A speeding ticket can raise your insurance rates by an average of 45% in New Jersey. Shopping for new rates should be your first step after paying your fine.

Written by Rob Shapiro

Reviewed by Jessica Barrett

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

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How to manage a speeding ticket in New Jersey
What are the fines and penalties for speeding in New Jersey?
Your car insurance rates will increase after a speeding ticket—here’s what you can do
When are car insurance companies notified of speeding tickets?
The best car insurance companies after a speeding ticket in New Jersey
FAQs

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New Jersey

, if you are pulled over for speeding and issued a ticket, you can opt to pay the fine—and experience a 45% rise in

car insurance

rates—or fight it in court.

A speeding ticket in New Jersey can cost anywhere between $85 and $260

Fines can be doubled if you’re caught driving 10+ mph over the speed limit in a zone that’s 65 mph or more

Drivers can receive 2-5 demerit points on their driving record for speeding

How to manage a speeding ticket in New Jersey

According to a recent report done by the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, reckless driving habits, such as speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence accounted for over 55% of all crashes in between 2017 and 2021.1

As a result, New Jersey has implemented new speeding restrictions, applying hefty fines and charges to those caught speeding or

reckless driving

Traffic tickets hold more information than you think. After receiving a ticket from local law enforcement, look it over to confirm important details like your charge, fine amount, due date, and whether or not you need to attend court.

All drivers have the option to pay the fine outright, or fight their ticket in municipal court. Remember, paying your New Jersey traffic ticket means you’re pleading guilty, and the applicable number of points will be removed from your driving record.

Once you have any type of violation on your driver history, you will experience a rise in your car insurance premiums. Drivers in New Jersey often see rates increase by 45%. To help lower your costs, compare prices before your renewal date.

Learn more:

Shopping for car insurance, made easy

You can pay for your New Jersey speeding ticket online, in-person, or by mail

In the state of New Jersey, you can pay for your NJ speeding ticket online, in-person, or through the mail.

Paying online

You can pay your fine by using New Jersey’s

online system

. Search for your ticket by providing the court ID, prefix, and ticket number which is all included at the bottom of your citation. New Jersey portals only accept credit cards, and drivers can only pay between specific online hours.

Paying in-person

To pay for your traffic ticket in-person, visit the municipal courthouse on your ticket and pay the fine. You may be charged some additional fees like court costs. Payment methods may vary by court.

Paying by mail

Mail a check or money order to the municipal court listed on your ticket. Checks should be made out to that same court. Don’t forget to print the citation number on the check or money order.

Tickets that require a court appearance or have warrants issued against it cannot be paid for online. Most tickets are only viewable through the online portal system 1-4 days after issuance. If it’s not available after 4 days, contact the corresponding municipal court.

If you don’t pay for your fine before the date marked on your ticket, you may be subjected to additional fees and fines. You could also face other more severe penalties, such as
license suspension
.

Getting your ticket dismissed in New Jersey

New Jersey drivers can choose to contest their traffic violation in court if they believe they were ticketed in error. Keep in mind, you will be required to pay a $33 court fee to fight the charge.

If you agree, here are a few criminal defenses that could help you get your ticket dismissed:

Medical emergencies: If you were speeding due to a medical emergency and can prove it, you may qualify for a ticket dismissal.

Defective speedometer: If your speedometer was broken at the time you were pulled over and you were unable to tell how fast you were driving, you might be able to have your ticket dismissed.

Human or technological error: New Jersey police officers use radar guns to determine driver speed. If you believe that the radar was inaccurate, or used inaccurately, leading to a higher speed reading, you could get a dismissal.

Note that drivers with a previously

clean driving record

prior to their violation will typically have a better chance of getting a ticket dismissed than a driver with a poor history.

Never claim ignorance as a defense

As a licensed driver, you are responsible for knowing New Jersey traffic laws. Claiming ignorance is not a valuable defense and will not lead to a ticket dismissal.

Learn more:

Reasons a speeding ticket can be dismissed

What are the fines and penalties for speeding in New Jersey?

Based on New Jersey law, drivers who receive a speeding ticket will experience two types of penalties:

Fines and fees: New Jersey assigns different prices depending on how fast you were driving and where you were driving. Fines can reach up to $260, and are doubled for motorists who drive 10 mph over the speed limit in a 65+ mph zone.

Demerit points: You can expect anywhere from 2-5 demerit points to be assigned to your driving record for a speeding ticket.

New Jersey does not have ‘felony’ or ‘misdemeanor’ classifications. Rather, speeding is considered a ‘quasi-criminal’ offense, meaning it shares similar, but not the exact same, characteristics as a criminal charge.

However, if you receive a reckless driving ticket instead of a speeding ticket, you will still face possible jail time and much steeper fines. Drivers who accumulate 12+ points on their record at any time will also have their license suspended by the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) or court.

Below is a breakdown of the fine schedule laid out by the Code of New Jersey, Title 39, Chapter 4,

Article 96

and the

Statewide Violations Bureau

, as well as the

MVC points system

The New Jersey speeding ticket fine schedule

Speeding offense	Total fines	Additional penalties
1-9 mph over the limit	$86	Demerit points
1-9 mph over the limit in a construction zone or safe corridor	$141	Demerit points
10-14 mph over the limit	$96	Demerit points
10-14 mph over the limit in a construction zone, safe corridor, or 65 mph area	$161	Demerit points
15-19 mph over the limit	$106	Demerit points
15-19 mph over the limit in a construction zone, safe corridor, or 65 mph area	$181	Demerit points
20-24 mph over the limit (not payable for drivers with commercial license)	$201	Demerit points
25-29 mph over the limit (not payable for drivers with commercial license)	$221	Demerit points
30-34 mph over the limit (not payable for drivers with commercial license)	$241	Demerit points Possible license suspension
35-39 mph over the limit (not payable for drivers with commercial license)	$261	Demerit points Possible license suspension
Exceeding speed limit across sidewalk	$81	Demerit points
Careless driving (no accident resulting in personal injury)	$86	Demerit points
Careless driving in a construction zone, safe corridor, or 65 mph area	$141	Demerit points
Reckless driving	$50-$200	Potential jail time for up to 60 days Demerit points
Reckless driving (subsequent offense)	$100-$500 $150 surcharge for 6 demerit points $25 for each point after 6 on record	Jail time for up to 3 months Demerit points License suspension

The New Jersey speeding ticket point system

Speeding offense	# of demerit points	# of years on driving record
1-14 mph over the speed limit	2	Indefinitely
15-29 mph over the speed limit	4	Indefinitely
30+ mph over the speed limit	5	Indefinitely
Reckless driving	5	Indefinitely
Careless driving	2	Indefinitely
Driving in an unsafe manner (subsequent offense in 5 years)	4	Indefinitely
Moving violation committed out-of-state	2	Indefinitely
Highway racing	5	Indefinitely

Your car insurance rates will increase after a speeding ticket—here’s what you can do

Beyond typical processing fees and fines, speeding tickets can cost you even more money in the long run, especially when it comes to your car insurance. Most drivers in New Jersey experience their premiums rise by 45% after a speeding ticket.

After paying your ticket, there are a number of things you can do to help you lower your costs and get you back on track.

1. Check your renewal date and shop around for car insurance

Your car insurance won’t increase until it’s time for you to renew, so it’s best to be ahead of the curve and check your policy to determine when exactly that will be.

Once you receive your renewal notice, take a look at your new rate. Generally, it will include a surcharge for your speeding ticket. At this point, you can start comparing prices from other insurance providers to see if you can bring down your premium.

The

Jerry

app allows you to review several offers from dozens of insurers at once all tailored to your specific driver profile.

And at renewal, don’t forget to turn on automatic reshop.

As more time passes, you should become eligible for lower rates—but if you opt for car insurance through the Jerry app, you will be notified of any savings opportunities to help you find the best deals.

2. Enroll in a driver improvement course

While points do remain on driver records indefinitely, New Jersey allows drivers to complete a

state-approved defensive driving or driver improvement course

to have 2-3 points removed.

These courses can be taken once every five years for defensive driving, and once every two years for driver improvement programs. An additional $75 administrative fee for the MVC is required before scheduling a driver improvement class.

If you remain one year with no violations or suspensions, you can also qualify for another 3 points to be subtracted from your record. The year begins on the date of your violation.

To be eligible for a defensive driving program or driver improvement course, you must hold a non-commercial driver’s license, and have not completed traffic school in the past 5 years.

Defensive driving courses are not a substitute for driver improvement courses. Defensive driving programs are voluntary, whereas driver improvement programs are generally court mandated.

3. Look into car insurance discounts

A New Jersey speeding ticket can disqualify you from any good driver discounts—however, there are several other

car insurance discounts

that can still help you save, including:

Good student discounts

Paid-in-full discounts

Anti-theft device discounts

Low mileage discounts

When are car insurance companies notified of speeding tickets?

Your car insurance provider won’t be aware of your speeding ticket until you are up for renewal. If your policy isn’t set to renew for months, you’ll likely keep paying the same rate until then.

However, once your insurer reviews your motor vehicle report for any new traffic infractions, you can expect your premiums to increase by at least 45%.

The best car insurance companies after a speeding ticket in New Jersey

Here’s how major insurance companies tend to handle rate renewals after a speeding ticket:

Insurance company	Average rate increase after a speeding ticket
Allstate	15%
USAA	17%
Nationwide	26%
State Farm	26%
Farmers	31%
Travelers	37%
GEICO	38%
Progressive	43%

Remember: Every insurance company deals with traffic offenses differently. Depending on your existing record, the number of years you’ve been with your insurer, and whether or not you plead guilty to your speeding ticket, your insurance premium could go up by less—or more!—than this table shows.

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.

FAQs

How many points is 20 mph in New Jersey?

New Jersey drivers who drive 20 mph over the posted speed limit will receive 4 points on their driving record. In addition, you could see charges of up to $201.

Is it worth fighting a speeding ticket in NJ?

If you believe your ticket was given in error and can prove it, then it may be worth fighting the ticket in traffic court. Traffic points will remain on your record indefinitely, so it’s best to avoid it if you can.

How does NJ handle out of state speeding tickets?

If you get a speeding ticket while visiting someone out-of-state, you will receive 2 points on your New Jersey driving record, regardless of the infraction.

What is the best plea for a speeding ticket?

In most cases, if you’re not guilty, it’s best to plead against the ticket to avoid the demerit points on your record. However, if you are guilty, the best course of action is to pay your ticket outright and accept the fines and penalties.

How fast can you go over the speed limit in NJ?

Drivers in New Jersey can be pulled over for going even 1 mph over the speed limit. It’s advised to never speed, especially in zones marked 65 mph, as these fines are doubled.

What is criminal speed in NJ?

Reckless driving is considered to be a dangerous infraction, resulting in 5 points added to your record. This is usually reserved for speeds that are 30 mph or above the speed limit.

Can you go to jail for speeding in NJ?

Drivers who are charged with reckless driving more than once are at risk for jail time in New Jersey.

What speed do you lose your license in NJ?

If you’re caught driving at speeds 30+ mph over the limit, you are at risk for losing your driving privileges in New Jersey.

How many points is a DUI in NJ?

Drivers who are convicted of a DUI in New Jersey will not have points added to their driving record—but if they are also convicted of reckless driving due to alcohol consumption, points may be added for this charge.

Yes, New Jersey shares your driving record with other states, meaning that a traffic infraction in another state could impact your history in New Jersey.

How can I check my New Jersey driving record?

You can check your New Jersey driving record online through the New Jersey MVC website. It will cost you $15 to purchase a copy of your record and drivers will need to provide their user ID number, driver’s license number, and social security number.

SOURCES

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2023-05/NJ_FY2022HSPAR-v2%2520tag.pdf&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1701372852177984&usg=AOvVaw0V5L17Lsmq17bWi3mFp5OK