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Last updated: November 13, 2024
How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Your Insurance in Virginia
Speeding can increase your car insurance premiums by hundreds.
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In 2023, 907 people died in car accidents in the state of Virginia. About half of those fatal crashes, 449 total, involved speeding. Virginia punishes speeding with only fines if you’re ticketed for a traffic infraction. For the more serious misdemeanor, however, you’ll face pricier fines and even potential jail time.
But it’s not just criminal penalties you’ll face for speeding. You can also expect points on your driving record, which translates into a higher car insurance premium. Below, we’ll look into auto insurance pricing in Virginia with a ticket, laws regarding speeding, and guidance on how to keep your auto insurance rates low, even with a ticket.
Editor’s note (last updated November, 2024): We have updated this page with the pricing, laws and guidance on speeding tickets in Virginia.
How a Speeding Ticket Affects Car Insurance Rates in Virginia
On average, having a speeding ticket on your driving record will increase your car insurance in Virginia by 11 percent. However, rates can rise as much as 38 percent with some companies, like Nationwide. The more over the speed limit you were driving, the more it’ll increase your insurance premium.
Take a look at average prices from car insurance companies when someone has a clean driving record versus one with a speeding ticket on it.
| Average annual cost of car insurance in Virginia by provider | With clean record | With speeding ticket on record | Percentage difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | $1,884 |
$,2100 |
11% |
| Allstate | $3,155 | $3,509 | 11% |
| Erie | $1,148 | $1,477 | 28% |
| Geico | $1,568 | $1,860 | 18% |
| Nationwide | $1,781 | $2,468 | 38% |
| Progressive | $2,002 | $2,331 | 16% |
| State Farm | $1,823 | $1,968 | 7% |
| USAA | $1,109 | $1,494 | 34% |
Speeding tickets aren’t the only cause of insurance rate increases. You’ll also see higher rates if you move to an urban ZIP code in Virginia, like Richmond or the greater D.C. area. Make sure to get an insurance quote from multiple providers to see your estimated premiums with different companies.
How to Find Cheap Car Insurance With a Speeding Ticket
Fortunately for Virginia drivers, the average cost of full coverage car insurance in the state is $1,884, which is right around the national full coverage average of $1,924.
Get Minimum Coverage
In Virginia, the average minimum coverage rate for drivers with a clean driving record is $699. Though your premiums will increase with a speeding ticket regardless of your policy, a lower baseline rate will help keep costs low.
Drivers in Virginia must adhere to the following minimum requirements, depending on your policy’s effective date.
| Policy effective dates | Bodily injury liability per person | Bodily injury liability per accident | Property damage liability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 1, 2022-Dec. 31, 2024 | $30,000 | $60,000 | $20,000 |
| On or after Jan. 1, 2025 | $50,000 | $100,000 | $25,000 |
Getting no more than the minimum liability limits will result in the lowest auto insurance costs.
FYI:
As of July 1, 2024 Virginia requires drivers to carry minimum limits insurance. Before July 1, 2024 Virginia allowed a $500 uninsured motorist fee to be paid to the DMV in place of auto insurance. This is no longer the case.
Attend a Driver Improvement Course
If your insurance company offers a discount for taking a defensive driving course, you can take one either online or in person for a fee of $100 maximum. Classes are offered online and in person, and are available throughout the state. Find a course online via https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/licenses-ids/improvement/clinics-schools.
Speeding Penalties in Virginia
Virginia differentiates speeding infractions, which are civil, non-criminal tickets, from reckless and aggressive driving, a form of speeding that can result in criminal penalties like imprisonment and high fines.1
Reckless and Aggressive Driving
The below table shows Virginia’s driving and aggressive driving penalties and definitions.
| Penalties by violation | Reckless driving | Aggressive driving |
|---|---|---|
| Charge | Class 1 misdemeanor | Class 2 misdemeanor |
| Definition | Either 20 mph over the posted speed limit or over 85 mph on any highway in Virginia | Exceeding limits on interstate/limited access highways |
| Maximum fine | $2,500 | $1,000 |
| Maximum jail time | 12 months | 6 months |
| Points | 6 | 4 |
| Length of points on record in years | 11 | 5 |
FYI:
Reckless driving is the most serious speeding violation, but a court may reduce the charge to improper driving, an infraction punishable by a fine of $500 maximum.
Speeding Infractions
Speeding infractions are less serious offenses than reckless and aggressive driving. The table below shows the penalty for different speeding violations, which can depend on where the violation was committed.2
| Violation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Exceeding the speed limit | $6 per mile over the speed limit, $51 processing fee |
| Exceeding the speed limit on a school crossing | $7 per mile over the speed limit, $51 processing fee |
| Exceeding the speed limit in a highway work zone | $7 per mile over the speed limit, $51 processing fee |
| Exceeding the speed limit in a residential area | $200 plus $8 per mile over the speed limit, $51 processing fee |
| Failure to drive at the designated speed in a slow moving traffic lane | $100, $51 processing fee |
In addition to fines and imprisonment, speeding will result in points on your driver’s license, which can stay on your record for up to 11 years.3
| Violation | Number of points | How long it stays on DMV record in years |
|---|---|---|
| Reckless driving – speeding over 85 mph | 6 | 11 |
| Reckless driving – speeding 20 mph or more over the posted speed limit | 6 | 11 |
| Reckless driving – driving too fast for conditions | 6 | 11 |
| Speeding 20 mph or more over the posted speed limit | 6 | 5 |
| Speeding | 4 | 5 |
| Speeding 10-19 mph over the posted speed limit | 4 | 5 |
| Aggressive driving | 4 | 5 |
| Speeding 1-9 mph over the posted speed limit | 3 | 5 |
As long as the speeding points are on your record, you’ll see a higher car insurance premium.
Steps to Take After a Speeding Ticket
Pay Ticket
The easiest course of action is simply to pay the ticket, the cost of which could be relatively low if the speeding violation was only an infraction. Pay your ticket online via one of the following resources.
- Circuit court: https://eapps.courts.state.va.us/fmsOnline/#/searchHome?fips=000C
- General district court: https://www.vacourts.gov/caseinfo/tickets_dc.html4
If you can’t afford the ticket, Virginia offers the Fines Options Program, which lets you perform community service instead of paying court costs and fines. For each hour you work at a recognized charitable organization or government facility, like a library, you’ll earn $15 toward your fines. Email the following form to GDCMail@fairfaxcounty.gov to see if you’re eligible: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/generaldistrict/sites/generaldistrict/files/assets/documents/pdf/fop%20form%20(1).pdf.5
Infraction
With an infraction, you can plead either guilty, not guilty, or nolo contendere (no contest). The easiest option is to enter a guilty plea in writing so you won’t have to make a court appearance. The judge will hear the case without a jury. Even if you don’t enter a written plea or make a court appearance, the case will move forward in your absence, but the judge won’t issue a warrant for failure to appear, unlike in some other states.
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a criminal charge, unlike a traffic infraction. If you plead not guilty, you’ll have to appear in court or have an attorney appear for you so you can present the case in front of a judge. If you don’t show up, the judge will hear the case in your absence.
Other Traffic Violations in Virginia
Title 46.2 of the Code of Virginia, Motor Vehicles, details the rules of the road in the Old Dominion state. Here’s just a sample of other traffic violations that could raise the cost of car insurance:
- Failure to stop at the scene of a crash that causes injury, death, or property damage of $1,000 or more, also known as a hit-and-run
- Failure to obey highway signs, stop for pedestrians, yield right-of-way, etc.
- Following too closely
- Improper U-turn
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Attempting to elude police
- Operating an unsafe vehicle
- Vehicular assault
- Improper passing
- Driving without a license or license plate
- Use of handheld communications device, also known as distracted driving
Conclusion
Almost half of Virginia’s fatal accidents in 2023 were caused by speeding. Auto insurance is more expensive for drivers with speeding tickets than drivers with clean records, however many providers in Virginia offer policies at reasonable rates. If you have a speeding ticket, consider taking a driver safety course, which may make you eligible for discounts with certain providers. Whether you’re a speeding teen or an experienced driver, look for signs with posted speed limits and follow them to keep safe, adhere to the law, and keep your car insurance premium low.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do speed camera tickets affect insurance in Virginia?
Speed camera tickets can affect car insurance in Virginia only if they are accompanied by a law enforcement officer issuing a summons at the time of the violation. If the evidence is the camera footage only, it cannot be made a part of a driving record and therefore won’t affect insurance premiums, according to the Code of Virginia section 46.2-882.1.
Is it worth fighting a speeding ticket in Virginia?
It may or may not be worth fighting a speeding ticket in Virginia, depending on the fine and your level of evidence. If the fine is high and you have evidence you didn’t speed, it could be worth fighting, especially if you enter a written plea (meaning you won’t have to appear in court), according to the Code of Virginia section 19.2-254.1.
How do I get a speeding ticket off my record in Virginia?
There is no way to get a speeding ticket off your record before it expires naturally after five to 11 years, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
Senior Writer & Editor
A seasoned journalist and content strategist with over 10 years of editorial experience in digital media, Aliza Vigderman has written and edited hundreds of articles on the site, covering everything from plan coverages to discounts to state laws. Previously, she was a senior editor and industry analyst at the home and digital security website Security.org, previously called Security Baron. She has also contributed to The Huffington Post, SquareFoot, and Degreed. Aliza studied journalism at Brandeis University.
Citations
Code of Virginia. LIS Virginia Law. (2024).
https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter8/section46.2-862/RULES OF SUPREME COURT OF VIRGINIA: PART THREE B: TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS AND UNIFORM FINE SCHEDULE. VaCourts.gov. (2017, Jul 1).
https://www.vacourts.gov/static/courts/scv/amendments_tracked/rule_3b_2_3c_2_interlineated.pdfSix Point Violations. Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. (2023).
https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/licenses-ids/improvement/points/points-6How to Pay Traffic Tickets and Other Offenses. Virginia’s Judicial System. (2023).
https://www.vacourts.gov/caseinfo/tickets.htmlGeneral District Court. Fairfax County Virginia. (2023).
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/generaldistrict/fines-options-program
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