What To Do After a Mississippi Speeding Ticket

Your car insurance rates could increase by 26% in Mississippi after a speeding ticket. Comparing insurance prices once you’ve paid your fines is the first step to finding cheaper rates.
Written by Kianna Walpole
Edited by Jessica Barrett
Instead of a point system, each subsequent violation in
Mississippi
has harsher penalties, with fines for speeding ranging from $153-$241. You can either pay the fine—and face a possible 26% increase in your
car insurance
—or fight it in court.

How to deal with a speeding ticket in Mississippi

Since the state of Mississippi doesn’t use a traditional point system, traffic violations, such as speeding and
reckless driving
, have heftier penalties. 
After receiving a Mississippi traffic ticket, there are three core things you should do to help you determine your costs, and navigate your expenses:
Take a look at your traffic ticket. Make sure to check your ticket to determine your exact charge, ticket amount, and deadline. If you don’t pay your fine or attend a court date by the due date listed on the ticket, you could face additional fines, jail time, and/or
license suspension
.
Choose to pay or fight your ticket. If you choose to pay, you’re choosing a guilty plea, and will have to pay the associated fees. Keep in mind that in Mississippi, a moving violation will not cost you demerit points—however, you will face a 26% increase in your car insurance rates.
Shop for car insurance before your next renewal. Your speeding ticket will be reflected on your driving record, even if you had no points assessed.
Shopping for car insurance
before your renewal date can help you find savings, even with a previous infraction.

How to pay your Mississippi traffic violation

Mississippi speeding tickets vary in price depending on local district and county laws. That being said, most Mississippi drivers pay between $153 and $241 in fines for a speeding charge. 
If you have the option, consider paying your ticket before your court date. The process of paying your fine will depend on the county where you received the ticket and the court that will handle your case—however, you can generally pay your ticket online, by mail, or in-person.
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To pay online: Most counties in Mississippi allow you to pay for your traffic citation online, but not all do. Check your ticket beforehand. You will also need a valid credit card to pay the ticket fine.
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To pay in-person: When paying in-person, you will be required to pay with cash or a money order.
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To pay by mail: Submit a personal check made out to the county clerk’s indicated on your ticket.
Some jurisdictions allow Mississippi drivers up to 30 days to pay for their citation, but some require prompt payment. You will receive a 10-day warning by mail before payment is due. If you do not pay by the specified deadline, you will lose your driving privileges.
If you hold a
commercial driver’s license
(CDL), you’re also required to notify your employer within 30 days of the violation.

How to get a speeding ticket dismissed

If you feel like your speeding ticket was an error, you also have the option to appeal it in county court. You may plead not guilty during your court appearance for the following reasons:
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Your speeding was justified: If you were caught speeding due to a medical emergency, then your ticket may be dismissed.
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You feel the officer made a judgment error: If you felt unsafe driving at a slower speed due to other drivers and conditions around you, you might be able to use this to appeal the ticket.
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Your speedometer was defective: If your speedometer was malfunctioning at the time of ticketing, you may be granted a dismissal.
Typically, drivers with a
clean driving record
have a better chance of having their tickets dismissed than someone with a poor driving history. 
The process for filing a not guilty plea varies by city and county. For specific instructions, check your Mississippi traffic ticket for what you need to do or contact the court handling your case.
Not being aware of Mississippi traffic laws, in most cases, won’t help your speeding ticket defense. Whether you’re an out-of-state driver, a new resident, or a current Mississippi driver, you are required to know the basic traffic laws to legally drive in the state.

Calculate your Mississippi speeding ticket penalties

The amount of the fine associated with a Mississippi speeding ticket will depend on the county in which you’re stopped and the severity of the offense.
Each jurisdiction and county in Mississippi have their own rates for moving and non-moving violations, and the fee associated with the charge will generally appear on the given ticket. 
Reckless driving is considered a criminal traffic violation in Mississippi. First-time offenders will have to pay fees up to $100, whereas subsequent offenders will need to pay up to $500 in fees, and potentially face up to 10 days in jail.

You insurance will go up after a speeding ticket—here’s how to lower it

Although you won’t have any points subtracted from your driving record for a speeding ticket in Mississippi, the charge will still appear on your history. After paying your initial fees, you may still experience long-term effects and costs, especially in regards to car insurance. 
On average, motorists see their insurance premiums increase by 26% after only one speeding ticket. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to help keep your costs low.

1. Check your renewal date

Your car insurance rates won’t increase until you’re up for renewal, when your insurer may check your motor vehicle report (MVR) for any new violations. A single speeding ticket isn’t likely to mark you as a high-risk driver, but it can still raise your rates. 
Expert Tip: “Insurance companies define a high-risk driver as someone who is more likely to file a claim. If you're a high-risk driver, you may pay rates 30% to 80% higher.”
Once you have received your new monthly payment costs from your insurance provider, take a look at car insurance quotes from several companies and compare pricing. Several providers like Progressive and GEICO offer cheaper rates for high-risk drivers. 
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To find quotes quickly and easily, use Jerry and search personalized offers from numerous insurers at once.
Most Mississippi traffic violations remain on your driving record for 3 years. As more time passes, you will qualify for lower rates, so it’s important to continuously reshop for car insurance. If you purchase your car insurance through the Jerry app, you can either manually reshop at any time, or you can turn on automatic reshops and be notified of savings when your renewal date comes.

2. Enroll in a defensive driving course

In the state of Mississippi, drivers may be eligible to take a
defensive driving course
to have their ticket removed from their record—this is even an option for drivers with DUIs! 
Courses are usually 4-6 hours long and can be completed online. Contact your insurance provider to see if you’re eligible to take the course for a discount and to get a list of courses approved by both your insurer and the Department of Public Safety (DPS). 
Adult defensive driving school rates may vary depending on your jurisdiction or county, similar to penalty charges. If you wish to enroll in a driver’s education course, you need to contact the court clerk’s office.
Once you receive your certification of completion, it will be reviewed by the justice court, and in most cases, your ticket will be expunged from your record. Failure to provide proof of completion may be considered a conviction. 
If you are court-mandated to take a driver’s education course, you will need to confirm that the online course you are  applying for is accepted prior to paying any fees. 

3. Check for any available discounts

Most car insurance companies offer discounts to help drivers save on car insurance. While you may not qualify for good driver saving opportunities, you might still be eligible for a few other
car insurance discounts
, such as:
  • Good student discounts
  • Responsible payer discounts
  • Telematics discounts (i.e. track your driving)
  • Multi-policy discounts

When are insurance companies notified of speeding tickets?

Most of the time, your insurance company will not be notified of your speeding ticket until your car insurance policy is up for renewal. That is the time that most insurers review your driving record to help determine your overall rates.
If your renewal date is approaching, your premiums will remain the same until your policy renews. 

The best car insurance companies for after a speeding ticket in Mississippi

Here’s a breakdown on how much your rates might change after a speeding ticket with some of the
best car insurance companies
:
Insurance company
Average rate increase after a speeding ticket
Allstate
15%
USAA
17%
Nationwide
26%
State Farm
26%
Farmers
31%
Auto-Owners
36%
Travelers
37%
GEICO
38%
Progressive
43%
Remember: Not every insurance provider deals with traffic offenses in the same way. Factors such as your existing record, how long you’ve been with your insurer, and whether or not you plead guilty, you could either see higher or lower premium increases than this table shows.
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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. 
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FAQs

How does Mississippi handle out-of-state speeding tickets?

Mississippi is part of the Driver’s License Compact, and therefore, shares your driver history with other states. If you’re caught speeding in another state that is also a part of this act, you will face the same penalties for tickets issued in Mississippi

What is the speeding law in Mississippi?

In the state of Mississippi, most rural highways and urban highways are labeled at 70 mph, with divided roadways being 65 mph and business/school districts at 15 mph. Anyone caught exceeding the speed limits, even by 1 mph, will be charged according to their county laws.

Can I just pay my ticket and not go to court in Mississippi?

Yes, you can pay your ticket outright—however, this is an admission of guilt and it will be reflected on your driving record, and eventually, in your car insurance premiums.

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