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What To Do After a North Carolina Speeding Ticket
A speeding ticket can raise your insurance rates by an average of 41% in North Carolina. Shopping for new rates should be your first step after paying your fine.
Written by Kianna Walpole
Edited by R.E. Fulton
Jump to:
- How to deal with a North Carolina speeding ticket
- What are the fines and penalties for speeding in North Carolina?
- Your insurance will go up after a speeding ticket—here’s how to lower it
- When are insurance companies notified about speeding tickets?
- Cheapest car insurance companies after a speeding ticket in North Carolina
- FAQs
Load full table of contents
Fines for
North Carolina
speeding tickets are generally low, but associated courts costs average around $200. You have the option to fight a North Carolina speeding ticket in court, but if you fail to get the violation dismissed, you can expect your car insurance
rates to jump 41% or more at renewal.How to deal with a North Carolina speeding ticket
Step 1: Check your traffic ticket to see if your offense is waivable. Law enforcement will indicate on your citation whether the offense is waivable, meaning no court appearance is required to handle the citation.
Step 2: Decide whether to waive your ticket, request a reduction, or fight it. Waiving or accepting a reduction on the speeding ticket is the same as pleading guilty—you won’t have to attend court, but the offense will be added to your driving record, which will also lead to increased insurance rates.
Step 3: Shop for car insurance before your next renewal. Your insurer will learn of your speeding ticket when your insurance policy comes up for renewal, which will cause your premiums to increase by an average of 41%.
How to pay your ticket
If you have the option and you know you were speeding, waiving your offense and paying the fines is the simplest method for handling a North Carolina speeding ticket.
Drivers can waive online, by mail, or in person at the courthouse in the county in which they were ticketed.1
To
waive your ticket online
, you’ll need your citation number and payment must be made with a debit or credit card. You may use Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover to pay your fines, plus processing fees
.To waive by mail:
- Date and sign the waiver portion of your citation
- Obtain a certified check, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to the Clerk of Superior Court of [the county in which you were ticketed] for the fine amount. Do not mail personal checks or cash.
- Mail the signed and dated citation and your payment to the Clerk of Superior Court using the address provided in the waiver instructions on your citation.
To waive in person, sign and date the waiver portion of your citation and bring it and your payment to the
courthouse in the county where you were ticketed
.- In-person payments can be made with credit or debit card (processing feeswill be added), or by certified check, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which you were ticketed.
All fines and fees must be paid by the court date listed on your citation. If Citation Services allows, payment can be made on the date you’re scheduled to appear, but if the payment is declined or does not process for any reason, you could be cited for failure to appear. Failure to pay or appear in court may result in a bench warrant and assessment of late penalties.
All fines and fees must be paid by the court date listed on your citation. If
Citation Services
allows, payment can be made on the date you’re scheduled to appear, but if the payment is declined or does not process for any reason, you could be cited for failure to appear. Failure to pay or appear in court may result in a bench warrant and assessment of late penalties.How to request a reduction
If your speeding ticket is eligible for online reduction request, head to
www3.nccourts.org/onlineservices/menu.sp
and follow these steps
:- Enter the citation number on your speeding ticket and click “Search Citation”
- Click on your citation to reveal the “Available Options” screen.
- Click on “Request Reduction” to send a request for dismissal/reduction to the District Attorney’s office.
- On the next screen, review your Citation Details, then click “Continue”
- The next screen displays the Agreement to Terms and Conditions associated with requesting a reduction/dismissal. Fill in all required fields, then click on “Consent” to read the terms and conditions of your request. If you fully understand and accept the terms and conditions, click the Consent box, then click “Submit Request.”
- A confirmation message will display and you will receive a confirmation email. You will be updated on the status of your request via email or you can visitnccourts.gov/servicesto view the status of your request.
A request for reduction or dismissal is not a guarantee of either. If your request is denied, or if you choose not to accept the offer made by the District Attorney in response to your request, you’ll be required to either appear in court or waive your right to trial/hearing and pay the fines and fees associated with your speeding ticket.
A request for reduction or dismissal is not a guarantee of either. If your request is denied, or if you choose not to accept the offer made by the District Attorney in response to your request, you’ll be required to either appear in court or waive your right to trial/hearing and pay the fines and fees associated with your speeding ticket.
How to get your ticket dismissed
If you feel you were cited for speeding in error, you’ll need to make an appearance in district court to plead your case for dismissal. Be sure you have a strong defense ready—claiming ignorance of the speed limit will not get your ticket dismissed.
You’ll have a better chance of success if you can prove:
- Law enforcement made an error or used a defective radar detector.
- Your speedometer was defective or otherwise malfunctioning
- You were experiencing or responding to a medical emergency
You’ll have the choice to represent yourself in traffic court or hire a traffic ticket lawyer to represent you, or if your penalties for speeding include fines over $500 or possible jail time, you can request a court-appointed lawyer.
You’ll improve your chances of a speeding ticket dismissal if you have an otherwise clean driving record. If you don’t have a strong case for dismissal, pursuing a hearing may not be worth your while.
You’ll improve your chances of a speeding ticket dismissal if you have an otherwise
clean driving record
. If you don’t have a strong case for dismissal, pursuing a hearing may not be worth your while.What are the fines and penalties for speeding in North Carolina?
When you’re ticketed for speeding in North Carolina, you’ll face two main types of penalties under North Carolina traffic law:
- Fines and fees: The final cost of a speeding ticket in North Carolina includes the fee for speeding, court costs, and additional fines if the offense occurs within a construction or school zone. Court costs vary between districts, but generally fall in the range of $200.2
- Demerit points: You’ll be assigned two to four points on your driving record as well as one to 12 points under North Carolina’s insurance point system. Motorists with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) will be assigned three to five points on their license.
To give you an idea of what you should expect to pay for a speeding ticket in North Carolina, check out the table below 3:
North Carolina speeding ticket fines schedule
Speeding offense | Base fine | Approximate Court Costs | School or construction zone fine | Additional penalties and charges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0 - 5 miles over the posted limit | $10 | $200 | $250 | Demerit points |
6 - 10 miles over the posted limit | $15 | $200 | $250 | Demerit points |
11 - 15 miles over the posted limit | $30 | $200 | $250 | Demerit points |
16+ miles over the posted limit in a 55+ mph zone, or 80+ mph anytime (excessive speeding/reckless driving) | $50 to $1,000 | $200 | $250 | Demerit points Up to 60 days in jail Misdemeanor charge Driver’s license suspension |
The NC DMV assigns points for North Carolina traffic tickets to determine your eligibility to maintain driving privileges. The table below outlines the points assessed for various speeding violations4:
North Carolina DMV points system
Speeding offense | # of demerit points | # of years on driving record |
|---|---|---|
General speeding | 2 | 3 years |
Speeding through a safety zone | 3 | 3 years |
Speeding through a school zone | 3 | 3 years |
Speeding more than 55 mph | 3 | 3 years |
Reckless driving (e.g. speeding 15+ mph over posted limit) | 4 | 3 years |
While license suspension usually occurs after accumulation of 12 license points, there are some instances in which excessive speeding can result in immediate license revocation. A few examples include:
- Speeding in excess of 15 miles per hour, and the ticketed speed is over 55 miles per hour.
- Speeding in excess of 75 miles per hour, and the speed limit is less than 70 miles per hour.
- Speeding in excess of 80 miles per hour, and the speed limit is 70 miles per hour.
The second North Carolina points system is part of the
Safe Driver Incentive Plan (SDIP)
, and uses points to establish “classes” of drivers based on their history of accidents, traffic infractions, and moving violations5. Insurers use these classifications when calculating your car insurance rates.North Carolina SDIP points system
Speeding offense | # of demerit points | # of years on driving record |
|---|---|---|
10 mph or less over a limit of less than 55 mph | 1 | 3 years |
10 mph or more over a limit of 55 mph to 76 mph | 2 | 3 years |
Reckless driving | 4 | 3 years |
Racing on the highway or speeding to elude law enforcement | 10 | 3 years |
Pre-arranged highway racing | 12 | 3 years |
Your insurance will go up after a speeding ticket—here’s how to lower it
North Carolina insurers take speeding seriously. Even a single speeding ticket could hike your rates by an average of 41% or more, and more serious speeding violations will result in more serious rate increases.
Aside from California, no other state sees a higher average rate of increase in insurance rates following a speeding ticket than North Carolina.
Unlike the fines and fees associated with your NC speeding ticket, the increased insurance costs that result will continue to affect you financially for years to come. That’s why once you’re finished dealing with the legalities, it’s time to focus on keeping your car insurance affordable. Here’s how:
1. Check your renewal date and compare car insurance quotes
Your insurance rates can only increase at policy renewal, so check your policy details to see how much time you have before your premiums go up. Ideally, you’ll have a few months at least to continue enjoying your affordable rates, but even if your policy is up for renewal in just a few days, you’ve got options.
Before writing a renewal quote, your insurance provider will check the SDIP points system to see where you rank. Your points will be calculated into your new rate, and you’ll receive a renewal letter (or, if your violation was severe, a notice that your coverage is being discontinued).
Whether you’re going to have a new increased rate or your provider has chosen to drop you, it’s time to do some comparison shopping to see how much you might save by switching providers.
Jerry
can help you do this quickly by comparing car insurance quotes
from dozens of carriers at once.
It’s important to continue reshopping your coverage every time it comes up for renewal. Especially if you have other violations affecting your coverage rates, your eligibility for lower premiums will change from month to month.
If you purchase coverage through the Jerry app, you can enable automatic reshops to make sure you don’t miss out on lower rates.
Plus, you’ll be notified if a new provider enters your area offering rates lower than those you currently have.
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2. Enroll in a telematics program
Many car insurance companies offer apps or devices that track your driving behaviors and reward good habits with discounts. Enrolling in a program like this could help you lower your rates now and avoid additional speeding tickets in the future.
Completing a defensive driving course will not impact the number of points accumulated on your North Carolina driver’s license or insurance. The only way to remove North Carolina driver’s license or insurance points is to wait for them to fall off after the allotted time has passed (usually three years).
Completing a defensive driving course will not impact the number of points accumulated on your North Carolina driver’s license or insurance. The only way to remove North Carolina driver’s license or insurance points is to wait for them to fall off after the allotted time has passed (usually three years).
3. Take advantage of discounts
While you’ll no longer be able to take advantage of good driver discounts, most providers offer an array of
car insurance discounts
you can still qualify for even with a speeding ticket on your record, including:When are insurance companies notified about speeding tickets?
North Carolina insurance providers run a
motor vehicle report (MVR)
and check your SDIP points balance before renewing your policy—that’s when they’ll find out about your ticket, and that’s also when you can expect to see your rates increase as a result.Cheapest car insurance companies after a speeding ticket in North Carolina
The best car insurance company after a speeding ticket is the one that can offer you the most affordable rate for quality coverage. To help you choose, here is a breakdown of how some of North Carolina’s top providers 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% |
Remember: Every car insurance company calculates rates differently and that includes how they deal with traffic offenses. Your rate may increase by less or more than shown in this table based on the length of time you’ve been with your provider, your existing record, and whether or not you plead guilty to your ticket.
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.
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 much is a 20 mph over speeding ticket in North Carolina?
A ticket for driving 16+mph over the posted speed limit carries a $50 fine, plus additional court fees. It will also result in average car insurance premium increases of 41% or more.
What is the penalty for speeding in North Carolina?
The penalties for speeding in North Carolina depend on how fast you’re driving and where the offense takes place. In general, drivers ticketed for speeding in North Carolina should expect fines ranging from $10 to $50 and court fees of about $200.
How do you get a speeding ticket dismissed in North Carolina?
If you have a clean driving record, you can often request to have a traffic citation for speeding reduced online, or you can request a dismissal by presenting your case in court.
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