How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Your Insurance in New York

On average, your premium will increase by about 15 percent after a speeding ticket hits your driving record in New York. Exactly how much your rate goes up differs by insurance company, and rate increases are usually steeper for serious speeding infractions.

New York is already one of the most expensive states for car insurance. The average cost of car insurance in New York is $2,833 for full coverage, which is about 47 percent higher than the national average. The average cost of minimum insurance in New York is $1,533, which is about 180 percent higher than the national average.

Keep in mind that these numbers are just averages. Auto insurance rates depend on many factors beyond whether you’ve had a speeding ticket, including age and credit score. To find the best auto insurance in New York, with a rate that is tailored for you, be sure to shop around.

Complete the Point & Insurance Reduction Program

In New York, accumulating 11 or more points on your driving record within an 18-month period can lead to a license suspension.To avoid license suspension and also reduce the base rate of your insurance premiums by 10 percent, you can participate in New York’s Point & Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP), a state-approved comprehensive driver safety course. While the points and tickets will still technically remain on your driving record for up to four years, completing the course can reduce up to four points from the total points counted toward a suspension within an 18-month period. By completing the course, you can also reduce the base rate of your insurance premiums by 10 percent for three years.

Classes are 320 minutes long, and the fee varies by provider. Once you’ve completed the course, the PIRP course sponsor will notify the DMV, and the DMV will then reduce the active points on your record by up to 4 points. To receive your 10 percent insurance discount, send your completion certificate to your insurance provider within 90 days.2

You can find a list of approved PIRP courses here: https://dmv.ny.gov/pirp/online

Speeding in New York can cost you hundreds of dollars in fines, imprisonment, and points on your driving record, even if you were driving less than 10 miles per hour (mph) over the limit.

Fines will be increased if you have more than one speeding violation in the past 18 months, and your license will be revoked for three convictions in the same time period. Note that the penalties vary in school speed zones and restricted highways, and you may have to pay a state surcharge in addition to your fine.³ If you receive six points on your driver record for violations committed during an 18-month period or are convicted of certain traffic offenses, like an alcohol or drug-related driving offense, you will also have to pay a Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA). The DRA is a fee you must pay to the DMV over a three-year period. If you receive six points on your record during an 18-month period, the annual assessment is $100, and the total assessment for three years is $300. If you receive more than six points on your driver record during a period of 18 months, the annual assessment is $25 for each additional point. If you are convicted of an alcohol or drug-related driving offense, the annual assessment is $250, and the total assessment for three years is $750.

You can pay your DRA the following ways:⁴

• Online
  https://transact3.dmv.ny.gov/DriverRespAssessment/
• By mail
  Send a check to the following address: DRA Processing Center
  207 Genesee Center
  Utica, NY 13501
• At a DMV office

For red light or speed camera violations that occur in New York City, you’ll pay $50, plus $25 if the ticket is 30 days overdue, and 9 percent interest after 75 days, plus one-twelfth of this interest until you pay the judgment.⁵

If you get a speeding ticket, you’ll most likely want to plead guilty and pay for it. However, that process will look different depending on where you were speeding: in any of New York City’s five boroughs or outside of NYC.

Tickets in New York City

You can pay NYC tickets online through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB), accessible at https://transact2.dmv.ny.gov/pleadnpay/

The TVB, however, does not handle the following:

• Parking tickets
• Red light or speed camera tickets
• Misdemeanor or Felony offenses like driving under the influence (DUI)

For speeding tickets you want to fight, you will need to schedule a hearing. Your hearing will take place in a TVB office in the jurisdiction where the ticket was issued. You will have the option to attend the hearing in person, virtually, or submit a Statement In Place of Personal Appearance (SIPOPA). If you submit a SIPOPA, you’ll receive the court’s decision via email.7

To learn more about submitting a SIPOPA, use the following link: https://nysdmv.custhelp.com/app/vo/sipopa?_ga=2.236146945.1635631899.1688563574-1904031508.1688563574.

If you want to appeal a conviction, you can do so within 30 days by paying a $10 appeal fee and completing an online form at https://transact2.dmv.ny.gov/WebAppeals/?_ga=2.71350419.1635631899.1688563574-1904031508.1688563574.

Or you can appeal via mail by sending payment and the form to the below address:

• DMV Appeals Board
• P.O. Box 2935
• Albany, NY  12220-0935

Again, you’ll receive a letter with your appeal status.⁸

Tickets Outside of New York City

For violations that occur outside of NYC, you’ll pay your ticket or file an appeal with the local court of the village, county, city, or town in which you were ticketed. You can find the local court at https://www.nycourts.gov/courts/.

Make sure to respond to your ticket, whether that’s with a guilty, not guilty, or no contest plea. If you ignore it, the state will suspend your driver’s license, and you’ll have to pay $70 to end the suspension, plus the ticket fee. You could also face higher auto insurance costs.⁹ Learn how a license suspension affects insurance.

In addition to speeding, avoid the following traffic violations to keep your car insurance rates low in the Empire State:

• Failure to signal
• Improper cell phone use, like texting and driving, otherwise known as distracted driving
• Improper turn
• Not stopping for a school bus
• Not yielding the right-of-way
• Reckless driving
• Illegal window tinting
• Driving without a license
• Unregistered vehicle
• Leaving the scene of an accident

Speed limits are put in place to keep you and other drivers, not to mention pedestrians and cyclists, safe. Even though they may seem frustrating, following posted limits could save you a huge hassle and keep your hard-earned money in your pocket. Learn more about speeding, like how long a speeding ticket stays on your record, in our frequently asked questions below.