speeding ticket, you have to either pay the fine, request mitigation, or fight it in court. In either scenario, you will generally see a 26% increase in your

car insurance

rates at renewal.

How to manage a Colorado speeding ticket

According to a 2022 survey done by the Colorado Department of Transportation, 19% of drivers admitted to exceeding the speed limits when driving.1

As a result, the state of Colorado inflicts harsh penalties for speeding—however, if you’ve recently committed a traffic offense, there are steps you can take to help clean your record and lower your costs.

Learn more:

How to save by shopping for car insurance

Paying your ticket in Colorado

If you can afford it, paying the fine is usually the easiest way to handle a speeding ticket.

You can pay for your Colorado speeding ticket online through the

Colorado Department of Revenue

. You will need a valid credit card or e-check, a working email address, and photos of your ticket. Make sure the photos are legible and are of all pages, front and back.

Drivers can also pay in person or by mail with a check or money order. Cash is not accepted unless you are in person.

Payments to the Department of Revenue must be postmarked within 20 days of the violation to make sure it’s applied to the citation and not sent to the court. All drivers who make payments online or postmarked will then receive a point reduction for their charge within those 20 days.

Citations that are marked as a “Summons” or “Municipal” have to be paid through the appropriate court—they can’t be accepted through the Department of Revenue.

Requesting mitigation

If you plan on admitting guilt but need additional options with your fine payment, seeking mitigation is worth a shot. With this option, you have the chance to explain the circumstances leading to your violation.

If successful, you could receive an extension to pay your fine, lower the fine amount, or be granted the option to reduce the penalty through traffic school.

Seeking mitigation doesn’t guarantee a reduction, but there are no risks involved in trying. Mitigation is usually a good option for drivers with very few offenses over their driving history, or a previous

clean driving record

Getting a speeding ticket dismissed

There are a few instances where you may be able to get your Colorado traffic ticket dismissed in court by establishing a reasonable doubt about your guilt:

Defective speedometer: If you didn’t realize how fast you were driving due to a faulty or broken speedometer, you might be able to have your ticket dismissed.

Medical emergency: Some prosecutors may choose to drop your case and waive your ticket if you can prove you exceeded the speed limit due to a medical emergency.

Human error or technical defect: Several highways are managed by digital traffic control devices that can also be operated manually. If you feel there was a possibility for human error by law enforcement, or the traffic sign was displaying the wrong limit, you may be eligible for dismissal.

Drivers with a previous clean record will generally have a better chance at getting a dismissal than someone with multiple violations. For the best possible outcome, consider reaching out to a traffic ticket lawyer for legal advice or representation.

Whether you’re a resident of Colorado or a visitor, you are expected to know and follow state traffic laws. Ignorance is not a valid defense.

Telematics can help you get your driving record back on track

A recent report by the Colorado Department of Transportation showed a large uptick in fatal crashes in 2022, with the number rising 57% from the past decade alone.2

While this number has dropped in 2023, Colorado still instills harsh penalties for moving violations such as speeding and reckless driving which can greatly impact your driving record.

A great way to build your driving history back up, while also working on creating new driving habits, is to use telematics.

Several providers offer telematics programs which can help you save on the cost of car insurance.

Other options, like the

Jerry

app, allow you to track your habits and earn rewards for safe driving.

Learn more:

What is telematics?

Colorado speeding ticket penalties

Colorado divides traffic violations into two categories: infractions and misdemeanors.

Class A and B traffic infractions include driving 1-24 mph over the speed limit, or driving with an expired license.

Class 1 and Class 2 misdemeanors, however, are more serious, and often come with harsher penalties.

When you receive a speeding ticket in Colorado, you will face two or three types of penalties depending on if you committed an infraction or a misdemeanor.

Fines and fees: In Colorado, fines can reach a maximum of $1,000 plus additional surcharges if you commit a Class 1 or 2 misdemeanor.

Demerit points: Along with fees, drivers can also have up to 12 demerit points added to their driving record. Any conviction worth 12 demerit points will lead to a mandatory license suspension for up to 1 year.

Potential jail time: Motorists who are charged with a Class 1 or 2 misdemeanor will be required to spend 10 days, 90 days, or 1 year in prison.

Commercial driver speeding tickets

Drivers with

commercial driver’s licenses

(CDL) who are caught speeding 15 mph over the limit are generally charged with a ‘serious offense’ under the CDL program and will receive a 30-60 day suspension.

Below is a breakdown of the

Colorado General Assembly’s

fine schedule and the points system as per

Colorado’s Revised Statute, Section 42, Chapter 2, Article 127

The Colorado speeding ticket fine schedule

Speeding offense	Classification	Base fine	Additional fines	Additional penalties
1-4 mph over posted speed limit	Class A traffic infraction	$30	$6	N/A
5-9 mph over posted speed limit	Class A traffic infraction	$70	$10	Demerit points
10-19 mph over posted speed limit	Class A traffic infraction	$135	$16	Demerit points
20-24 mph over posted speed limit	Class A traffic infraction	$200	$32	Demerit points
25+ mph over posted speed limit	Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense	$150-$300	N/A	Demerit points Up to 90 days in jail
25+ mph over the posted speed limit in a construction zone	Class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense	$300-$1,000	N/A	Demerit points Up to 1 year in jail
Driving at a speed not reasonable for conditions	Class A traffic infraction	$100	$10	Demerit points
Exceeding a safe speed on a bridge or elevated structure	Class A traffic infraction	$30	$6	Demerit points

The Colorado speeding ticket points system

Speeding offense	Number of demerit points
5-9 mph over limit	1
Driving too fast for conditions	3
Exceeding limit on bridge	3
Careless driving	4
10-19 mph over limit	4
20-39 mph over limit	6-12 points (depending on speed)
25+ mph over in construction zone	6-12 points (depending on speed)
Reckless driving	8
Speed contests	12
40+ mph over limit	12

Keep in mind: Any driver who receives 12 points against their record in a two-year span will lose their motor vehicle driving privileges.

Learn more:

How long do points stay on your record?

How to remove speeding demerit points from your Colorado driving record

Demerit points in Colorado will remain on your driving history forever—however, for more minor violations, they stop counting toward your Colorado driver’s license after 24 months.

Although you can’t necessarily remove any number of points from your history, you can complete a Colorado state approved online

defensive driving course

to bolster your driving habits and qualify for

safe driving discounts

in the future.

A speeding ticket can increase your car insurance rates at renewal

Your insurer won’t find out about your speeding ticket until renewal. Until then, you will generally keep paying the same rates as you do now—but once

your renewal date

arrives, you could experience a 26% increase in your premiums.

Remember, not all insurance companies

calculate rates the same

. Different providers use different criteria to determine your car insurance premiums, so while you may see an increase with your current company, you could find lower rates elsewhere.

That’s why comparison shopping with an app like Jerry is so vital.

You can build your own personalized profile and scan real quotes from numerous providers based on your existing driving record.

And when it’s time for renewal, turn on automatic reshopping alerts. That way, you’re always aware of potential savings opportunities, even when you’re not actively looking.

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The best car insurance companies after a speeding ticket in Colorado

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: Not every car insurance company handles traffic violations in the same way. Depending on your existing record, how long you’ve been with your insurer, and whether or not you plead guilty to your speeding ticket, your insurance premium may be higher or lower than the numbers provided in the table above.

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 do I check my points on my license in Colorado?

You can request a certified or non-certified copy of your driving record online through the Colorado Department of Revenue. There is a $9 fee for non-certified records, and a $10 fee for certified copies.

How much is a 6 point ticket in Colorado?

Drivers who are caught speeding 20-39 mph over the posted speed limit will face a fine between $232 and $1,000, plus 6 demerit points against their record.

Will I go to jail for speeding in Colorado?

Only Class 1 and Class 2 misdemeanors are subject to jail time in Colorado (i.e. drivers who exceed the speed limit by 25+ mph on regular roadways and in construction zones).

SOURCES

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.codot.gov/safety/assets/surveys/2022-driving-behavior-survey.pdf&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1701467801105644&usg=AOvVaw1zi3J-30ikU1ARJxhvGH6O

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.denverpost.com/2023/01/23/colorado-traffic-fatalities-2022-cdot-safety-program/&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1701467801104417&usg=AOvVaw3AB8v2yVpnH3b5DRpSrTV2