How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Insurance in North Carolina

North Carolina car insurance premiums can increase anywhere from 30 to 80 percent following a speeding ticket. However, if you were speeding to elude an arrest, the increase is even higher — a whopping 260 percent, according to the North Carolina Department of Insurance’s Safe Driver Incentive Plan.¹

The average policyholder in North Carolina paid only $753 for car insurance in 2020, the seventh-lowest rate in the nation.² But even just driving one mile per hour over the speed limit could raise that rate to $979, a 30 percent increase. To avoid insurance hikes in North Carolina, practice safe driving, follow speed limits, and keep your driving record pristine.

To get affordable rates after a speeding ticket or any other moving violation, look for insurance companies that cater to high-risk drivers. Once you’ve compared quotes from multiple insurers and asked for any applicable discounts, the cheapest option would be to get the minimum coverage required by the state. That said, we recommend full coverage car insurance to protect yourself from future losses.

The true cost of speeding tickets in North Carolina depends on which city the violation occurred in, as well as what you decide to do after the ticket. If you decide to waive the ticket to avoid going to court, you’ll incur additional fees.

On the other hand, if you decide to go to court, you’ll pay court costs, which are higher in some cases. Furthermore, the court costs are dependent upon when you accrued them.

On top of financial penalties, you’ll also face a license suspension or revocation.³

The best way to avoid driver’s license points, fines, and license suspensions is to follow all North Carolina traffic laws and avoid getting tickets in the first place.

Once you receive a speeding ticket in North Carolina, you have two major options: Waive the offense or don’t waive the offense.

Waive the Offense

If you pay the fine and court costs before the court date, you won’t have to appear in court. However, this means you’ll be found guilty or responsible as charged, meaning you’ll see higher insurance costs with this offense on your driving record.

Most speeding violations in North Carolina are waivable as long as you weren’t going more than 15 miles per hour over the limit in a 55-mph zone, including work zones.⁴

To waive your fine, read the instructions on your ticket and choose one of these payment methods.

• Online: https://www.nccourts.gov/services (Must pay with credit/debit card)
• In person at your county courthouse: https://www.nccourts.gov/locations (Must pay with a certified check, cashier’s check or money order made payable to the Clerk of Superior Court, cash, or a credit/debit card)
• By mail: Address listed on the ticket (Must pay with a certified check, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to the Clerk of Superior Court)

Do Not Waive the Offense

If your offense isn’t waivable, you’ll need to either appear in court or have an attorney appear for you. You can look up your court date here: https://www.nccourts.gov/court-dates.

Depending on how large your county is, you may appear in either a dedicated traffic court (in larger counties) or in a criminal court (in smaller counties). Most cases are resolved without the need for a full trial.

In addition to speeding tickets, these violations could also impact your car insurance rates:

• A driver under 18 using a cell phone
• Driving while texting, a form of distracted driving
• Driving without a license
• Failure to dim lights, use seatbelts in the front or rear seat, or use an appropriate child restraint system
• Following too closely
• Parking in a handicapped space illegally
• Transporting alcohol in a commercial vehicle
• Turning improperly

Aside from the fines, license suspensions, and other penalties, you could face something else due to speeding: a car crash. Speeding makes accidents more likely. In 2021, speeding was a factor in 28 percent of fatal crashes in North Carolina, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. That rate rises to 37 percent for drivers ages 15 to 20, which shows that teen speeding is even more dangerous. Learn more about how speeding in North Carolina can cost you in our frequently asked questions below.