We are often asked the question: “How Much is a Speeding ticket in NY?”. The literal answer for a first conviction is that a New York state speeding fine costs between $45 and $600. For speeding 1 to 10 mph over the limit the range is $45 to $150. For speeding 11 mph to 30 mph, the range is $90 to $300. Finally, for speeding 31 mph or more, the range is $180 to $600. For a second speeding conviction, the maximum fine can be increased by up to $150 and for a third, it can be increased by up to $375.
Of course, these ranges of fines do not include the $88-$93 additional New York State speeding fine surcharged imposed on all moving violations. Additionally, it does not include the Driver Assessment Fee that is imposed on motorists who accumulate 6 or more points on their licenses. This fee is $300 for 6 points and $75 for every point above 6.
However, there are many other NY speeding ticket costs. For example, it is not widely known (or enforced) but a judge can also impose up to 15 days in jail for a speeding 1 to 10 mph speeding ticket, and up to 30 days for 11+ mph speeding ticket.
New York Speeding Ticket Fines and Points
On the other hand, most of you know that speeding tickets result in points being added to your driver license. In the state of New York, a speeding ticket carries a total of 3 to 11 points. Below is an overview of NY speeding ticket points:
Speeding 1 to 10 MPH: 3 points
Speeding 11 to 20 MPH: 4 points
Speeding 21 to 30 MPH: 6 points
Speeding 31 to 40 MPH: 8 points
Speeding 41+ MPH: 11 points
Beyond the points, another speeding ticket cost is that it can result in a license suspension or revocation. Some judges will suspend a motorist for just one 8-point or 11-point speeding ticket conviction. Some will suspend for two speeding convictions. The DMV can suspend your license if you accumulate 11 or more points within 18 months (from speeding convictions or otherwise). Finally, three speeding convictions within 18 months will result in an automatic and mandatory 6-month revocation of driver’s license.
Another cost of a speeding ticket conviction involves your automobile insurance rates. By law, a New York insurance company cannot raise your rates for one speeding conviction of 15 mph above the limit (or less) if you have an otherwise clean record. For a higher speeding ticket or multiple convictions, however, your auto insurance rates can be hiked. The only option to address a hike is to take the Driver Safety Class that takes 10% off your insurance rates.
As you can see, there are many NY speeding ticket costs. You, therefore, should always be aware of speed limits and heed your speedometer. For 20+ years, our NYC law firm has helped thousands of motorists each year fight their traffic tickets throughout New York State and keep their licenses as clean as possible. Feel free to call us at 212-683-7373 or email us at lawyer@nytrafficticket.com for a free consultation.
2297 Comments. Leave new
Hi Matthew,
I’m an international student and I’m from Sri Lanka.I don’t have NY or other State drivers license but I have my country driver’s license which is in English.
I was pulled over in route 11 Canton- Potsdam road, New York. I was charged for speeding up to 77 mph on a 55 mph road. This was my first ticket. Since this is my first such experience, I don’t have any idea what I should do. I highly appreciate if you can guide me. I have questions like how much I would be charged, should I plead guilty? should I apply for reduction?
Thank you.
Paul,
You should plead not guilty. If you do, you likely can save NY points as well as the $300 Driver Assessment Fee. Appear on whatever court date you are assigned and you will be able to negotiate this charge down.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
I’m so glad I found this page! I just got pulled over yesterday for doing 80 in a 65 on I-86 in Allegany. The trooper asked my why I was speeding and I said I saw him and looked at the speedometer and realized I was doing 80. I have an otherwise clean driving record. I understand this will add 4 points to my insurance and the fine will be around $150-200. My question: I will have no Driver Assessment Fee, and no increase in my insurance rate, if I plead guilty? Thanks so much.
Colin
Colin,
You will not have to pay a Driver Assessment Fee for this one 4-point ticket. That fee only applies when you accumulate 6 or more points.
Also, if you have an otherwise clean record, then you will NOT receive an insurance hike from this one conviction. One speeding ticket of 15 mph (or less) is not enough for your insurance rates to be raised.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
I have a total of 8 points on my license from a speeding ticket two years ago and just paid off my assessment fee. I just recently got pulled over for 85 in a 65 on the thruway. I stated to the officer my exact speed and he wrote a deposition. If I plead guilty will the new points count against my old points and is there even a possibility of me being able to get the ticket lowered since I’m quoted in the supporting deposition for my exact speed. Can one go to court, plead guilty, and still explain their situation in hopes of something a little lessened (especially if you’re a full time college student barely making it by)? Your help is greatly appreciated, thanks.
Keith,
NY points only last for 18 months from the date of offense. So these new potential points will NOT be added to those ones you had from 2 years ago. You want to plead NOT GUILTY. If you do, you likely can negotiate this down to a less serious charge.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew ,
Thanks for your guidance.
Hi Matthew,
I have an Indiana license and was given ticket going 81 in 65mph on Chautauqua county ,going towards Niagara. I was thinking of going with Chautauqua county District Attorney’s Traffic ticket plea policy. The section charged to me is 1180d by the Officer and the plea form states for this section, the Plea Offer is VTL 1200-d.
I would like to know what would be the fine to be paid and points will be assessed for this ticket as its the First time offense. Is it worth to go with Plea policy?
Any guidance on this would be highly appreciated. Thanks
Naga,
Take that deal! A VTL 1200-d carries 0 points which is obviously much better than the original 4-point speed. The fine will likely be between $200 and $300.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
I have an Illinois license and was ticketed going 76 in a 55 on I-290 in Buffalo on July 3rd(although I find it hard to believe I was going that fast, I was passing a semi-truck and was clocked at the worst possible moment). From what I am reading on your site is it correct that the fee for this ticket will be $90-$300 range, PLUS $70 surcharge, PLUS $300 for now getting 6 points; meaning the total could be anywhere from $460-$670?!? This seems outrageous to me and I am hoping that I am misreading the situation. Any help or advise you can give would be great, I travel for business to Buffalo every couple of weeks but would like to take care of this by mail, if possible.
Thanks for any info or help
Ryan,
Sadly, your calculations are pretty accurate. You should plead not guilty and fight this ticket. If you do, you likely can save points and the $300 Driver Assessment Fee.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Mathew
I have a question for you. I got a ticket for parking on the wrong side of the road and I was not parked on the road. I was parked off of the road. Can you please explain if that law law still applies even though I was not on the road? The officer wrote ” Car was parked on the north bound side of the road facing south bound.
Thank you
Jeff,
Certainly, you can raise this argument at your hearing. I would. Parking tickets generally are only applicable for offenses occurring on a roadway.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
I got a speeding ticket on July 8th in Catskills. I am 18 years of age. The officer was being nice and charged me with 80 on 65 when I was going 87. Should I plead guilty or not guilty? It is all coming out of my own pocket as my parents stated.
Sara,
You should plead not guilty. If you do, you may be able to negotiate this down to a less serious ticket (although I don’t think you’ll be able to save much, if anything, on the fine).
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
I got a speeding ticket (1180D) on July 4 on I87 in Woodbury (N/B 49). It was a 65 mph zone and I was charged for 80 mph. In the additional information section, the officer wrote: 86 mph at 1370 ft , slowed to 80 mph. I hold NJ driver license and it is my first ticket for the last 10 year. If I plead guilty, what is the fine? And will it increase my insurance? If I plead not guilty and hire a lawyer to fight, will I save any money? The ticket mentions that I have to mail this NOT GUILTY plea within 48 hours. The court will notify me by FIRST Class Mail of my appearance date. Do I need to do it if I hire a lawyer? Thanks
Simon
Simon,
The fine for this 4-point speeding ticket would be roughly $200. It will transfer as 2 points onto your NJ license. I could increase your insurance. Check with your insurance company to confirm. If you fight this ticket, you will likely not save any money unless you have other NY points on your license already. Your decision to hire a traffic lawyer hinges on a few variables including whether your license in NY and NJ is clean, how likely are you to get other tickets and how frequently you drive in New York.
Feel free to call us for a free consultation.
Matthew Weiss
212-683-7373
Dear Matthew,
I have a license in Illinois. I got a speeding ticket in the I90 in Erie County, NY two days ago for going 80 mph in a 65 zone. The only other violation I ever had is a going in the wrong direction violation for going against a one-way road, in Kings County, NY, two months ago. Here are my questions:
1. What is the total fine cost for me if I decide to plead guilty to the speeding violation?
2. What will be the total points on my license if I plead guilty? Will it be 3 (against direction) + 4 (speeding over 15mph) = 7 points? Since I have a license in Illinois, how will my violations in NY be transfered to my license?
3. I don’t have a car myself yet, but I am planning to buy one in the next two months. Approximately, how much extra cost of insurance will result from this speeding violation?
Thank you very much! I hope to hear from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Kai
Kai,
Answers in bold below.
1. What is the total fine cost for me if I decide to plead guilty to the speeding violation? If you plead guilty, the fine will be roughly $200 to $250. Because you will have a total of 7 points, you will also have to pay a $375 Driver Assessment Fee. Therefore, we recommend that you plead not guilty and fight this ticket. If you do, you likely can save the $375.
2. What will be the total points on my license if I plead guilty? Will it be 3 (against direction) + 4 (speeding over 15mph) = 7 points? Since I have a license in Illinois, how will my violations in NY be transfered to my license? Yes, you’ll have 7 points total if you plead guilty. Points from a NY conviction will transfer onto your IL license. IL will assess whatever points that it would have assessed had the offense occurred in IL.
3. I don’t have a car myself yet, but I am planning to buy one in the next two months. Approximately, how much extra cost of insurance will result from this speeding violation? That I cannot answer. I cannot estimate insurance rates but I can write that you will not get the best rate with both of these tickets on your record. Therefore, fight it.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
I’m from Ontario and I was on the 81N where I got pull over for doing 91 in a 65 zone, however when I saw him waiting at the bottom of the hill, I realize I was speeding and glance at my gps and it shows that i was going 75mph before I started to reduce my speed, so I pass him and he pull me over and ask me if I know how much I was going and I told him that I saw the 75mph on my gps then he said that he don’t want to argue with me about how fast I was going, also I told him that my son was feeling sick and I was rushing to get to the next exit for a washroom, he give the ticket and then showed me where to find the next restroom area, I would like to know roughly how much it would cost me and does it affect my Ontario license and insurance, I don’t have any records on my drivers license since I’m driving for 15 years now this is my first. Can you please advice. Thanks. RANI
Hi Rani,
Because a NY conviction will transfer onto your Ontario license as 4 demerit points, we recommend fighting this ticket. This ticket carries 6 NY points, roughly a $200 fine and a $300 Driver Assessment Fee.
Matthew Weiss
I was driving on i-390 in lansville NY today and got the tickets for 83/65, what should i do to reduce my cost and points? I was following another car and driving downhill, i did not realize how fast it was. Any chance for me if i plea not guilty? thx
Lily,
You should plead not guilty. This is the only way to try and save points, and avoid an insurance hike.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
Thanks for helping all of us out on here! I have a quick question as well. I received my first speeding ticket on Monday July 2 after driving for 10 years. I was clocked at 72 in a 55 in Stanford, NY by a NYS Trooper. My sister’s boyfriend is a trooper and stupidly, I did not think to call while I was being pulled over to try and get some help. He told me since the ticket was already in the system to plead not guilty and that when the court date comes around he would call the trooper and tell him not to show up in court. Does that work? And if not, what kind of penalties am I looking at?
Thanks and Happy Fourth!
Crystal C.
Crystal C,
Unfortunately, I can’t answer that question. I recommend that you simply plead not guilty. On your court date, you likely can negotiate this down to a less serious charge.
Matthew Weiss
I hold a MA Drivers license and I had 1 speeding ticket in MA couple of years ago, which I appeared in court and got reduced. However not sure about points gained with that incident. I was on I90 East in Princetown, NY and was pulled over for “DISOBEYED TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE”.
It was a rental car and I was going on 85mph in 65 mph zone. Officer pulled me over and took my license, asked me to follow him to pull over another person. When I reached to another location there were 3 cars including me officer had pulled over (not sure about other cars). Along with other instructions officer did mention he is not giving me serious speeding charge and saved about $100 of mine for me going through hassle of chasing him and waiting for long time. He gave me general ticket under section 1110A.
If I decide to plead guilty, how much would the ticket cost me and how many points will be transferred on my MA license?
If I decided to plead not guilty, I will have to rent car and drive about 3 hrs from Boston. I will not only end up paying car rent but likely will have to miss a day at work. What option will be appropriate?
I appreciate your help.
Jinesh
Jinesh,
An 1110a ticket carries 2 points in NY. I do not know MA law so you need to check with the MA MVA on how many points will transfer. The fine for this ticket will be around $150 to $200.
You can spend the time to fight this ticket or hire a NY traffic lawyer to appear for you. Or, finally, you can just pay the ticket.
I have these answers have been helpful.
Matthew Weiss
I was driving through upstate New York and came to the end of a T in the road (highways 11 and 22) which required a stop and a left turn to continue on my route.
After stopping and checking my way was clear I made the turn and immediately a state police cruiser rolled up behind me lights flashing.
The officer asked if I was traveling with the car that had been in front to me ( I was not) and informed me that he had pulled out to pull over that car as it had also not made a complete stop at the light. After more questioning he clarified that he had observed me make only a “rolling stop” and then I had also pulled out in front of the officer as he was on his way to pull over the other driver.
The latter is complete fabrication as I was unlikely to miss a cruiser, lights flashing, in pursuit of another motorist. I also question if in fact he was in the roadway how he could possibly have noticed that my tires did not make a complete stop at the intersection?
He informed me that the “Disobeying a flashing red light” (1113A) charge covered both infractions.
Incidentally, as he was talking to me he pulled over another vehicle that had just made the turn.
My questions are:
How serious is this offense and what would the likely fine be?
I have an option to plead guilty with an explanation. How likely is my explanation going to result in mitigation of the fine or reduction in charge.
If I plead not guilty and take this to court how likely am I going going to be able to win or reduce the charge?
Thanks!
Phil F,
Answers in bold below.
How serious is this offense and what would the likely fine be? This ticket carries 3 point and roughly a $175 fine (assuming you have an otherwise clean record).
I have an option to plead guilty with an explanation. How likely is my explanation going to result in mitigation of the fine or reduction in charge. Very unlikely. You should plead not guilty. If you do, you likely can negotiate this down to a less serious offense.
If I plead not guilty and take this to court how likely am I going going to be able to win or reduce the charge? A reduction is likely a dismissal (while possible) is unlikely.
Matthew Weiss
Thank-you for your prompt response. I do have a clean driving record and truly believe that I am innocent of the charge. I will plead not guilty. The court is Mooers Town Court. I assume I must make my appearance in person? Any thought on how long I will have until the court date? If the date does not work with my schedule is there any issue with changing my plea? I also want to see the officers supporting deposition.Thanks again.
Phil F,
I don’t know how long this court will take to schedule your case and, yes, you can always change your plea (or ask for a new date). Finally, ask for a supporting deposition if you haven’t gotten one yet.
Matthew Weiss
Thanks very much for all of your advice. I mailed off the non-guilty plea this afternoon. Wish me luck!
Phil F,
Absolutely! Good luck.
Matthew Weiss
Hi.
I was driving downhill southbound of I-81 in town of Chenango when state trooper pulled me over for speeding.
I currently am 29 years old and live in New Jersey. I never gotten a ticket in my life. Not even parking violation.
The trooper wrote a ticket for driving 83 mph in 65 mph zone.
I see that you wrote above comments to plead not guilty and fight the case. How?
Can you give me some tips how to fight and lower the charges?
Thank you
Jason,
If you plead not guilty, you will be scheduled a court date at the Chenango court. On that date, you will have an opportunity to conference the case and likely negotiate it down to a less serious charge. Simple as that.
By the way, this speeding ticket carries 4 points and roughly a $200 fine, and will transfer as 2 point onto your NJ record. Of course, if you plea this down, you will get a better outcome.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
Hello Matthew,
I hold a NJ Drivers license and I had clean record until now. I was on I81 in Cortland County, NY and was pulled over for being 82/65 mph zone.
It was a rental car and I was not sure how fast was I going. Also, since this is my first time I wanted to see if I should apply for a plea bargain?
If I decide to plead guilty, how much would the ticket cost me and how many points will be transferred on my NJ license?
I appreciate your help.
Rahul
Rahul,
This ticket carries 4 NY points and roughly a $200 fine. It will transfer as 2 points onto your NJ license. We therefore recommend that you plead not guilty and fight this case. If you do, you likely can obtain a more favorable outcome.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
I got pulled over in a 35mph zone going 71mph. I went to court and got the hearing pushed off to a later date. Since the time I got the ticket, the location where i got the ticket has changed the speed limit from 35mph to 45mph. Could that be advantageous to me? Should I push it off again or should I just pay the ticket and pay the insurance hike? Any idea how much each one would be? Beside this ticket, my record is completely clean… Please help as my court date is on Wednesday.. Thanks!
Dan,
The change in speed limits may help you. Bring proof in the form of photographs on your court date. In regard to whether you try to adjourn it again, I don’t have enough information to properly answer this question.
Feel free to call us so we can get you the right answer.
Matthew Weiss
I have a clean driving record with no previous speeding tickets, and I got a 67 in a 45 for a ticket. I live in New Jersey, I was driving my friend’s car. I really don’t care about points, but I am a broke college kid. The original court date ( being i plead Not Guilty) was 7-11 but they moved it to sept. This normally wouldn’t be a problem, but i am applying to the Marine Corps Officer program in August and i cannot have any fines or tickets outstanding when I apply. What is my best move?
Spencer,
Call the court and see if you can change the date to before you apply to the Marine Corps. You will most likely save the $300 Driver Assessment Fee if you fight this ticket (rather than pleading guilty).
Matthew Weiss
I got pulled over for 48 in a 30 after just getting out of a 45 mph zone into a 30 mph zone on a country road. The officer gave me a traffic ticket and the option to return it by mail or in person. He did not write it for speeding he wrote it for disobeyed traffic control device he did not put any fines on the ticket. He said I would have 2 points on my license instead of 4 points and my insurance company would not hear about this it would not go up and my driving record would stay clean. I want to know if this is true and if I will have to pay a fine of any sort.
Bryant Gallagher,
If you have an otherwise clean record, then one 2-point ticket will NOT affect your insurance rates. If you plead guilty, then there will be roughly a $150 fine.
Matthew Weiss
My son was pulled over in Hawthorne ny(we are from Ct). He was clocked doing 65 in a 55. The officer told him to plead not guilty and because of this he would not have to appear? So we send in the ticket with the not guilty plea and he just received a court date in the mail. What should he be advised what to do now? He will most likely have to show up byt should he get a lawyer or is this something that he could show up and pay the fine?
Pam,
Your son can appear or he can retain a NY traffic lawyer to appear for him. This is a low speed that only carries 3 NY points and these points will not transfer onto his CT license.
Matthew Weiss
Can I do a plea bargain without showing up in court?
Jo,
In most courts, you or your traffic lawyer must appear. Trying calling the court to see if there are any exceptions to this rule in your particular court.
Matthew Weiss
The ticket says “This matter is scheduled to be handled on the appearance date below”. It is from the Lancaster Town Court. Does this mean I can do a plea bargain?
Jo,
Most likely. The Lancaster Town Court generally plea bargains.
Matthew Weiss
Hi,
I just received a ticket going 82 mph on a 65 mph highway on I-90 in Buffalo NY. This is my second my ticket in that area however the first ticket, the officer was nice enough to change my offense to running a red light which apparently is a smaller offense. I paid $160 total for pleading guilty. The 2nd ticket i just received is an actual speeding ticket. Do you know how much that would cost and is it worth fighting for? I live in NYC and it would be a pain for me to drive up to Buffalo to show up for court. Before these two tickets, I have never gotten a moving violation ticket. My record was clean. What do you advise? Thank you.
Jo,
This ticket carries 4 points and roughly a $200 fine. If it is returnable at the Buffalo Traffic Violations Bureau, then you cannot make a deal. This is an “all or nothing” court. If it is at another court in Erie County, then you CAN plea bargain, and you have a better chance to get a more favorable result.
Matthew Weiss
I got pulled by a State Trooper today in Waverly, NY – MY car will not go over 65 without shaking, however, today I was driving a rental suv to bring my daughter home from college. The rental drove so smooth I didn’t realize I was speeding and I was going with the flow of traffic. I spotted the Trooper well before I got to him – I was surprised to see that I was actually going 80 (in a 65 mph zone) and I immediately hit the brakes to slow down before I passed him. A few minutes later I see him coming behind me and then pulled me over. He said that I was going 81 when I passed him – there is NO WAY I was going 81 when I passed him but I didn’t argue with him – just said it was a rental and I was still trying to get used to it (having only driving it a few miles before today). On the attached deposition is says that the charge was based on the officer’s “direct observation” and speed verified by “Stalker Dual Radar” under additional information “visual estimate of speed verified by radar in stationary mode on rear antenna”….. What does this mean, his radar on his rear antenna clocked me at going 81 when I passed him? I sincerely didn’t realize that I was going that fast, especially with my daughter in the vehicle but I wasn’t going even one mile over 80 when I first saw him and after hitting the brakes well before I got close to his vehicle I had slowed down considerably….. He gave me a ticket and said try to get a handle on this hot rod and use your cruise control. I set me cruise control to drive the rest of the way home and it felt like I was going very slow and EVERYONE was passing me on the highway….. I live over 3 hours away from the Barton Town Court and plan to plead “not guilty” via mail- do you know if they will accept my testimony via telephone or letter so that I do not have to drive all that way? Do you know anything about plea bargaining with this particular court? I have been unemployed for over a year and my home is in foreclosure – I do not have the money for an attorney, nor do I have the money for a ticket or can risk the 4 points on my record as well as the insurance going up….. I have no points on my record and it’s been probably 12 years since I was stopped for speeding. That was local and I did get that knocked down to opening my door into oncoming traffic or something like that…. Do you know whether they will extend the time for me to pay the fine if I am able to get this reduced? Any chance of getting it dismissed at this particular court? Any info will be greatly appreciated – thanks and you have a great day
Karen,
A dismissal is possible but not likely. A reduction to a less serious charge is more likely. The court will not accept your testimony via mail but, if you don’t want to travel to court, you can retain a NY traffic lawyer to appear for you.
Matthew Weiss
i received a speeding ticket in champlain NY, was going 86 in a 65 – i pleaded guilty to find out the fine amount and the fine came to $2500 – how can this be?
Thanks
Nick,
That’s quite unusual. You should contact the court and see if you can change your plea to not guilty.
Matthew Weiss
Matt,
I was pulled over for going 78 in a 65 on I-90 in Lancaster, NY. I do not feel I was going that fast but the officer stated that he got me with the laser. I mailed in the ticket pleading Not Guilty.
Last summer I received a ticket for rolling through a stop sign which was reduced to a non-moving violation and no points, and two weeks ago I sent in a Guilty plea for a “disobeying a posted traffic sign” ticket (I was speeding but the officer gave me this ticket instead). Prior to this I had 0 points on my license.
Did I do the right thing pleading Not Guilty? Is it worth hiring a lawyer to go to court for me?
Thanks!
RG,
You definitely did the right thing by pleading not guilty. You already have 2 points and the 78/65 carries 4 more points. By fighting it, you likely can save points and likely avoid paying the $300 Driver Assessment Fee. Given your penchant for getting tickets, you should consult with (if not hire) a traffic lawyer regarding this ticket.
Matthew Weiss
Also, I just realized he wrote my car color on the ticket as Gold and my car is Silver. I’m sure that will help make this go away very quickly.
Jim,
The wrong color written on the ticket does not render it fatally defective. However, you can bring this up at trial and use it to argue that the officer was less than careful. If other errors are elicited, then cumulatively you may be able to successful fight this ticket a trial. My experience is that one such minor error is not enough to win.
Matthew Weiss
I’m from Albany, NY and I just received a speeding ticket in Albany for 55 in a 30. The speed limit changes to 40 just before where I was pulled over. I have one previous speeding violation on my record from back in February 2012. Other than that, my record is spotless. 25mph over seems to bring a hefty fine and point increase and would assume I should plea not guilty. It says I must mail in or bring to court on 6/03 by 9am. I can mail in the not guilty plea, but need to know that I won’t have to appear in court on that day as I will be out of state on a planned vacation. What is your advice?
Thank you,
Jim
Jim,
You should plead not guilty. If you do, you likely can negotiate this 6-point speed down to a less serious charge (and save some money as well). If you cannot appear in court as scheduled, then you can contact the court and ask them for a new date. Alternatively, you can retain a lawyer who can appear for you. Given that this is your second speeding ticket within 18 months, I recommend that you speak with (if not retain) a NY traffic ticket lawyer.
Matthew Weiss
Hello Matt,
I recieved speeding ticket in Franklin county of NY state last weekend. I was speeding 71 mph on 55 speed zone. I live in Boston, MA and I would like to know what are my options here to deal with my speeding ticket and how much do I need to pay for the ticket?. Please advice.
Raj,
Because a NY conviction will transfer onto your MA license, we recommend that you plead not guilty and fight this speeding ticket. If you do, you likely can obtain a more favorable outcome. If you do not want to return to New York, then you can retain a NY traffic lawyer who can appear for you.
Matthew Weiss
I was pulled over in Stafford on I 90 E. The zone was 65 mph, I was going 75.
I live in Ontario. What would the fine/points be for this? Should I plea guilty or not guilty? I can’t and won’t be returning for a court date if one is set. Also will this affect my insurance? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!
Nocle,
This ticket carries 3 NY points and will transfer as 3 demerit points onto your Ontario license. The fine will be roughly $150 and a conviction will adversely affect your insurance rates in Ontario.
Matthew Weiss
I was pulled over today in Broome County going 51 in a 30, going down a hill. I was not paying attention and trying to get to my kids golf match. I plan on fighting it, but am not sure what I should say/do when I go. Do I explain that I was not paying close attention and let it get away from me? Thank.
Eric,
I recommend that you plead not guilty to this speeding ticket. If you do, you likely can negotiate this down to a 4-point ticket savings 2 points and the $300 Driver Assessment Fee (despite your admission).
Matthew Weiss
Matthew,
Do I mail it in, or wait to show up in person?
Eric,
You can mail it in if the court day is not too soon. Otherwise, you can appear in person on the date on the ticket.
Matthew Weiss
Got a speeding ticket on Cross Island in queens doing 21-30 over limit (50 mph!). I pleaded not guilty so I will be going to court. Will I have the option of the Prosecutor lowring it down that I normally do in other courts that expect me to showup without a fee on the ticket??? I know its 6 points but would not mind less plus I def need to take a Def Drive class after this.
Philip,
You unfortunately will not have an option to plea bargain this speeding ticket down. In all the NYC traffic courts, they do NOT plea bargain. If you plead not guilty, you will be scheduled a hearing where it is “all or nothing” (i.e., guilty or not guilty).
I wrote an article entitled “Fighting A Traffic Ticket At The Traffic Violations Bureau“. It should help you better understand the process in this unique venue.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
Recently my wife got a speeding ticket in Queens, 75 mph at a 50 mph area. Really don’t think the speed was that much over, but I guess there’s also no way we could have proved otherwise… From the back of the ticket, it seems like we’d have to pay $195 + $60 surcharge + 20 fee + ( I guess ) $300 Driver Responsibility Assessment.
This is her first ever speeding ticket, and we have been very clean on our driving records.
I read about your blogs and got quite a lot of good ideas, thanks for that.
My questions are: (1) If she pleads guilty, would she be paying all the above fees and 6 points on license? Anyway of lower fines and/or lower points during the plead process? (2) If she pleads not guilty, I believe a court date will be set and notified. What will be her options when she arrives at court? I don’t think there’s plea bargain in Queens (as per your blogs above), so how would fines/points be reduced when in-person facing the judge? (3) If hiring a traffic lawyer, what will be the best case scenerio? Does she still need to attend in person?
Thanks for the time in advance.
Anthony,
Answers in bold below:
(1) If she pleads guilty, would she be paying all the above fees and 6 points on license? Anyway of lower fines and/or lower points during the plead process? No, these are minimums. The only way to save money is to plead not guilty and fight this speeding ticket (and, of course, win).
(2) If she pleads not guilty, I believe a court date will be set and notified. What will be her options when she arrives at court? I don’t think there’s plea bargain in Queens (as per your blogs above), so how would fines/points be reduced when in-person facing the judge? If she plead not guilty, she’ll get a hearing. She would need to beat the ticket to avoid the points and costs.
(3) If hiring a traffic lawyer, what will be the best case scenerio? Does she still need to attend in person? If she hires a NY traffic lawyer, she will NOT have to appear in court. An experienced traffic lawyer will do his best to beat your case but, of course, cannot guarantee a result. Further, such a traffic lawyer could appear multiple times and fight hard and still lose. You and your wife will have to make a decision whether she wants to “go down swinging”, or move on.
I wrote an article entitled “Fighting A Traffic Ticket At The Traffic Violations Bureau“. It will further explain the process of fighting a traffic ticket in the unique New York City traffic courts.
Matthew Weiss
Hi, I’m from Montreal, Canada and I was pulled over for doing 81 in a 65 zone on I-87 in Chestertown. I’m not going to fight it cause it’s too far from home. How much do you think it will cost me? I haven’t have a speeding ticket in over 2 years… Thank You!!
Frank,
The fine will be roughly $150 to $200. Keep in mind that a NY conviction will transfer onto your Quebec license as demerit points. If you do not want to return to NY, you can retain a NY traffic lawyer to appear for you.
Matthew Weiss
I got my first speeding ticket in the Village of Nassau, I know it was my oops, I wasn’t paying attention as I was conversing with the passenger.
I was 58 in a 40. I have an immaculate driving record and the cops in this area are real sticklers. 9 times out of 10 they won’t reduce the points or fine for a not-guilty plea.
Any advice?
How big of a fine?
Insurance rates?
Points?
KD,
You should plead not guilty and fight this 4-points speeding ticket. This is the ONLY way to possibly obtain a less serious charge. Hopefully, you can negotiate a reduction based on your stellar driving record. The fine for this ticket is roughly around $150 and a conviction could adversely affect your insurance rates.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
Hello Matthew,
I received my first speeding ticket today heading to class on route 20 between the town of Nelson and Morrisville. The ticket was from a NYS Trooper and reads that I was traveling at 70 mph in a 55 mph zone. The Police Officer also provided supporting deposition. I have no other violations on record, what action should I take? This is to be held at Nelson Town Court. If I plead not guilty will the court likely offer a reduced fine or plea bargain? I do not wish to hire a traffic lawyer.
-Thank you for your time
Christopher,
This ticket carries 4 points and roughly a $150 fine. Because this is your first ticket and it’s only 15 mph over the limit, a conviction will NOT result in your insurance being raised (assuming you have no accidents on your record). Nevertheless, I recommend that you plead not guilty and fight this ticket. If you do, you likely can negotiate it down to a less serious charge.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
I got a speeding ticket in Town of Liberty today for 75 over 55 zone, the description of violation says “speed over 55 zone”. I have no violations previously.
What will be the rough penalty and should I plea guilty with explanation or plea not guilty? Normally how can I apply for a reduced charge? If say I plea not guilty but I have to hire a lawyer to appear in court on my behave, what will be cost?
Thanks,
Victor,
This speeding ticket carries 4 points and roughly a $200 fine. To obtain a more favorable result, you must plead not guilty. If you hire a traffic lawyer, you should expect to pay between $400 and $600.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew:
Any advice on a speeding ticket in Pleasant Valley, NY? I had the cruise control on 62 in a 55, but the officer claimed I was doing 72! I was shocked. I plan to plead not guilty, but don’t have any evidence so I’m afraid it will be my word against the officer’s in court. No passengers in the car unfortunately. If they plea bargain, should I take it?
I have a CT license with a 20 year history and no other moving violations.
Chip,
Pleading not guilty is the right course of action. If you do, you’ll have an opportunity to conference the case and likely negotiate this down to a less serious charge.
BTW, point from a NY conviction will not transfer onto your CT license (although a NY conviction will be reported to CT an can affect your CT insurance rates).
Matthew Weiss
I received a ticket today for 82 in a 65 in Sullivan County, NY on route 17 by a State Trooper. The work zone limit was 55. He stated 82 in a 65 but stated it as a work zone. I was approaching a work zone heading east when i began slowing down. The officer was in the median facing east visiting with another officer in their vehicle facing west. A few moments after I drive past, I notice the officer pull away and hop on my tail. I move to the right lane as I think he wants to pass, but then turns his lights on. After he approaches and says the usual things, he says something like ‘you’re lucky because you were speeding just before hitting the work zone’. When I receive my ticket and drive away, my boyfriend realizes he stated it as a work zone ticket anyway. While I don’t think I went anywhere above 80 my whole trip, I’m willing to admit I was speeding. I don’t admit to being in the work zone. I’m not sure how much the ticket would cost or what I should do to handle the ticket. I live on Long Island and a trip up to court wouldn’t seem ideal unless completely necessary, same for hiring an attorney.
I have a speeding ticket from 2007 which I had reduced by a written letter to my local police station when I lived in Sidney, NY for 39 in a 30.
Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Megan,
You should plead not guilty and fight this ticket. This is the only way to possibly obtain a amore favorable result.
With a work zone speeding ticket, the fines are double. Further, some courts will not plea bargain them.
Matthew Weiss
So I got hit doing 95 in a 55 on the highway in Buffalo. I have a Kansas license. Unfortunately, from what I hear, plea bargins don’t exist in the city areas. I have a lawyer and my hearing is in June, we’re going to fight the ticket and HOPEFULLY get it reduced.
Only problem is, that just last night I was in Arcade, driving my girlfriend back to PA, when I got hit while slowing down from the 40 speed limit to the 30.. I was doing 47 in the 40, and when I hit the 30, I got pulled over… 17 mph over the limit… I have till May 2 to respond to this. Will this effect my trooper ticket in any way? should I bother fighting this? If so, just show up myself and plead “not guilty” and hope something lesser gets imposed? Help me out here.
Joe,
Points from a NY conviction will transfer onto your Kansas license. I therefore recommend that you plead not guilty to the new speeding ticket. Your goal should be to conference that one (and plea it down) before your Buffalo ticket goes to a hearing. In this way, you improve your chances of obtaining the best plea bargain in Arcade.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
Thanks. When should I be able to conference the Arcade ticket? Can I only go on the 2nd? Or can I knock it out earlier?
Joe,
Call the court if you need or want to try and change the court date. They may be able to help you.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matt,
I’m from New Jersey and was driving north on I-87 in Albany County NYS- City of Coeymans Town and was stopped for 88 in a 65. To be honest I didn’t know I was driving that fast, the rental car was a lot different than my car. When I told the officer this, He told me he had been following me “for miles and miles and miles.” I just replied that I didn’t realize the speed and apologized. After I DID realize that he wrote me for a ticket of 88, No break was given, (maybe due to the fact I gave him a PBA card… some cops don’t like that?). Any advice? 6 points in in NJ, as you may know, I a BIG increase for insurance. Will all 6 transfer to NJ? Also, the ticket doesn’t give any explanation of price…. How do I find out the amount? The ticket is written as “Speed in Zone.” Section 1180D. The officer was not very informative, just told me to send it in with guilty or not guilty.
NYS Ticket Recipient,
This ticket will transfer as 2 NJ points but will be assessed in NY on your NY record. You should plead not guilty and fight this case. It’s the only way to avoid a possible insurance hike.;
Matthew Weiss
Hi,
I am from Ontario Canada. I got the speeding ticket for doing 78/55 zone near Amherst, NY area. Many Ontarians just pay the fine.
What could be the total fine, and should I plead guilty or not?
Am I eligible for plea bargain at the court.
Thanks,
Ramchar
Rama Chardan,
Because points from New York transfer to Ontario, we recommend that you fight this ticket. This is an 6-point NY ticket that carries roughly a $200 fine plus a $300 Driver Assessment Fee. It will transfer as 4 demerit points onto your Ontario license. It can also adversely affect your insurance rates. We, therefore, recommend that you plead not guilty and fight this ticket. If you do, you likely can save NY points and Ontario demerit points, the $300 Driver Assessment Fee and avoid an insurance rate increase (assuming you have an otherwise clean record).
The Amherst Traffic Court does engage plea bargain.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
Thank you in advance if you have the chance to provide me with some information about a recent traffic stop for a speeding ticket. I am a 19 year-old from CT and was pulled over on I-90 on the way to Albany going 85 in a 65. The officer after checking that I had no previous offences dropped the ticket from 87 to 85 and cut me a break.
I have a couple quick questions about the ticket… what do you expect the fine to be and will the points if any transfer to my Connecticut license? Is it possible to request the ticket be reduced if the officer already cut me a break? And lastly, what should I plead when I mail in the ticket if it may be tough for me to make it to a hearing or trial?
Thanks you.
Regards,
Kevin
Kevin CT,
The fine will be roughly $150 and you will get 4 NY points for this speeding ticket. Points will NOT transfer onto your CT license.
You should plead guilty. If you plead not guilty, then you risk the police officer amending the ticket back up to the more serious 4-point level. Further, I doubt that you’ll get a further break if you try and fight it. With that said, some motorists are able to negotiate a further reduction in this circumstances so you’ll have to decide your risk tolerance.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matthew,
I regretfully received the response from court today and included was a $275 fine which is a lot more than I was expecting after pleading guilty. It did not say how many points I will receieve, do you have any idea based on the fine? Thanks.
Kevin CT,
A $275 fine is on the high side. Were there any aggravating factors (ex., bad record accident, etc)? An 85/65 carries 4 NY points but will not transfer as any points on your CT license. I hope this information helps.
Matthew Weiss
About 10 years ago I was pulled over for a DUI in AZ. I don’t live there and I haven’t had the time or money to return and resolve the charges. So two questions:
1) If I am pulled over in NY, will the outstanding charges in AZ show up, and
2) if I return to AZ and convicted, will any points be assessed to my NY license?
Check M,
You likely have a warrant for your arrest so, if you are pulled over in NY, you will be arrested and transferred back to AZ.
If you are convicted, points will not transfer onto your AZ license but an AZ suspension will transfer here.
Matthew Weiss
Hi Matt,
Thank you for your timely help on the previous occasion on this forum.
I have my pretrial conference with the prosecutor of Schroon town court scheduled tomorrow for a 92/65mph infraction. What documents should I carry to the court? Does this court offer great bargains, should I be requesting to change it to a non moving violation or a lesser speed violation. I have a clean NJ license which I plan to transfer to NY after the trial, will the points get transferred too?
Thanks,
Ranjith.
Ranjith,
A NY conviction will transfer onto your NJ license. At your conference, try and get the best deal possible. If you familiarize yourself with the NJ point system, this will assist you in trying to minimize the impact on your NJ license.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
My son got a speeding ticket on Garden state prkway , this is his first ticket , he told he was 90 mph, he got 8 points , the car is under my name, plz help me what to do , the state trooper was very nice to him he told my son you have until june4 to fight it and pay it , plz I don’t know what to expect , my son feel so bad he won’t eat and sleep, he doesn’t want to go to school , this ticket really affected his life , plz plz help just tell me what to do and expect I Don’t want to lose my oldest son thank you so much
Ruby,
I”m sorry to hear how upset your son is about this ticket. He should plead not guilty and fight this ticket. Contact a New Jersey traffic lawyer who can help further. I only handle cases in New York.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
I am a resident of South Carolina but was driving my parents car back to NY today …the car is registered in NY….I got 2 tickets in town of Coeymans …1 for going 82 in 65 & 2 for unispected motor vehicle….Court date is 4/25….I have to go back to college this weekend…I have a SC drivers license but am still on my parents NY insurance….What do you recommend?
Taylor,
A NY conviction will transfer onto your South Carolina license. The South Carolina DMV will assess the amount of points that would have been assessed if the violation occurred in South Carolina. For instance, in South Carolina, speeding 1-9 mph is 2 points, 10-25 mph is 4 points, and speeding 26+ mph 6 points. Further, the conviction will be reported to the South Carolina DMV and therefore your insurance company can learn about it and use it to raise your rates.
We, therefore, recommend that you plead not guilty and fight this ticket. If you do, you likely obtain a more favorable result. If you cannot get back to Coeymans, then you can retain a NY traffic lawyer who can appear for you.
Matthew Weiss
Hello Matthew, thank you for being actively involved in educating the public regarding traffic violations.
I live in QC & today I received notice in the mail from the QC license bureau that NY State has suspended my right to drive in NY because of a past pending ticket.
When I called the QC license bureau they could only provide me with a reference # and tell me that the ticket was from 1989! They also told me that 3 demerit points were put on my record so obviously this was for a moving violation.
NY DMV was already closed when I tried to call them and the online system could not find my info either by name or ref #. How is it possible that I have not received any communications from NY DMV regarding this ticket? What do you recommend as the best approach?
Pross,
Thanks you for your kind remarks. I really appreciate them. Because points from New York transfer to Quebec, we recommend that you clear up and fight this ticket. We represent many drivers from Quebec and are very familiar with your demerit point system.
You can likely find out from where your suspension was issue (and then lift it) but running your NY record.
Matthew Weiss
First off thank you for the time you put into this site. They got me doing 72 in a 55 work zone and the officer cut me a break in the work zone aspect.I pled not guilty and mailed it in to throw myself on the mercy of the Middletown Traffic Court. When I go cour (no violations in 30 years) will reduction be possible since he already gave me a roadside break?
Brian,
Thanks for your kind remarks about my blog.
Because you already got a break, there is a good chance that you will not get a further one. You can plead not guilty and try to get a better deal, but (if you do), the prosecutor could possibly amend the charge back to a work zone speeding ticket. Overall, I think it is worth the risk to try and plea bargain it down to a less serious charge. The very worst thing is that you pay a higher fine (assuming you have an otherwise clean record). Good luck!
Matthew Weiss