If you receive a Kentucky speeding ticket, you can pay the fine or go to traffic school to avoid a potential 33% increase in your car insurance rates.

Written by Kianna Walpole

Edited by R.E. Fulton

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

Jump to:

How to manage a Kentucky traffic ticket
Improve your driving habits with telematics
Determining your Kentucky speeding ticket penalties
Speeding tickets can increase your car insurance rates after renewal
Top Kentucky car insurance companies for after a speeding ticket
FAQs

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Kentucky

drivers caught exceeding the speed limit can face fines up to $100, and will have 3 to 6 demerit points put against their driving record. You can either pay the fine, enroll in traffic school, or fight the charge in court to avoid a 33% increase in your

car insurance

How to manage a Kentucky traffic ticket

Step 1: Look at your traffic ticket. Your traffic citation will note important information such as your charge, the fine amount, and your payment date. If you were charged with a misdemeanor, like

reckless driving

, you may be required to appear in court. This date will also show on your ticket.

Step 2: Pay or fight it in traffic court. Kentucky drivers can either pay their fine or plead not guilty and fight the ticket in court. Keep in mind that by paying your ticket, you’re admitting guilt, and will have the applicable demerit points added to your driving record.

Step 3: Shop for new car insurance rates at renewal. Your car insurance company won’t find out about your speeding ticket until your rates renew—at that point, you could see a rise in your premiums by at least 33%.

If you hold a commercial driver’s license, you will always be required to report your ticket to your employer within 30 days of conviction.

Learn more:

Why did my car insurance rates go up?

Ways to pay for your traffic violation

If you have not been ordered to appear in court and are financially able, paying your speeding ticket is the most straightforward option.

To pay for your Kentucky speeding ticket online, visit the Kentucky Court of Justice’s

ePay portal

. Then:

Search for your case either using your case number or citation number

Find your case in the search results, and choose ‘ePay’

Confirm the amount due with your speeding ticket

Choose either the ‘Pay in Full’ option, or ‘Partial Payment’

Enter the required amount

Provide a valid phone number or active email address

Enter billing information and hit ‘Complete Payment’

For all online payments, there is an additional $5 charge. In addition, drivers can opt to pay for their speeding ticket in-person or by mail. You can find your county’s court address through the

Kentucky Court of Justice

Keep in mind: If you choose the ‘Partial Payment’ option for online processing, you will need to pay the full amount at least 2 days before your allotted court date. Not paying your fees on time can result in added fines and penalties.

How to get your ticket dismissed

If you feel like your speeding ticket was an error, you may be able to contest it in a district court and have your infraction dismissed. Here are a few strong cases for dismissal that may work in your defense:

Medical emergencies: If you can prove you had a medical emergency at the time you received your ticket, you may be able to have it dismissed.

Faulty speedometer: A broken speedometer can make it difficult to know how fast you’re traveling, and if yours was broken when you were pulled over, you might get the chance to have your ticket waived.

Defective radar or police error: In the state of Kentucky, law enforcement use Applied Concepts Stalker, Kustom Signals, and MPH Industries Python Series radars to detect your speed. If you believe their system was defective, or that the officer made a judgment error, with proof, you could have your ticket dismissed.

However, it is important to note that drivers with a previously

clean driving record

will likely stand a better chance of having their ticket dismissed at their court appearance compared to those with moving violations.

Don’t claim ignorance. Whether you’re an out-of-state visitor, or a resident, if you’re driving on state grounds, you’re responsible for knowing Kentucky’s traffic laws. Claiming ignorance is not a viable defense.

Learn more:

Reasons a speeding ticket can be dismissed

Improve your driving habits with telematics

Not only can safe driving earn you potential discounts, but it can also lead you toward improving your driver’s record.

Using a telematics tool, like

Jerry

’s DriveShield, can help you track your driving habits and curb old behaviors, such as speeding, harsh acceleration, and distracted driving.

Determining your Kentucky speeding ticket penalties

According to Kentucky law, drivers who receive a speeding ticket will have two types of penalties:

Fines and fees: Total ticket fines and court fees may vary depending on your offense and district court. However, most Kentucky residents can expect to pay up to $100 in fees, plus an additional $143 in court charges, if you are required to attend.

Demerit points: Along with fines, drivers will have 3 to 6 demerit points added to their driving record. Those who exceed the speed limit by 26 mph or more will face

license suspension

If you were charged with reckless driving instead of speeding, a first and second time offense will cost you between $20 and $100, whereas any subsequent offenses will cost you your driving privileges for up to 6 months.

Any driver who accumulates 12 or more points within a 2-year period may have their license suspended.

Below is a breakdown of the fine schedule and points system for speeding tickets in Kentucky, according to the

Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 189, Article 394

Kentucky speeding ticket fine schedule and additional penalties

Amount over speed limit	Base fine	School/construction zone fines	Additional penalties
1-10 mph	$1-$20	$2-$40	Demerit points
11-15 mph	$22-$30	$44-$60	Demerit points
16-25 mph	$28-$55	$56-$110	Demerit points
26+ mph	$60-$100	$120-$200	Demerit points Hearing and possible suspended license

Kentucky point system for speeding tickets

Speeding offense	Number of demerit points	Number of years on driving record
1-10 mph over speed limit	0	N/A
15 mph or more in commercial motor vehicle (out-of-state conviction)	0	N/A
11-15 mph over speed limit	3	5 years
15 mph or less over speed (non-limited access highways)	3	5 years
15 mph over speed limit in commercial motor vehicle	3	5 years
16-25 mph over speed limit (any roadway or highway)	6	5 years
Too fast for conditions	3	5 years
Careless driving	3	5 years
Reckless driving	4	5 years

How to remove speeding demerit points from your Kentucky driving record

Drivers in Kentucky have the option to take a

Kentucky state traffic school course

once a year to avoid having demerit points added to their driving record. However, eligibility varies based on the following factors:

You can only attend if you have a minor traffic violation

You cannot be under a current license suspension

Non-licenses and out-of-state drivers are not eligible

Your referral must come from the Kentucky District or Federal court where your violation occurred

When applying for traffic school, you can either do an

online course

, or in-person. Keep in mind that the cost for online traffic school is $32 and must be completed within 30 days of your referral or conviction date to avoid license suspension. The fee for in-person is $15.

Speeding tickets can increase your car insurance rates after renewal

Whether you’ve pled guilty and paid the fine or are found guilty in traffic court, a speeding ticket will increase your insurance premium.

After paying (or fighting) your ticket, your premiums won’t rise automatically—rather, you’ll likely keep the same rate until your car insurance renews. Once your insurer reviews your

motor vehicle report

, a surcharge for your ticket may be applied.

Did you know? Drivers with speeding tickets in Kentucky experience a 33% increase in their car insurance rates. But not all providers
calculate rates the same way
—so, it’s always best to shop around and see if you can find lower rates with different insurers.

To quickly search and compare car insurance quotes, use the

Jerry

app.

Not only can you build a tailored driver profile, but you can also see rates from several providers based on your current record.

And when it’s time to renew, the automatic reshop feature will scan for new quotes available in your area and alert you any time a new insurer has potential lower rates than what you’re currently paying.

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Top Kentucky car insurance companies for after a speeding ticket

Here’s how major insurance companies tend to handle rate renewals after a speeding ticket:

Insurance company	Average rate increase after a speeding ticket
Allstate	15%
USAA	17%
American Family	22%
Nationwide	26%
State Farm	26%
Farmers	31%
Auto-Owners	36%
Travelers	37%
GEICO	38%
Progressive	43%

Keep in mind: No insurance company deals with traffic offenses in the same way. Depending on your current record, how long you’ve been with your insurer, and whether or not you plead guilty to your speeding ticket, your insurance premium could be higher or lower than this table shows.

Where'd we get these numbers?
Jerry’s editorial team researched the average rate increase after a speeding ticket for these 10 insurance companies using expert sources from Forbes, NerdWallet, ValuePenguin, WalletHub, Liberty Mutual, The Zebra, and CarInsurance.com. Our data shows the average of the data shared by these sources.

FAQs

How much is a 20 over speeding ticket in Kentucky?

If you’re caught traveling 20 mph over the posted speed limit in Kentucky, you can face up to $55 in fines. If you were speeding in a school or construction zone, your charges double.