The Real California Speeding Ticket Cost
What is the most common traffic ticket infracted upon California drivers? Speeding tickets by a mile. This being said, it may be useful to go over what speeding tickets REALLY cost. After all, the amount on the ticket is usually different from the amount quoted by the DMV, which is usually different from the amount you actually pay—and so on. Let’s take a look at the actual cost of a California speeding ticket.
Average Costs of a Speeding Ticket in California
The average California speeding ticket cost is $230 for a $35 base-fine infraction.
This isn’t even incorporating insurance hikes. In California, speeding tickets for going 15 mph over the limit accounted to an average rate increase of $150 per year, equating to a 15% hike on average. On average, California drivers will pay an additional $160 every year in extra insurance rates for 36 months following a speeding ticket.
Ticket Base Fines and Surcharges
Determining how much your California speeding ticket will cost can be a tough feat, as there are many state and county-imposed penalties and assessments typically added to the base fine. Let’s go over the base fines. Speeding between 1 and 15 mph brings about a small $35 base fine. Between 16 and 25 mph has a $70 base fine. Over 26 mph boasts a $100 base fine, while going 100 or more mph over the speed limit incurs a hefty $200 base fine.
On average, Californians pay 6 times the cost of the base fine of the original speeding ticket. This immensely high rate can be attributed to Californians natural tendency to drive “much faster” than the speed limit when incurring an infraction.
California enforces a surcharge of 20% on all traffic citations, including speeding tickets. In addition, there are a great deal of assessments added to the base fine, revolving around that base amount. Here is the complete list:
- Court operations assessment – $40.00
- Conviction Assessment – $35.00
- State penalty assessment) – 100% of base fine
- Night court assessment – $1.00
- County penalty assessment) – $7 for every $10 of base fine
- DNA Identification fund penalty assessment – $4 for every $10 of base fine
- State court construction penalty assessment – 50% of base fine
- Emergency Medical Air Transportation Services fund penalty assessment – $4.00
- Emergency medical services fund penalty assessment – $2 for every $10 of base fine
Therefore, you can expect to pay:
- $230 for California speeding ticket 15 mph over
- $360 for California speeding ticket 25 mph over
- $500+ for California speeding ticket 26+ mph over
If you get a speeding ticket over 100 mph in California that will result in a fine between $800 to $1000, 2 dmv points, and your license could be suspended or taken away.
Check out more information on penalties associated with speeding tickets from the California DMV here:
https://www.dmv.org/ca-california/traffic-ticket-fines-and-penalties.php
Speeding Tickets in Construction Zones and Safety Enhancement Zones
If you do end up receiving a speeding citation, hopefully it is not in a construction zone or a safety enhancement zone. In a construction zone, your California speeding ticket cost will amount to $367 for going 1 to 15 mph over the limit, $525 for going 16 to 25 mph over the limit, and $648 for going more than 26 mph over the limit.
In a safety enhancement zone, you will be fined $280 for going 1 to 15 mph over the limit, $409 for going 16 to 25 mph over the limit, and $532 for going over 25 mph over the limit.
Moral of the story: If you just have to speed, make sure you don’t do it in one of these special zones. Keep in mind that no matter where you incur your speeding ticket, your California driver’s license will receive one “point” from the California DMV point system. Unless you are caught going over 100 mph then it will cost you two points on your driving record.
Fight a Speeding Ticket
Speeding tickets in California are one of the most expensive ticket types in the nation. However, it is possible to dismiss your ticket fully, and avoid the financial burdens that come with it. TicketBust helps you relinquish your ticket with no court involvement, no paperwork, and minimal waiting.
If you find yourself with a traffic violation, be sure you looking out for breaches of traffic patrol policy. These instances can make a huge difference in dismissing your ticket. If you have any questions regarding the costs of speeding tickets, do not hesitate to contact us.