If you get a speeding ticket in New Hampshire, your insurance rates could go up by an average of 26%. After you pay your fine, shop for new rates to keep your costs low

Written by Amy Bobinger

Edited by R.E. Fulton

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

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How to deal with a traffic ticket in New Hampshire
New Hampshire speeding ticket penalties
A speeding ticket can increase your insurance rates at renewal
Best car insurance companies after a speeding ticket in New Hampshire
FAQs

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If you get a speeding ticket in

New Hampshire

, you can plead guilty, nolo contendere (no contest), or not guilty. The fines for speeding in New Hampshire start at $62 and go up to over $400, depending on how fast you were going.

How to deal with a traffic ticket in New Hampshire

New Hampshire drivers who receive speeding tickets have the choice of three pleas:

Guilty, to admit fault

Nolo contendere (or no contest), to accept responsibility without admitting guilt

Not guilty, to fight the ticket

How to pay your ticket

To pay your New Jersey speeding ticket, you’ll need your ticket number and license plate number, plus a valid payment method.

If you’re planning to plead not guilty or nolo contendere (no contest), use one of the following options to pay your ticket:12

Online: Visit the

New Hampshire DMV’s payment portal

and follow the prompts to pay your fine with a debit or credit card.

Over the phone: Call 1-800-272-0036 or 1-603-227-4070 and make a payment by debit or credit card.

By mail: Check the box on your ticket to make a plea, then mail it to: New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Financial Responsibility, PO Box 3838, Concord NH 03301. Make checks payable to State of NH—DMV. Do not send cash. Allow 7–10 days for processing, and send a self-addressed, stamped envelope so you can get a receipt.

In person: Go to the courthouse listed on your ticket during business hours and make a payment with the court clerk.

Via Concord drop box: If you live in the Concord area, you can drop your ticket and payment in the Concord DMV drop box. Make checks payable to State of NH—DMV. Do not leave cash, and allow 3–5 business days for drop box payments to be processed.

Be sure to pay your ticket within 30 days of when it was issued. If you don’t pay your ticket on time, you could be charged an additional $50 administrative fee, face a driver’s license suspension, and have a bench warrant issued for your arrest.3

NEED TO KNOW: If your ticket says “Must appear,” you can not pay your fine online, over the phone, or by mail—you’re required to appear before the judge on the court date listed on your ticket.4

How to get your ticket dismissed

If you want to plead not guilty to a speeding ticket in New Hampshire, call the DMV at 1-603-227-4010. There will also be directions on the back of your paper citation for entering a “not guilty” plea.

If you plead not guilty, you’ll have to go to trial, at which point you’ll have the chance to make your case before a judge.

NEED TO KNOW: Do not pay your fine if you’re planning to plead not guilty or dispute the charge or fine amount. You should only pay the ticket if you’re pleading not guilty or no contest.5

Keep in mind your ticket will only be dismissed if you can prove that it was issued improperly. Valid defenses for getting a ticket dismissed might include:

A malfunction of the radar or lidar equipment law enforcement used to track your speed

The speedometer in your vehicle was defective and you were unaware of that at the time of your citation

You were speeding due to a medical emergency

Tracking your driving with a tool like
Jerry’s
DriveShield can help you be aware of trouble areas, like spots in your commute when you have a tendency to speed. This may make it easier to avoid speeding tickets and other violations that might lead to fines and insurance rate increases.

New Hampshire speeding ticket penalties

According to New Hampshire’s traffic laws, the fines for speeding vary based on the speed limit where you were driving and how fast you were going at the time of your citation:

	Speed limit: 55 mph or less	Speed limit: 65 mph	Speed limit: 70 mph
Speeding 1–5 mph over limit	$62	$80.60	$80.60
Speeding 6–10 mph over limit	$62	$124	$124
Speeding 11–15 over limit	$93	$186	$248
Speeding 16–20 over limit	$124	$310	$372
Speeding 21–25 over limit	$248	$434	$496
Speeding 26+ over limit	$434	$434	$496

New Hampshire operates on a point system, so you may also receive points on your license:

Speeding less than 25 mph over the speed limit: 3 points

Speeding 25 mph or more over the speed limit: 4 points6

Speeding is classified as a traffic misdemeanor in New Hampshire, which could come with a penalty of up to one year in jail—although this is typically reserved for extremely high speeds and/or habitual offenders.7

You may be charged additional fines and penalties if you were charged with other traffic violations at the time of your infraction, such as:

Reckless driving

Driving under the influence (DUI/DWI)

Running a red light or stop sign

Improperly using a child safety seat

Operating a motor vehicle without proper driving privileges

Learn more:

How to get a clean driving record (and save on insurance)

A speeding ticket can increase your insurance rates at renewal

Getting a speeding ticket can cost you a lot more than just a fine—your

car insurance

rates will go up the next time your policy renews, as well.

When do insurance companies find out about your speeding ticket?

The state of New Hampshire won’t notify your insurance company about your speeding ticket. Instead, your insurer will run an updated

motor vehicle report (MVR)

shortly before your policy is set to renew. At that time, they’ll see the moving violation on your record, and they’ll adjust your new rate accordingly.

In New Hampshire, car insurance rates go up by an average of 26% after a speeding ticket.

The best way to protect yourself against a rate hike is by shopping for new rates before your policy renews. When you get your renewal notice, take note of your new premium. Then, compare car insurance quotes from several insurance companies to see if you can find a better price.

Shopping for new insurance rates

is easy when you use the Jerry app.

After you fill out your driving profile (including recent violations), you can browse a selection of the most competitive quotes taken from a comparison of dozens of insurance companies.

Some insurance providers are more forgiving of speeding tickets, so by comparing multiple rates, you’re more likely to save on your insurance costs.

Learn more:

Car insurance renewal—are you ready for your new rate?

Be sure to shop for new rates before each renewal, as well. As time passes after your speeding ticket, your insurance premiums will gradually start to come down. If you buy a car insurance policy with Jerry, you can turn on automatic reshops, and you’ll be notified before your policy renews if another insurance company can offer you a better rate.

Learn more:

When does car insurance go down?

Best car insurance companies after a speeding ticket in New Hampshire

Here’s how speeding tickets tend to affect rates for a few of the nation’s largest insurance companies:

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%

But keep in mind that these are only averages—your rate might increase or decrease more, depending on factors like your exact violation, your previous driving record, and how long you’ve been with your current insurer.

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

Where is the citation number on a speeding ticket in New Hampshire?

The citation number—or ticket number—can be found on the bottom of a speeding ticket in New Hampshire

How do I pay a New Hampshire traffic ticket?

The New Hampshire Department of Safety Division of Motor Vehicles will allow you to pay speeding tickets online, over the phone, or by mail. If you live in Concord, you can also leave your payment in the DMV drop box.