Last updated: December 22, 2025
How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Your Insurance in California
Plus, how long you’ll see higher car insurance rates after a speeding ticket
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In 2023, 4,061 people died in car crashes in California, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Out of these 4,061 deaths, 1,303, or 32 percent, involved speeding.1 If you’re caught speeding on one of California’s highways, you can face a fine of $500 to $1,000, license suspension of up to one year, plus higher car insurance rates by more than a third. Let’s take a look at the real cost of speeding in the Golden State.
How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Your Insurance in California
You can expect the cost of car insurance in California to increase by about 37 percent with a speeding ticket on your record.
| Annual car insurance cost in California (2025 data) | Clean record | Speeding ticket | Increase |
| Full coverage | $2,569 | $3,201 | 25% |
While any moving violation, including a minor traffic ticket, raises premiums, the annual cost of car insurance across all providers will significantly increase with a speeding ticket violation, as you’ll be a higher-risk driver in the eyes of insurance companies.
Clean record vs. speeding ticket: Annual car insurance costs
USAA, GEICO, and AAA (CSAA) have some of the cheapest rates in California after a speeding ticket.
| Insurance Provider | Full Coverage, Clean Record | Full Coverage, Speeding Ticket | Dollar Increase | Percent Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA* | $1,809 | $2,032 | $223 | 12% |
| GEICO | $1,760 | $2,496 | $736 | 42% |
| AAA (CSAA) | $2,244 | $2,571 | $327 | 15% |
| Progressive | $1,907 | $2,607 | $700 | 37% |
| AAA (Auto Club) | $2,052 | $3,012 | $960 | 47% |
| Allstate | $2,235 | $3,096 | $861 | 39% |
| State Farm | $2,581 | $3,342 | $761 | 29% |
| California Average | $2,569 | $3,201 | $632 | 25% |
*USAA is only available to military members, veterans, and their families.
How to Lower Your Car Insurance Premium After a Speeding Ticket
- Attend traffic school. If you attend traffic school, the state will remove a one-point violation from your record. You’ll get a notice from the court if you’re eligible to attend, and you can do this only once per 18-month period. See a list of the state-approved traffic schools in your area.
- Ask your insurer about discounts. Common discounts that may still apply include: Multi-policy (bundle home/renters + auto), Good student (if applicable), Anti-theft device, Defensive driving (if your insurer offers it), and a Low-mileage discount.
- Shop around for a new insurance quote. Different insurers rate violations differently, and some companies penalize minor speeding less severely than others. Compare quotes from at least three insurers to find a cheaper rate.
- Adjust your coverage strategically. Increasing your deductible — for example, from $500 to $1,000) can lower premiums. Removing collision and comprehensive coverages on older vehicles that are fully paid off will also reduce cost. That said, make sure not to underinsure; it’s wise to maintain liability limits above the California minimum.
Penalties for Speeding in California
California sets maximum fines and lengths of license suspensions for driving 100 miles per hour (mph) or faster on highways.2
| Penalties for driving 100 mph or faster | First offense | Second offense (within 3 years of first) | Third offense (or subsequent within 5 years of prior offenses) |
| Maximum fine | $500 | $750 | $1,000 |
| Maximum license suspension | 30 days | 6 months, but can get restricted license for employment | 1 year, but can get restricted license for employment |
You may also get points on your record, which will remain there for 36 months or longer. While the speeding ticket is on your record, expect to pay a higher car insurance premium.
Options After a Speeding Ticket
You have two options: Pay for the ticket or contest it. But whatever you do, don’t ignore it, as it could lead to harsher penalties.
Pay the Ticket
It’s easiest to pay the ticket online, whether you plead guilty or no contest. While either plea will result in a conviction that will go on your record, with a no contest plea, if someone sues you for speeding, they will have to prove that you were speeding. A guilty plea serves as proof in and of itself.
Contest the Ticket
Your other option is to ask for a trial before the due date on your court notice. In this trial, you’ll be able to bring in witnesses and present evidence to support your claim. The judge will set a fine if they find you guilty.
The trial can occur in one of two ways:
- Written declaration: With a written declaration, you won’t have to come into court physically. Instead, you can explain what occurred in a written statement and request a trial by written declaration.
- Court trial: You can also request a court trial, which can occur either in person or remotely over the phone or video. In a court trial, a lawyer can represent you.
Warning:
Don’t ignore the ticket. If you do, the judge can still declare you guilty without your presence, fine you up to an additional $100, charge you with failure to appear, and suspend your driver’s license further.3
More Traffic Violations That Affect Car Insurance
Speeding isn’t the only violation to keep in mind while driving on California roads. Avoid other non-moving and moving violations, such as:
- Driving while using a handheld cell phone (learn more about fines for texting and driving in California)
- Not yielding to pedestrians, bicyclists, or other vehicles who have the right of way
- Not following traffic signals or signs properly
- Improper passing
- Driving under the influence, which will result in you having to carry a California SR-22 form
- Not pulling over for emergency or road work vehicles
- Evading law enforcement
- Reckless driving
- Driving without a license or registration
- Driving without insurance in California
Did you know?
Recap
A speeding ticket will raise your rates by an average of 25 percent in California, so it pays to slow down. USAA, GEICO, and AAA (CSAA) have the cheapest rates after a ticket. Attending traffic school, asking about discounts, shopping for a new insurer, and adjusting your coverages are all strategies to lower your premiums after a ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cheapest auto insurance rates for speeding tickets vary based on numerous factors, so it’s best to shop around to compare your options. In California, USAA ($2,032 annually) and GEICO ($2,496 annually) have the cheapest average rates.
You can attend traffic school to get one point removed from your driving record in California. However, you’ll have to wait three years for the violation to disappear.
You should do traffic school for a speeding ticket in California in order to get a one-point reduction and avoid inflated auto insurance premiums.
A speeding ticket in California can stay on your driving record for three to seven years.
Sources
Traffic Safety Facts Annual Report Tables. NHTSA. (2025).
https://cdan.dot.gov/tsftables/tsfar.htm#Housing Vacancies and Homeownership (CPS/HVS). United States Census. (2025).
https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/data/rates.htmlDIVISION 11. RULES OF THE ROAD. California Legislative Information. (2025).
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&division=11.&title=&part=&chapter=7.&article=1
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