How long does a speeding ticket stay on your record?

How long do speeding tickets stay on your record?

As for how long a speeding ticket stays on record for insurance, in many states, the average number of years that a speeding ticket stays on your driver’s license is around three years. The length of time may be more or less in certain states. For example, Virginia keeps speeding tickets on record for five years.

Obtaining a speeding ticket not only may impact your insurance premiums, but it may also affect other areas of your life as it comes with court fees, fines and driving school as well. If your speeding ticket is on your record for three years, finding the cheapest insurance policy may depend on comparison shopping and qualifying for discounts to offset premium increases.

How do speeding tickets impact drivers

A single speeding ticket — or even a few — might not seem like that big a deal, but they can be the cause of multiple headaches and more serious consequences. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 28 percent of fatal crashes in the U.S. are related to speeding. If you have a history of speeding, it might be a sign that your driving skills could be improved. Consider taking a defensive driving course, which many insurers offer a discount on your premium for completing.

Your speeding ticket will likely impact your insurance premium, based in part on the NHTSA's statistics along with others that show an increased rate of accidents for those who speed. Insurers consider risk when determining your rate, and if they consider you at a higher risk of filing a claim following an accident, they will generally charge more to cover the risk they are taking on in writing you a policy.  

Speeding tickets impact your driver's license

Aside from any increase in your insurance premium, speeding tickets typically come with other penalties. In most states, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) keeps track of your driving record. Any infractions you earn, including speeding tickets, are maintained in your DMV driving record. 

Most states use a point system to keep track of the severity of your infractions. You will be assigned a certain number of points for any moving violation, such as speeding, at-fault accidents and DUIs. Often in the case of speeding, the number of points you receive is related to how fast you were going.

You might, for example, earn three points if you are driving 1–10 miles over the speed limit. Driving 30–40 miles over the limit might earn you five. Depending on state regulations, earning a certain number of points within a period of time could result in license and registration suspension and other penalties. 

Generally, points will remain on your license for a certain number of years, which varies depending on your home state. In Florida, for example, speeding will earn you three points, and they remain on your record for three years. Earning 12 points within 12 months will result in a 30-day license suspension. Keep in mind that penalties and points may differ depending on the state in which you live.

Speeding tickets impact auto insurance

It is likely that you will have to pay a civil fine for your speeding ticket. But that's not the only financial result. As we noted above, insurers are in the business of risk, and any driving behaviors on your part that indicate an increased level of risk are likely to result in increased premium rates.

When will a speeding ticket show up on insurance? Usually, this will occur at your renewal time. At that point, you are likely to see an increased rate. In some cases, an insurer will not raise your rate for your first speeding ticket, but this depends on the company you are insured by.

There is one factor in your favor, however: insurers only look so far back into your driving history — often three to five years. So if, for example, you take a state-mandated defensive driving course after your speeding ticket and go without accidents or infractions for the next several years, you should see your rate drop down again. 

Another consideration if you have earned more than one speeding ticket is that your insurer may consider you a high-risk driver. This designation usually comes with increased rates, and in some severe cases, your insurer may refuse to write you a policy. If that happens, you will need to seek out a high-risk insurer that is willing to work with you. 

Premiums vary from company to company and are based on a range of factors, but the following table shows the average rates of some major insurance companies for drivers both before and after a speeding ticket. As you can see, there is a significant increase in some cases.

How to save on car insurance with a speeding ticket

Although rates generally increase after you receive a speeding ticket, you may still find multiple ways to save on auto insurance. Here are a few ways to potentially see savings on car insurance if you are being impacted by a speeding ticket:

• Take advantage of discounts: Almost every insurer offers at least a handful of discounts, and some are easy to earn. You might, for example, net a small discount for agreeing to receive your insurance documents digitally rather than by postal mail.
• Bundle your policies: If you are happy with your car insurance company, consider purchasing other policies from it as well for a bundling discount. This is most commonly done with homeowners or renters insurance, but some carriers allow you to bundle other types of policy as well.
• Shop around: Every insurer has its own proprietary method of determining rates, and some may not consider a speeding ticket as seriously as others. So it can pay off to ask for quotes from a range of insurers to see which one offers you the best rate. Just be sure you're asking for identical types of coverage from each so you can do a fair comparison.
• Increase your deductible: Your deductible is the amount you are financially responsible for out of pocket after a claim when you have a full coverage policy. If you can afford to raise your deductible amount, you will typically see a lower premium payment. Just be careful to only raise it as high as you would comfortably be able to pay in a pinch in the event of a claim.
• Try a telematics program: Many insurance companies offer telematics programs which monitor your driving skills to determine how safe and careful a driver you are. These may lead to savings up to double-digit percentages with some carriers. However, you should be aware that some of these programs can also lead to an increased rate if you exhibit unsafe driving practices.

Speeding tickets are the most common type of traffic violation and having one on your record can have significant financial and practical impacts on your life. Depending on the state you live in and the amount you exceeded the speed limit, as well as the total number of points accumulated, it can take up to five or more years to get the points off of your driving record. Thankfully, insurers often offer discounts or savings opportunities that can help you combat increased insurance costs following a speeding ticket.

Frequently asked questions

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze November 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a single, 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible
• $500 comprehensive deductible

To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2022 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually. 

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes. 

Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base) and a single speeding ticket.