Texas Speeding Tickets: What It Costs and How to Dismiss It
What you'll actually pay (in points, fines, and insurance), plus the dismissal path most drivers don't realize they have.
Free eligibility check · 10 modules · ~6 hours
A Texas speeding ticket carries a fine, court costs, two points on your record, and — for most drivers — an insurance surcharge at renewal. For citations under 25 mph over the limit, defensive driving is the standard way to make all of that go away.
The cost of doing nothing
Two points stay on your Texas driving record for three years.
Insurance surcharges from a single speeding ticket commonly run $100–$300 per year.
Three moving violations in 12 months can trigger a license suspension.
The full cost of a Texas speeding ticket
The fine on the citation is the smallest part of what a Texas speeding ticket costs. Add three years of insurance surcharges and the cumulative risk of stacking multiple violations, and a typical speeding citation runs $500–$1,250 over its full life.
- Fine + court costs: typically $200–$350 for non-school-zone, under-25-over speeding.
- Insurance surcharge Year 1: $100–$300 added to your premium at renewal.
- Insurance surcharge Year 2: $100–$300 (slightly less as the violation ages).
- Insurance surcharge Year 3: $50–$200 (typically tapers).
- Three-year total: $500–$1,250.
Suspension threshold
Texas can suspend your license for accumulating 4 or more moving-violation convictions in 12 months, or 7 in 24 months. Multiple speeding tickets stack toward this limit.
Eligibility for dismissal — the bright lines
Most speeding tickets qualify for defensive driving dismissal, but Texas statute draws a few hard lines. Knowing them before you act protects your options.
- Cited speed less than 25 mph over the limit → eligible.
- Cited speed 25 mph or more over → NOT eligible by statute.
- Construction zone with workers present → NOT eligible.
- School-zone speeding → usually eligible, but court reviews more carefully.
- Racing → NOT eligible (separate excluded category).
- CDL holder → NOT eligible, even when driving a personal vehicle.
Two paths forward
- 1
Pay the ticket
5-minute online payment. Locks in conviction. Costs $500–$1,250 over three years between fine and surcharges. Your driving record carries the violation for 3 years.
- 2
Defensive driving dismissal
Request from court before appearance date, complete TDLR-approved 6-hour course, submit certificate. Total cost ≈ $35. No conviction, no surcharge, no record entry.
60 seconds · No card required
Important disclaimer
DefensiveDrivingPlus is an online course platform. Ticket dismissal eligibility and court acceptance depend on your court, violation, and state requirements. Always confirm provider approval with the court that issued your citation before enrolling.
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Always confirm with your specific Texas court that the issuing provider is approved before enrolling in any defensive driving course.