Summary: Base speeding fines for 10 mph over run roughly $25 to $500 depending on the state, but the base fine is rarely the total: court costs, assessments, and surcharges often double it. California's $238 base fine becomes $350-plus with assessments; New York adds a mandatory $88-$93 surcharge; Georgia adds a $200 state super-speeder fee at 75+ on two-lane roads or 85+ anywhere. Fine schedules are set by statute and local court rule, so the county, not just the state, decides your number.
For 10 mph over the limit, representative base fines: California ~$238, New York $150-$300, Texas up to $200, Florida $25-$500 (scales with speed), Illinois $120-$1,000 (scales steeply), Ohio $150-$250, Georgia $25-$500, Arizona $250-$500, Washington $124-$250, North Carolina $25-$250.
The spread reflects different philosophies: some states set meaningful base fines, others set token fines and let assessments do the work. Either way, the driver pays; the label differs.
The base fine is the headline; assessments are the bill. California is the extreme: penalty assessments can add 170 percent-plus to the base fine, turning $238 into $350-plus. Washington, Arizona, and many others add court costs, trauma-care funds, and crime-victim assessments that add 50 to 150 percent.
Always ask for the total bail amount, not the base fine, when pricing a ticket. The total is what the court collects and what your decision math should use.
Fines scale with speed, and the scaling is non-linear. Illinois can reach $1,000 for high speeds; 25+ over can be charged as a misdemeanor there. Arizona makes 20+ over or 85+ anywhere criminal speeding, a misdemeanor with jail exposure. Virginia's famous reckless threshold (historically 80+ mph) shows how a 'ticket' can become a criminal case.
Crossing into criminal territory changes everything: possible jail, a criminal record, and license consequences far beyond a civil fine. If your speed is near a criminal threshold, get counsel before doing anything.
Georgia super-speeder: $200 state fee on top of the local fine for 75+ on two-lane roads or 85+ anywhere, with license suspension for non-payment. New York: mandatory state surcharge of $88-$93 plus the Driver Responsibility Assessment ($100/year for 3 years at 6 points). North Carolina: modest fines but the nation's steepest insurance consequences. Ohio mayor's courts: fine schedules vary by village court, so identical speeds cost different amounts ten miles apart.
These quirks are why state-level fine tables are starting points and county schedules are the answer.
School zones typically double fines (Florida doubles them by statute) and add points aggressively. Construction zones similarly enhance fines, often doubling, and some states add the enhancement whether or not workers are present. Both zones are enforcement priorities with little judicial sympathy.
If your ticket is in either zone, the enhancement usually removes traffic-school eligibility in some states and hardens the prosecutor's negotiating stance. Price the fight accordingly.
Your ticket shows the total bail in most states: that is your number. For planning, check the county court's fine schedule online (search '[county] traffic fine schedule'), which lists totals by violation code. The court's traffic division will also quote the total by phone.
Use the total, not the base fine, in the calculator above. The assessments are not optional, and they are where the sticker shock lives.
Roughly $25 to $500 in base fine depending on the state, but court assessments often double the total. California runs about $238 base ($350+ total); New York $150-$300 plus surcharge; Texas up to $200 plus court costs.
A $200 state fee added to the local fine for driving 75+ on a two-lane road or 85+ anywhere. Non-payment can suspend your license.
In many states yes: Florida doubles school-zone fines by statute, and most states enhance construction-zone fines similarly, often regardless of whether workers are present.
Search '[your county] traffic fine schedule' online, or call the court's traffic division. Your ticket's total bail figure is the authoritative number for your case.
← Back to the Traffic Ticket Calculator
Data current as of October 2026. Sources: state fine schedules and court assessment schedules (CA, NY, TX, FL, IL, OH, GA, NC, AZ, WA). Figures are representative; counties set local schedules. Legal information only, not legal advice.