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If you’ve received a speeding ticket in New Jersey, you are far from alone. New Jersey is one of the most aggressive states when it comes to pursuing speeders, and you can get a ticket for going as little as 1 mph over the speed limit.
It’s normal to have some questions after getting a speeding ticket.
Find out how much a speeding ticket costs, how the point system works, and more. You’ll even discover what will happen if you were ticketed in New Jersey but live in another state.
Remember if you just want to pay your ticket check out the NJMCdirect.
Cost of NJ Speeding Ticket
If you get a speeding ticket in NJ, the costs can add up. Tickets include:
· Fines
· Court costs
· Points
· Surcharges
Fines range from $85 for driving up to 9 mph over the speed limit to $260 for going 35-39 mph over. You could have to pay more in fines if you were caught speeding in a school or construction zone.
If you challenge the ticket, you’ll also have to pay court costs. The court charges $34.
New Jersey will also add points to your license if you’re found guilty of speeding. You’ll receive:
· Two points for driving 1-14 mph over the speed limit
· Four points for driving 15-29 mph over the speed limit
· Five points for driving 30 mph or more over the speed limit
If you accrue six or more points over three years, you’ll need to pay a surcharge. The surcharge is $150 for six points. Then, you’ll pay an additional $25 for each point over six.
You cannot avoid the surcharge if you reach six points, even if you take a defensive driving class. Still, taking a defensive driving class can help you clean up your driver’s license.
How Long Does It Take to Get Points Off Your License in NJ?
Points don’t technically expire, and the MVC keeps a record of all the points you earn over your lifetime. That means if you receive five points today, the MVC will have a record of those points for the rest of your life.
Fortunately, that doesn’t mean that points actually stay on your record forever. You can have points automatically removed from your license.
Do Points Automatically Come Off the Licensee?
If you want to remove points from your license without taking a defensive driving course, safe driving is the key. The state will remove three points from your license after you go a year without any driving violations.
Let’s say that you get five points on May 20, 2021. The state will deduct three points on May 20, 2022. Then, the remaining points will drop off your license on May 20, 2023.
How Do Points Affect Insurance in NJ?
Your auto insurance company checks the points on your license to determine your risk. The more points you have, the riskier the company will view you. That means you’ll end up paying more for automobile insurance.
Rate increases vary by insurance company, but you can expect to pay around $100-$600 extra for each point you incurred. That means if you get five points on your driver’s license, your premiums might increase by $500-$3,000.
While you can take a defensive driving class to reduce your point total, it probably won’t lower your insurance rates. Instead, the insurance company will reassess your point total a year later. If you haven’t gotten any additional tickets, your rates will go down.
Does New Jersey Report Speeding Tickets to Other States?
If you are from another state but got a speeding ticket in New Jersey, it will follow you back home. New Jersey is part of the Driver License Compact (DLC). All states that are part of the DLC agree to share information.
There are five exceptions to this. New Jersey will not report your traffic ticket if you live in Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Tennessee, or Wisconsin. These states aren’t part of the DLC.
Get Help With Your Speeding Ticket
From hefty fines to points, speeding tickets include lots of penalties. You might have a legal defense against the ticket. If not, it still might be possible to plead down the charges.
Consult with an attorney before pleading guilty to your NJ speeding ticket. That way, you might be able to avoid some of the serious consequences.