 deductible). *USAA is open only to members of the military, veterans and their families. | ||||||
How Much Is a Speeding Ticket in California FAQ
How much is a first-time speeding ticket in California?
A first-time speeding ticket in California can typically cost anywhere from $238 to $490. Your exact speeding ticket fine amount will depend on how many mph over the speed limit you were going and the county in which you received your ticket.
Your car insurance rates will likely rise after a speeding ticket, so consider comparison shopping with multiple companies to find the best car insurance company for your needs.
How long do points stay on your license in California?
For minor, one-point traffic violations, like speeding, the offense stays on your California driver’s license for three years. If you have a more serious two-point violation, like a hit and run or DUI, it stays on your driving record for 10 years.
Traffic violations on your California driving record can impact your car insurance cost. Shop with multiple car insurance companies to find the best cheap California car insurance after receiving a speeding ticket. Not all auto insurance companies price policies the same way, so comparison shopping can help you find the company that offers the best deal, even with a ticket on your record.
What happens if you are going 20 mph over the speed limit in California?
If you are going 20 mph over the speed limit in California, you can be ticketed for speeding, and the total fine amount typically is around $367. You’ll receive one point on your driving record if convicted of the speeding violation.
Speeding violations in California get serious when you’re found going more than 100 mph over the speed limit. Penalties for a speeding ticket for driving over 100 mph usually include a fine of around $900 and two points on your license.
If you have a California speeding ticket on your driving record, your car insurance costs can be increased, so comparison shop to find cheap car insurance.
