How much is a North Carolina speeding ticket?

If you receive a speeding ticket in North Carolina, your first instinct may be to simply pay it. After all, how much could a speeding ticket in North Carolina possibly cost you?

Unfortunately, the true cost of a speeding ticket is quite high. Nerd Wallet provides the upfront cost of a North Carolina speeding ticket followed by an in-depth analysis of the cost after paying fines, court fees and increased insurance premiums.

The upfront cost of an NC speeding ticket

According to Nerd Wallet, the average cost of a speeding ticket in the Tar Heel State is $50. However, this cost can go lower or much higher. For example, a ticket for speeding in a work or school zone can be as high as $250. The fees associated with a speeding ticket are generally between $10 and $50.

Courts costs associated with speeding

In addition to paying the ticket cost itself and related fines, you will have to pay any court costs associated with the ticket. You will have to pay court costs even if you choose not to fight the violation, as the courts must hold a hearing for you regardless. The average cost of traffic-related hearings is $190.

Anticipated insurance hikes following a speeding ticket

The one-time costs of a speeding ticket are substantial, but they are nothing compared to what you will pay in increased insurance premiums in the one to three years following the date of your citation. Though the size of the rate hike you will experience after a speeding violation depends largely on your driving history and your company’s policies, most drivers can expect a hike of between 30% to 80%. Depending on the speed for which the officer cited you and the location of your violation, your rates can jump as much as 260%.

To give you an idea of how much an insurance hike may cost you, Nerd Wallet calculated the cost of premiums after receiving a 45% increase to your premiums. If you have full coverage, a three-year rate hike would cost you an additional $1,476. If you have minimum coverage, a three-year increase could cost you $576.

The bottom line is that a North Carolina speeding ticket will cost you much more than the initial $50 to $250. To avoid the additional costs of a speeding violation, including rate hikes, take steps to fight the ticket right away.