If you are caught speeding in Washington State, you may pay a hefty fine. The fines associated with speeding, when the posted speed limit is 40 mph or lower are:
- 1-5 mph over–$125
- 6-10 mph over–$136
- 11-15 mph over–$166
- 16-20 mph over–$207
- 21-25 mph over–$259
- 26-30 mph over–$310
- 31-35 mph over–$361
- 35 mph or more over–$423
If the posted speed limit is higher than 40 mph, the fines associated with speeding include:
- 1-5 mph over–$105
- 6-10 mph over-$125
- 11-15 mph over–$156
- 16-20 mph over–$187
- 21-25 mph over–$218
- 26-30 mph over–$259
- 31-35 mph over–$310
- 36-40 mph over–$361
- 40 mph or more over–$423
The amounts above include the statutory assessments that are added to every Washington infraction, so the base penalty set by court rule is substantially lower than the total you actually pay. Speeding in a school zone or a construction zone brings higher fines still. Should you choose to pay the ticket, which is rarely a good idea, that payment is an admission. By paying a speeding ticket, you are effectively pleading you committed the ticket infraction, therefore, it will be reported to the Department of Licensing, giving your insurance company access to the information. This means your insurance rates are likely to rise, sometimes dramatically.
Speeding in a School Zone
If you receive a speeding ticket in a school zone, it can be particularly serious, requiring an aggressive defense from Pierce County traffic ticket lawyers who understand the technicalities involved in each and every traffic stop. Most people who defend themselves against a WA school zone ticket are unsuccessful. Accidentally speeding in a school zone is not a defense, as there is no intent requirement under the law. Further, a judge is unable to reduce the penalties for speeding in a school zone, therefore a solid understanding of the law is essential toward establishing a sound defense.
Contesting a Ticket and Losing Costs You Nothing Extra
Most drivers assume that fighting a ticket and losing is worse than simply paying it. In Washington, that is not how infractions work. Under RCW 46.63.151, each side pays its own costs, and no court costs or attorney fees may be awarded to either party in a traffic infraction case. If you contest a ticket and the court finds that you committed the violation, you owe the same penalty you would have owed on the first day.
That changes the math. The real question is not whether contesting is risky. It is whether the likely outcome is worth your time, or worth hiring someone to appear for you.
One exception is worth knowing. A deferral is not free. When a court grants a deferred finding under RCW 46.63.070, it can assess administrative costs, and in some courts that fee approaches or exceeds the original ticket. What you are buying is a clean record rather than a smaller bill.
Why You Should Not Simply Pay a Washington Speeding Ticket
The majority of drivers tend to look at a speeding ticket as little more than an annoyance. Because of that, few people go to court to challenge a speeding ticket, preferring to drop a check in the mail and forget about the entire incident. What drivers may not realize is that the moment you drop that check in the mailbox, you may have just set yourself up for a host of additional problems. While the state of Washington does not have a point system like some states, it does keep track of all moving violations, including speeding.
If you are ticketed for numerous moving violations within 12 months, the Washington Department of Licensing will suspend your driver’s license. Each subsequent violation carries additional and harsher penalties, such as license suspension or revocation. If your license is suspended or revoked, you will be unable to drive until all requirements have been satisfied. If you hold a CDL, you are required to notify your employer within 30 days of receiving the violation, or if provided in your employment contract sooner.
How Many Speeding Tickets Before Your License Is Suspended in Washington?
Washington does not use demerit points. The Department of Licensing counts violations instead, and the threshold is lower than most drivers expect.
Under RCW 46.20.2892, you face a 60-day suspension if you are found to have committed moving violations on three or more occasions within 12 months, or four or more occasions within 24 months. After the suspension you serve a year of probation, and any new moving violation during that year adds another 30 days of suspension on top.
Two details matter here. First, the statute counts occasions, not tickets. If a single traffic stop produces three citations, that counts as one occasion. Second, only violations you are found to have committed count at all. A ticket that is dismissed never counts, and a ticket that is deferred and then dismissed at the end of the deferral period does not count either. That is why the way you handle your first ticket affects how much room you have on your second and third. Drivers under 25 face a second set of rules starting in 2027, with a lower threshold than the one above. See how the new driver license rules work.
There is also a newer way out. Since April 1, 2026, completing a Department of Licensing approved safe driving course can terminate an accumulation suspension, and if the Department receives your completion record before the suspension takes effect, it may never begin at all. You can use this option once every five years, and the probation period still applies.
Does a Speeding Ticket Add Points to Your Record in Washington?
No. There are no points to add. What goes on your record is the violation itself, which stays on your Washington driving abstract for five years from the date the court decides your case. Insurance companies can see the last three years of that record.
This is where the "no points" answer becomes misleading if you stop there. The state does not score your record, but your insurance company does. Carriers apply their own internal rating systems to the violations they see, which is why the same speeding ticket can raise one driver's premium by roughly 10 percent and another's by 30 percent depending on the insurer. No state point system means the translation from your record to your rate is left entirely to the carrier.
For the full rule and the exceptions that come with it, see does Washington have a points system.
Camera Tickets Are a Different Animal
If your ticket arrived in the mail from a speed camera or a red light camera, the rules are not the same. Washington rewrote its automated enforcement law in 2024, and under RCW 46.63.220 a camera infraction is processed much like a parking ticket. It is issued to the registered owner rather than the driver, the penalty is capped, and most importantly it is not part of your driving record. It does not reach your insurance company and it does not count toward a suspension.
There are two practical consequences. A camera ticket is usually not worth paying an attorney to fight, because the record you would be protecting is not at risk. And if you were not the driver, you can respond with a sworn statement identifying who was, or a report that the vehicle was stolen. Drivers who receive public assistance may also qualify for a reduced penalty.
An officer-issued ticket is the opposite situation. That one reaches your record, your insurance, and your suspension count, which is where a defense actually earns its cost.
Habitual Traffic Offender Status
If you continue to rack up moving violations, you could find yourself labeled a habitual traffic offender, a designation that can have a major impact on your life in the form of having your driving privileges revoked for 7 years. If you accumulate three major moving offenses within a five-year period, or twenty moving infractions within a five-year period, you could find yourself unable to drive for seven years. Major traffic offenses include reckless driving, DUI, driving with a suspended license, vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, hit and run, or eluding a police officer. Moving infractions include speeding, running a stop light or stop sign, failure to yield, following too closely, and many more infractions. Seat belt violations are not moving violations and do not count toward this total.
The five-year period is calculated on the violation date rather than the conviction date. If you are looking at a criminal offense, it could take years for a court resolution, however only the date of arrest matters. Once you have been designated a habitual traffic offender, you will need the services of a good lawyer to keep you driving. Because of this, it is extremely important that you contact an experienced Washington traffic ticket attorney like us, long before you are in HTO status, or when you become a habitual traffic offender.
Depending on your driving history and the circumstances surrounding your ticket, as well as the ticket itself, the court could allow you to complete traffic school or take a defensive driving course. While this will not dismiss your ticket, it could be beneficial as your traffic ticket could be deferred, therefore, would not go on your driving record. In other words, the court will avoid reporting the ticket to the DOL, so it is not on your driving record, and not on your insurance. You will be required not to receive additional tickets during your deferral period, or the ticket will go on your record (you are allowed one deferral for a moving violation every seven years, and separately one for a non-moving violation, and CDL holders are not eligible at all). Some insurance companies also offer a safe driver discount for those completing traffic school.
In the end, while it may feel as though it would be simpler to pay your speeding ticket, this is rarely the case. There are so many unintended consequences of simply paying a speeding ticket, most of which you may not see for months, or even years. A much better choice is to speak to a traffic ticket lawyer from The Law Offices of Barbara Bowden to discuss the facts of your speeding ticket, as well as your options.
We will work hard on your behalf to ensure you suffer as few negative consequences as possible as a result of your speeding ticket. Do not try to handle the situation on your own. Contact The Law Offices of Barbara Bowden today.
The Fine Is Not Always the Biggest Cost
The amount printed on a speeding ticket is only part of the risk. A speeding ticket may affect insurance, driving history, employment, CDL status, or Habitual Traffic Offender risk depending on your record.
Before paying, compare whether deferral, contesting the ticket, or another strategy makes more sense.