Speeding Ticket in New York: Fines, Points and Options
Quick Answer
As of November 2026, a first speeding conviction in New York carries a fine of $45 to $600 depending on how fast you were going, plus a state surcharge of $88 or $93. It adds 3 to 11 points to your record, and 11 points in 24 months can lead to a suspension. You can plead guilty and pay, plead not guilty and get a hearing, and take a PIRP course to offset points.
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Key Takeaways
- New York sets fines by speed: $45 to $150 for up to 10 mph over, $90 to $300 for 11 to 30 mph over, and $180 to $600 for more than 30 mph over.
- Points run from 3 (1 to 10 mph over) to 11 (more than 40 mph over). Eleven points in 24 months can bring a suspension.
- Six points in 18 months adds a Driver Responsibility Assessment of at least $300, paid over three years.
- Camera tickets in New York City carry a $50 fine and no points.
- A PIRP course can take up to 4 points off the count used for suspension and cut some premiums by 10%.
New York at a glance
- Point system
- 11 points in 24 months may lead to suspension. Points count by the date of the violation.
- Common violations
- Speeding 1-10 mph over the limit: 3 points
- Speeding 11-20 mph over the limit: 4 points
- Speeding 21-30 mph over the limit: 6 points
- Speeding 31-40 mph over the limit: 8 points
- Speeding more than 40 mph over the limit: 11 points
- Speeding in a work zone: 8 points
- Traffic signal, stop sign or yield sign violation: 3 points
- Reckless driving: 5 points
- Passing a stopped school bus: 8 points
- Using a mobile phone or portable device while driving: 5 points
- Speed cameras
- Limited
- Red light cameras
- Limited
- Camera rules
- Red light cameras are allowed only in cities and counties named in state law, such as New York City. Speed cameras are limited to school zones in New York City and a few other named places, plus highway work zones.
- Camera tickets
- Usually do not add points. State law says camera tickets (red light, school zone speed) are not convictions, are not put on the driving record and cannot be used for insurance.
- Traffic school
- A DMV-approved Point and Insurance Reduction Program course subtracts 4 points when calculating a suspension; the tickets stay on the record. It can also cut insurance premiums 10%.
How much is a speeding ticket in New York?
New York sets a fine range for each speed band, and the judge or hearing officer picks a number inside it. The New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee lists these ranges for a speeding conviction, along with possible jail time [4]:
| Speed over the limit | Fine range | Possible jail |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 mph, or speed not reasonable for conditions | $45 to $150 | Up to 15 days |
| More than 10 and less than 30 mph | $90 to $300 | Up to 30 days |
| More than 30 mph | $180 to $600 | Up to 30 days |
Those numbers are only the start. Fines rise for repeat speeding convictions within 18 months, they are doubled in work zones, and three speeding convictions within 18 months lead to license revocation [4].
On top of the fine, state law adds money that the court cannot waive. Section 1809 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law sets a $55 mandatory surcharge and a $5 crime victim assistance fee for a traffic infraction, plus $5 more when the case is in a town or village court [5]. Section 1809-e adds a further $28 surcharge [6]. Before any fine, a New York speeding conviction already costs $88, or $93 in a town or village court.
The bigger cost often comes later. If you collect 6 or more points in 18 months, the DMV bills a Driver Responsibility Assessment: $100 a year for three years, plus $25 a year for each point over six [2]. That is $300 for six points and $375 for seven, and it comes on top of fines and surcharges. For how New York compares with other states, see our guide on how much a speeding ticket costs.
How many points is a speeding ticket in New York?
New York gives points by how far over the limit you were. The DMV's point schedule [1]:
| Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| Speeding 1 to 10 mph over | 3 |
| Speeding 11 to 20 mph over | 4 |
| Speeding 21 to 30 mph over | 6 |
| Speeding 31 to 40 mph over | 8 |
| Speeding more than 40 mph over | 11 |
| Speeding in a work zone | 8 |
| Traffic signal, stop sign or yield sign | 3 |
Two rules decide when points hurt. First, the count uses the date of the violation, not the date of the conviction. Second, points stop counting toward your total 24 months after the violation date, and if you get 11 points in 24 months, the DMV may suspend your license [1]. Many older guides still describe an 18-month window for suspension. The DMV page now says 24 months, while the separate Driver Responsibility Assessment still uses 18 months.
A quick example: a ticket for 25 mph over (6 points) followed a year later by one for 15 mph over (4 points) puts you at 10 points, owing a DRA, one minor ticket away from a possible suspension. Our points calculator does this math for you, and the state points guide shows how New York compares.
Are speed and red light cameras legal in New York?
Yes, but only where state law allows them, and camera tickets work differently from a ticket an officer hands you.
- New York City school zone speed cameras. State law lets the city run speed cameras in up to 750 school speed zones. A camera ticket needs a speed of more than 10 mph over the limit, the owner's liability cannot exceed $50, and it is not a conviction, does not go on the driving record and cannot be used for insurance purposes. The current law runs until July 1, 2030 [7].
- New York City red light cameras. The fine is $50 and no points are added. The registered owner gets the notice by mail and is responsible even if someone else was driving. A red light ticket written by a police officer is a moving violation and does carry points [8].
- Other places and work zones. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety lists New York speed cameras in specified jurisdictions and work zones, with $50 for a first offense and up to $100 for repeat offenses within 18 months, all kept off the driving record [9].
Camera tickets in New York go to the vehicle owner, cost a fixed civil penalty and add no points. Ignoring one still costs money, since the city can add a late penalty. NYC pays and disputes camera notices through its own payment page and dispute page. Our guides on speed cameras and red light cameras explain how the systems work, and the camera laws map covers every state.
Should you pay, contest or take a driving course?
Where your ticket goes depends on where you got it. The DMV's Traffic Violations Bureau handles all non-criminal traffic tickets issued in the five boroughs of New York City. Everywhere else, the ticket goes to the city, town, village or county court where the offense happened, and you answer it with that court [3]. The instructions on the back of the ticket tell you how and by when to answer. For NYC tickets, the DMV's official plead or pay page is the place to start.
Pay. Pleading guilty ends the case quickly, but the conviction goes on your record with its points, surcharge and any DRA. Paying is the same as pleading guilty.
Contest. Pleading not guilty gets you a hearing. In NYC that hearing is at the TVB, and the DMV also offers virtual hearings. Outside NYC, the local court sets the process. Contesting takes time, and the outcome depends on the evidence.
Take a course. The Point and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP) is a DMV-approved defensive driving course. A PIRP course takes up to 4 points off the count the DMV uses for suspension, but the points do not come off your driving record. It also cuts automobile liability and collision premiums by 10% [1]. It does not cancel the ticket, the fine or the DRA.
When to talk to a lawyer. Consider a licensed New York attorney if one more conviction could reach 11 points, if this would be your third speeding conviction in 18 months, if you hold a commercial license, or if the speed was high enough to risk jail time under the fine table above.
Out-of-state drivers and tickets. If you have a New York license and ignore a moving violation ticket in most other states, your New York license is suspended until you answer it [3]. Do not let any ticket go unanswered.
How does a ticket affect your insurance?
A speeding conviction goes on your driving record, and insurers can see that record when they price your policy. New York's official pages do not publish an average increase, so we will not quote one. What usually matters is how fast you were going, how many violations you have in the insurer's look-back period, your age and your driving history. Our guide on how a speeding ticket affects insurance explains these factors.
Two New York rules work in your favor. Camera tickets from NYC school zone speed cameras cannot be used for insurance purposes [7]. And a completed PIRP course earns a 10% discount on liability and collision premiums [1].
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do points stay on your New York license?
Points stop counting toward your total 24 months after the violation date, based on the date of the violation rather than the conviction [1]. The conviction itself stays on your driving record longer than that.
Does a New York speed camera ticket go on your record?
No. A New York City school zone speed camera ticket is not a conviction, is not on the driving record and cannot be used for insurance [7]. It is a civil penalty of up to $50 to the vehicle owner.
Can a PIRP course remove a speeding ticket in New York?
No. PIRP reduces the points used to decide a suspension by up to 4 and earns a 10% premium discount, but the ticket and its points stay on your record [1].
What is the Driver Responsibility Assessment?
It is a DMV fee for drivers with 6 or more points in 18 months: $100 a year for three years, plus $25 a year for each point over six [2]. Not paying it can lead to a suspension.
Our Take
We think the fine is the least important number on a New York speeding ticket. The surcharge is fixed, the Driver Responsibility Assessment starts at six points, and the suspension count now reaches back 24 months, so a single ticket for 21 mph over can shape the next two years of your driving. The DMV's own pages make that clear, but they spread it across several sections. If you are well under the thresholds, paying and taking a PIRP course is a simple path. If you are close to 11 points or already have speeding convictions in the last 18 months, we would get advice from a licensed New York attorney before answering the ticket.
Sources
- The New York State Driver Point System. New York State DMV, 2026.
- Pay a Driver Responsibility Assessment. New York State DMV, 2026.
- Traffic tickets in New York State. New York State DMV, 2026.
- Penalties for Speeding. New York Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, 2026.
- Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 1180-B. New York State Senate, 2026.
- Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 1809-E: Additional surcharge. New York State Senate, 2026.
- Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 1180-B: School speed zone camera demonstration program in New York City. New York State Senate, 2026.
- Red Light Cameras. NYC311, 2026.
- Red light running: Safety camera laws. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 2026.
This is general information to help you understand your vehicle, not a substitute for a hands-on diagnosis. If a warning light is flashing or the car runs badly, stop driving and have it checked by a qualified technician. Spotted an error? Tell us.
Keep Reading
How Many Points Is a Speeding Ticket? State-by-State
A speeding ticket adds 0 to 11 points depending on the state and speed. How point systems work, suspension levels, states without points and camera tickets.
Red Light Cameras: How They Work and What a Ticket Means
How red light cameras catch a car entering on red, what the notice means for fines and points, right turn on red rules, where cameras are legal and what to do.
Speed Cameras: How They Work and Where They're Legal
How speed cameras measure speed and mail a notice, the fixed, mobile and point-to-point types, where states allow or ban them, and whether tickets add points.
How Much Does a Speeding Ticket Raise Insurance?
A speeding ticket can raise car insurance, but by how much depends on your state, insurer and record. See the factors and what state insurance regulators say.
Speeding Ticket in Texas: Fines, Points and Options
Texas speeding tickets usually carry a fine of up to $200 plus court costs, doubled in work zones. No points, but 4 convictions in 12 months can suspend.
Speeding Ticket in Virginia: Fines, Points and Options
Virginia speeding fines start at $6 per mph over the limit, DMV adds 3 to 6 demerit points, and 20 over is reckless driving. Your options as of November 2026.