Speeding Ticket in Texas: Fines, Points and Options

How much is a speeding ticket in Texas?

Texas sets one general penalty for traffic offenses that have no specific penalty of their own: a fine of not less than $1 and not more than $200 ^[1]. The judge or the court's fine schedule decides where your ticket lands in that range. Texas law does not set a separate fine for each mile per hour over the limit the way many states do.

Two things change the number:

• Work zones. If the offense happens in a construction or maintenance work zone and the ticket states that workers were present, both the minimum and the maximum fine double. For speeding, the zone must be marked with a sign showing the speed limit ^[1]. That makes the range $2 to $400.
• Court costs. State and local court costs are added on top of the fine and differ from court to court. Austin's municipal court, for example, publishes a fine schedule that lists the fines, costs and fees for each charge, and notes that late fees and warrant fees are extra ^[8].

In Texas the total you owe depends heavily on the court, so the citation and the court's own fine schedule are the only reliable sources for your number. Check the court named on your ticket, often a municipal court or a justice of the peace court, before you decide anything. For a comparison with other states, see how much a speeding ticket costs.

How many points is a speeding ticket in Texas?

Zero. Texas does not use a point system for traffic tickets; the points and surcharges of the old Driver Responsibility Program were repealed in 2019. A speeding conviction still goes on your driving record, though, and the record still matters.

The rule to know is the habitual violator rule. The Department of Public Safety must suspend the license of a person with four or more moving violation convictions from different incidents in 12 consecutive months, or seven or more in 24 months ^[2]. Convictions from any state or Canadian province count, and seat belt and certain weight violations do not.

A quick example: a driver convicted of speeding in March, of running a stop sign in June and of speeding again in September has three convictions in 12 months. A fourth moving violation conviction before the next March would make that driver a habitual violator, and DPS would have to suspend the license. If one of those tickets had been dismissed after a driving safety course, it would not be part of the count.

Because Texas counts convictions instead of points, every speeding ticket counts the same toward a suspension, whether you were 5 or 25 mph over. That is why the dismissal options below matter more here than in most states. Our points calculator shows Texas as a no-points state, and the state points guide explains how other states differ.

Are speed and red light cameras legal in Texas?

No. Texas law says a local authority may not implement or operate a photographic traffic signal enforcement system, which bans red light cameras ^[3]. A separate law bars cities from operating an automated system to enforce posted speed limits ^[1].

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notes that the red light ban took effect in June 2019, that some communities were allowed to keep running cameras under contracts signed before the ban, and that those tickets were a civil penalty of up to $75, not a criminal offense and not on the driving record ^[9]. If you get a Texas speeding ticket, it came from an officer, not a camera, and it is a regular traffic offense that can become a conviction. See our camera laws map and guides on speed cameras and red light cameras for other states.

Should you pay, contest or take a driving course?

Texas tickets are handled by the court listed on the citation, and the main options are the same across the state. Austin's municipal court describes them this way: to pay, you first plead guilty or no contest; to contest, you request a court date and can ask for a trial by judge or by jury; and a deferral postpones judgment and dismisses the case if you meet its terms ^[6]. Use your court's own website or the address on the citation to respond.

Driving safety course. This is the option many Texas drivers use. If you qualify, completing a state-approved driving safety course gets the charge dismissed, so it never becomes a conviction. You must hold a Texas license (or be active-duty military or a military family member), not have completed a course in the 12 months before the offense, plead guilty or no contest and request the course by the answer date on the ticket, and show proof of financial responsibility. Speeding at 25 mph or more over the limit, or at 95 mph or more, does not qualify. One course dismisses one charge, and the judge may grant a course before final disposition even if the 12-month or timing conditions are not met ^[4]. The option does not apply to anyone who holds, or held at the time, a commercial driver's license ^[4].

The course is a 6-hour class from a provider licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. You still pay the fines and fees tied to the ticket, the court sets the completion deadline, and you must deliver the certificate to the court yourself ^[5].

Deferred disposition. If you do not qualify for the course, ask the court about deferral. In Austin, for example, a deferral lasts 90 days, can require a driving safety course, and is not available to commercial license holders; you must avoid new moving violations during the period, and the case is dismissed if you meet the terms ^[7]. Terms and fees differ by court.

Pay or contest. Paying after a guilty or no contest plea ends the case with a conviction on your record. Contesting means a trial before a judge or jury.

When to talk to a lawyer. Consider a licensed Texas attorney if you already have two or three moving violation convictions in the past year, if you hold a commercial license, or if the ticket came with a more serious charge such as racing or reckless driving.

How does a ticket affect your insurance?

A Texas speeding conviction goes on your driving record, which insurers can review. The official sources we used do not publish an average premium increase, so we will not give one. In general, insurers look at the type of violation, the number of recent convictions and your claims history. Our guide on how a speeding ticket affects insurance explains the factors.

Two Texas facts help. A ticket dismissed after a driving safety course or a completed deferral is not a conviction. And Texas licenses driving safety courses for insurance discounts as well as ticket dismissal ^[5]; ask your insurer whether it gives one.