In California, speeding ticket costs vary primarily based on how many miles per hour (mph) over the speed limit you were driving. The base fines and estimated total costs (including court fees and penalties) are approximately:
- 1 to 15 mph over the limit: base fine $35, total cost around $230 to $240.
- 16 to 25 mph over the limit: base fine $70, total cost around $360 to $380.
- 26 mph or more over the limit: base fine $100, total cost around $486 to $490 or more.
For speeds over 100 mph, fines can be much steeper, ranging from $500 to over $2,000, with additional penalties such as license suspension and more points on your driving record. Fines may double in construction or safety zones, and the ticket can cause insurance premiums to significantly increase, sometimes by hundreds to thousands of dollars annually over several years. Thus, the true cost of a speeding ticket in California is the sum of the fine, court fees, and increased insurance costs, which can total several hundred to over two thousand dollars depending on the severity of the offense.
