Speeding tickets are the most common type of traffic violation issued in the United States. Every state enforces traffic laws to regulate the maximum speed at which a vehicle can travel, ensuring the safety of all road users. TicketGuard is here to have your back and remove the financial burdens associated with speeding tickets.
Types of Speeding Laws
Most states implement two primary types of speed-related laws:
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Maximum Speed Limits: These laws specify the highest speed at which a vehicle can legally travel in particular areas. For example, the speed limit on a state highway might be 65 mph, whereas it might be 25 mph in a school zone.
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Reasonable and Prudent Speed: These laws require drivers to adjust their speed according to the driving conditions. For instance, driving at 65 mph on a highway during a heavy rainstorm could still result in a speeding ticket if the conditions make that speed unsafe.
Categories of Speed Limits
Speed limits fall into three main categories:
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Absolute Speed Limits: The most straightforward type, where exceeding the posted limit by even 1 mph constitutes a violation. If the sign says 55 mph, driving at 56 mph or more is illegal.
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Presumed Speed Limits: These are more flexible. If you’re driving over the posted limit, you can argue that your speed was safe given the conditions. For example, driving at 40 mph in a 35-mph zone might be acceptable on a clear, empty road.
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Basic Speed Limits: Under these laws, you can be ticketed for driving at an unsafe speed even if it’s below the posted limit. An officer must believe your speed was unreasonable for the conditions at that time.
State Speeding Laws
Click on the link(s) below to read the statute that corresponds with your state’s speeding laws and penalties.
| STATE | STATUTE | FINES AND/OR JAIL TIME | LICENSE ACTIONS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama |
|
Misdemeanor (AL Code Section 32-5A-8)
|
Suspension or revocation by point system (AL Code Section 32-5A-195(k)) |
| Alaska | Speed restrictions (13 AK Admin Code 02.275 to 02.330) including: | Non-criminal infraction subject to a maximum $300 fine (AK Statutes Section 28.90.10) | Suspension or revocation by point system (AK Statutes Section 28.15.251) |
| Arizona | Speed Restrictions (ARS Sections 28-701 to 28-710) including: | Civil traffic violation (ARS 28-121)
|
Suspension or revocation by point system (ARS 28-3306 and AZ Admin Code R17-4-404) |
| Arkansas | Speed Limits (AR Code Title 27, Ch. 51, Subchapter 2) including: | Misdemeanor (driving more than 15 mph above limit) | Suspension by court order or point system |
| California | Speed Laws, Generally (California Vehicle Code Sections 22348 – 22366) including:
Other Speed Laws (California Vehicle Code Sections 22400 – 22413) |
Infraction (California Vehicle Code Sections 22351 and 42001)
|
Suspension (California Vehicle Code Section 13200) |
| Colorado | Speed limits (CRS Section 42-4-1101) including:
|
Class A traffic infraction with fines from $15 to $100 (CRS Sections 42-4-1101 and 42-4-1701) | Suspension through a point system (CRS Section 42-2-127) |
| Connecticut | Speeding (GSC Sections 14-218a and 14-219) including:
|
Infraction with fines from $35 to $90 | Suspension or revocation (GCS Section 14-111) |
| Delaware | Speed Restrictions (DE Code Title 21, Ch. 41, Subchapter VIII) including:
|
Misdemeanor (DE Code Title 21 Sections 4102 and 4205)
|
Suspension (DE Code Title 21 Section 2733) |
| District of Columbia | Speeding and reckless driving (DC Code Title 50, Ch. 22, Subchapter I; scroll to section 50-2201.04)Reasonable and prudent speed standard and speed limits (18 DC Mun. Regs. Sections 2200.1 to 2200.12) | Speeding offenses subject to a civil fine:
|
Suspension or revocation by point system (DC Code Title 50, Ch. 14 Section 50-1403.1) |
| Florida | Unlawful speed (FS Sections 316.183, 316.187, and 316.189) including:
|
Non-criminal traffic infraction (FS Section 318.18) with fines from $25 to $250 | Suspension through a point system or court-ordered suspension/revocation (FS Sections 316.655 and 322.27) |
| Georgia | Speed limits (Georgia Code Sections 40-6-180 and 40-6-181) including:
|
Misdemeanor with fines up to $500 (Georgia Code Section 40-6-1) | Suspension through a point system (Georgia Code Section 40-5-57) |
| Hawaii | Speed restrictions; basic rule (HRS Section 291C-101) Noncompliance with speed limit prohibited (HRS Section 291C-102) | Traffic infraction/violation (HRS Section 291C-161)
|
Court-ordered suspension/revocation (HRS Section 291C-170) |
| Idaho | Basic rule and maximum speed limits (ID Statutes Section 49-654) including:
|
Infraction of not more than $300 (ID Statutes Section 49-110) | Suspension through a point system (ID Statutes Section 49-326) |
| Illinois | Speed Restrictions (625 ILCS 5/11-601 to 5/11-611) including:
(625 ILCS 5/11-601) |
First or second offense: Petty offense with fine of not more than $1,000Third or subsequent offense: Class C misdemeanor not more than $1,500/30days(730 ILCS 5.5-4.5-65 and 730 ILCS 5.5-4.5-7) | Suspension or revocation based on 3 traffic offenses within 12 months (625 ILCS 5/6-206) |
| Indiana | Speed Limits (Indiana Code Sections 9-21-5-1) and 9-21-5-2) including:
|
Class C infraction with fine not more than $1,000 (Indiana Code Section 34-28-5-4) | Suspension (Indiana Code Sections 9-30-4-6.1) |
| Iowa | Speed Restrictions (IA Code Title VIII, Subtitle 2, Ch. 321; Sections 321.285 to 321.295):
|
Simple misdemeanor (IA Code Section 321.482)$65 – $625/30 days (IA Code Section 903.1) | Suspension (IA Code Section 321.210) |
| Kansas | Maximum speed limits (KS Statutes Sections 8-1557 and 8-1558) including:
|
Traffic Infraction (KS Statutes Sections 8-2116 and 8-2118)Not more than $500 (KS Statutes Section 21-6611) | Revocation, suspension, or restriction (KS Statutes Section 8-255) |
| Kentucky | Speed — Secretary authorized to increase speed limit in certain areas by official order — Parking [PDF] (KRS Section 189.390) including:
|
Violation (KRS Section 532.020 [PDF])Fines for speeding — Doubling of fines in school areas with flashing lights [PDF] (KRS Section 189.394)$60 to $100 | Suspension or revocation KRS (Sections 186.560 and 186.570 [PDFs]) |
| Louisiana | Maximum speed limit (LRS Section 32:61)
General speed law (LRS Section 32:64)
|
Misdemeanor (LRS Section 32:57)
|
Suspension, revocation, or cancellation (LRS Section 32:414) |
| Maine | Rates of speed (MRS Title 29-A Section 2074) including:
|
Non- criminal traffic infractions (MRS Title 29-A Sections 101, 103, and 104)
|
Suspension or revocation (MRS Title 29-A Sections 101 and 2458) |
| Maryland | Speed Restrictions [PDF] (MD Transp. Code Title 21; scroll to Sections 21-801 et seq.)
|
Misdemeanor with fines to $500 (MD Transp. Code Title 21 Section 27-101) | Suspension (MD Transp. Code Title 21 Section 16-208) |
| Massachusetts | Speed limits with reasonable and prudent speed standard (90 MGL Section 17) Speed limit: Massachusetts Turnpike (90 MGL Section 17A) | Civil motor vehicle infractions (90C MGL Section 1)
|
Suspension or revocation (90 MGL Sections 20 and 27) |
| Michigan | Speed restrictions (MI Vehicle Code Sections 257.627 to 257.633) including
|
Civil infraction (MI Vehicle Code Sections 257.627, 257.628, and 257.629c )
|
Suspension through a point system (MI Vehicle Code Section 257.3200) |
| Minnesota | Speed limits, zones; radar (MN Statutes Ann. Section 169.14) including
|
Petty misdemeanor; misdemeanor if three or more violations within 12 months (MN Statutes Ann. Section 169.89)
|
Suspension or revocation (MN Statutes Ann. Sections 171.16 and 171.17) |
| Mississippi | Restrictions on Speed (MS Code Title 63, Ch. 3, Article 11) including Speed limits (MS Code Section 63-3-501) | Misdemeanor:
|
Suspension (MS Code Section 63-1-53) |
| Missouri | Definitions, maximum speed limits, violations, penalty including:
|
Infraction (5 mph above the speed limit) (MRS Section 304.009): $400Class B Misdemeanor (20 mph or more above speed limit) (MRS Section 304.010) or a violation of careful and prudent standard (MRS 304.012)): $1,000/6 months)(MRS Sections 558.002 and 558.011) | Suspension or revocation through a point system (MRS Sections 302.302 and 302.304) |
| Montana | Speed restrictions (MCA Section 61-8-303) including:
|
Misdemeanor (MCA Section 61-8-711) speed limit violations fines determined speed above limit:
|
Suspension or revocation through a point system (MCA Title 61, Ch. 11) |
| Nebraska | Reasonable and prudent manner (R.R.S. Nebr. section 60-6,185)Speed limits (R.R.S. Nebr. Section 60-6,186) | Speed limit violations; fines (R.R.S. Nebr. Section 60-682.01) traffic infractions (handled the same way as misdemeanors) Exceeding the speed limit by:
|
Revocation through a point system (R.R.S. Nebr. Section 60-499) |
| Nevada | Restrictions on speed (NRS Sections 484B.600 to 484B.633) including:
|
Misdemeanor (NRS Section 484A.900) $1,000/ 6 months (NRS Section 193.150) | Suspension through a point system (NRS Section 483.473) |
| New Hampshire | Speed limitations: basic rule and maximum limits (NH Statutes Section 265:60) including
|
Violation (NH Statutes Section 265:2) fines determined by miles per hour above limit, for example:
|
Suspension by court order or point system or revocation for three traffic offenses in one year (NH Statutes Sections 236:55 to 236:57) |
| New Jersey | Rates of speed (NJ Statutes Sections 39:4-98 to 39:4-98.9)
|
Motor vehicle offense
|
Suspension through a point system (NJ Statutes Sections 39:5-30.5 to 39:5-30.9) |
| New Mexico | Speed regulation (NMS Section 66-7-301)
|
Penalty assessment misdemeanors
(NMS Sections 66-8-7 and 66-8-116) |
Suspension through point system (NMS Section 66-5-30) |
| New York | Speed restrictions (NY Vehicle & Traffic Code Article 30; click VAT and scroll to Article 30) including
(NY Vehicle & Traffic Code Sections 1180 and 1180-A) |
Traffic infraction – fines determined by miles per hour above limit, for example:
(NY Vehicle & Traffic Code Section 1180) |
Suspension or revocation (NY Vehicle & Traffic Code Section 510) |
| North Carolina | Speed restrictions (NCGS Section 20-141) inlcuding: | Infraction $100 (NCGS Section 20-176) | Suspension (NCGS Section 20-16) |
| North Dakota | Speed restrictions [PDF] (ND Code Chapter 39-09) includingReasonable and prudent speed (ND Code Section 39-09-01)
|
Non-criminal offense/infraction (ND Code Section 39-07-06) with penalties based on miles per hour above the applicable speed limit (ND Code Section 39-06.1-06) | Suspension through a point system (ND Code Section 39-06.1-10) |
| Ohio | Speed limits (ORC Section 4511.21) including
|
Misdemeanor (ORC Sections 4511.21 and 4511.99)
|
Suspension through a point system (ORC Sections 4510.36 and 4510.37) |
| Oklahoma | Speed limits (OS Title 47; scroll to section 47-11-801) including:
|
Misdemeanor with fines determined by miles per hour above limit, for example:
and/or
|
Suspension (47 OS Section 47-6-206) |
| Oregon | Rules of the Road: Speed (OR Vehicle Code; scroll to sections 811.100 to 811.127) including:
|
Class A – D traffic violations with fines from $250 to $2,000 (OR Statute Sections 811.109 and 153.018) | Suspension (OR Statute Sections 811.109 and 809.280) |
| Pennsylvania | Rules of the Road: Speed Restrictions (PA Vehicle Code Chapter 33; scroll to Subchapter F) including:
|
Summary offense
(75 Pa C.S.A. Section 3362) |
Suspension through a point system (75 Pa C.S.A. Section 1539) |
| Rhode Island | Speed Restrictions (RI Code Chapter 31-14) including:
|
Civil violations per the fee schedule (RI Stat. Section 31-41-1.4) including:1-10 mph above speed limit: $9511 mph or more above the speed limit: Starting at $250 | Suspension or revocation (RI Stat. Section 31-11-7) |
| South Carolina | Restrictions on Speed (SC Code Title 56, Ch. 5; scroll to Article 11) including
(SC Statute Section 56-5-1520) |
Misdemeanor determined by miles per hour above limit, for example:
(SC Statute Section 56-5-1520) |
Suspension through a point system (SC Statute Section 56-1-740) |
| South Dakota | Speed Regulation (SD Codified Laws Chapter 32-25) including:Reasonable and prudent speed (SD Statute Section 32-25-3)Speed limits (SD Statute Sections 32-25-1.1, 32-25-4, 32-25-7.1, 32-25-9.2, 32-25-12, and 32-25-14) | Class 2 misdemeanor (SD Statute Sections 32-25-1.1 et seq.)$500/30 days (SD Statute Section 22-6-2) | Suspension, revocation, or cancellation through a point system (SD Statute Section 32-12-49) |
| Tennessee | Speed limits including:Exercising due care speed standard (TN Code Section 55-8-136)Speed limits (TN Code Section 55-8-152) | Class C misdemeanor (TN Code Section 55-8-152)$50/30 days (TN Code Section 40-35-111) | Suspension through a point system (TN Code Section 55-50-505) |
| Texas | Speed restrictions (TX Transportation Code Sections 545.351 to 545.365) including: Reasonable and prudent speed mits (TX Transportation Code Sections 545.351 and 545.352) | Misdemeanor (TX Transportation Code Section 542.301)
|
Suspension or revocation by licensing agency (TX Transportation Code Section 521.292) |
| Utah | Speed Restrictions (UT Code Sections 41-6a-601 to 41-6a-609) including
|
Infraction (UT Code Section 41-6a-601) determined by miles per hour above limit, for example:
|
Suspension through a point system (UT Code Section 53-3-220) |
| Vermont | Local speed limits (23 VSA Section 1007) Basic rule and maximum limits (23 VSA Section 1081) Reasonable and prudent speed | Traffic violations with fines up to $1,000 (23 VSA Section 2302) | Suspension or revocation through a point system (23 VSA Sections 2500 to 2507) |
| Virginia | Maximum speed limits generally (VA Code Section 46.2-870) | Traffic infraction determined by miles per hour above limit, for example:
|
N/A for just speeding |
| Washington | Speed restrictions: basic rules and maximum limits (RCW Section 46.61.400) including
|
Traffic infraction of not more than $250 (RCW Section 46.63.110) | Suspension based on frequent violations (RCW Section 46.20.291) |
| West Virginia | Speed limitations generally; penalty (WV Code Section 17C-6-1)
|
Misdemeanor
|
Suspension based on frequency of violations (WV Code Section 17B-3-6) |
| Wisconsin | Speed restrictions (WI Code Chapter 346; scroll to Section 346.57) including:
|
Civil forfeiture ranging from $30 to $300 (WI ST Section 346.60) | Suspension by courts (WI ST Section 343.40) |
| Wyoming | Speed Regulations (WY Statutes Title 31, Ch. 5, Article 3) including:
(WY ST Section 31-5-301) |
Misdemeanor determined by miles per hour above limit, for example:
|
Suspension (WY ST Section 31-7-129) |
Note: State laws are always subject to change through the passage of new legislation, rulings in the higher courts (including federal decisions), ballot initiatives, and other means. While we strive to provide the most current information available, please consult an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching. Data/information source: FindLaw.com
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