How Long Does a Speeding Ticket Stay on My Driving Record?

From speeding tickets to car accidents, driving comes with its fair share of risks.

Even when you’ve paid the fines and the dust has settled, you might find that your insurance company has hit you with a price increase (also known as a surcharge) as a result of your violation. Talk about adding insult to injury.

If you care to research other insurance options, Insurify is a free and easy way to compare car insurance quotes from top providers in three minutes or less.

How Long Does a Speeding Ticket Stay on My Record?

As a general rule of thumb, a speeding violation will affect your premium for a chargeable period of three years. However, this is not a hard and fast rule. The chargeable period’s length depends on the insurance company, your state, and the severity of the violation.

Driving violations don’t always cause rate increases—perhaps it’s your first offense, or your insurance provider offers accident forgiveness—chances are your car insurance policy costs will increase after a moving violation.

Suppose you have recently received a traffic ticket or been convicted of a traffic violation. In that case, it could be worth it to compare quotes from other insurance providers—you still might be able to secure a cheaper premium. Though your current provider might care a lot about your recent violation, another provider might not.

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DUI, Parking Tickets, Reckless Driving: How Does a Ticket Affect My Driving Record?

For better or worse, the Department of Motor Vehicles maintains a permanent record of your driving history. However, insurance companies don’t use these violations against you after their chargeable period. The chargeable period is the length of time an insurance company will increase your price because of a violation, such as a speeding ticket.

Driver’s License Points System: How long do license points stay on my record? 

If you drive, you’ve probably heard about a driver’s license points system. Though both the DMV and insurance companies use point systems, they are different and separate. Insurance companies use their proprietary methods for assigning points while the DMV uses a clearly defined system. To make things even more confusing, DMV point systems vary from state to state.

For example, the number of points needed for a driver’s license suspension varies widely across the country. In California, a speeding ticket usually leads to one point against your license, while in New York, it can lead to anywhere from three to 11 points, depending on how fast over the speed limit you were driving.

The number of points warranting suspension also varies appropriately, though, so three points on your license in Michigan is not the same as three points on your license in Florida.

How Does My Driving Record Affect My Insurance Premium?

For most big insurance companies, chargeable violations that occurred within the past three years can lead to increased prices through surcharges. Though each company has its way of assigning points, they all consider the severity of each driving violation and how long ago it happened. Many companies will decrease the surcharge for every year you maintain a clean driving record after a violation. After three years, you shouldn’t see any surcharge at all.

However, if you apply for insurance at a new company, the carrier might look at violations older than three years when determining whether to accept your application. If you were convicted for reckless driving ten years ago, your current insurer wouldn’t be able to apply a surcharge because of that conviction—but a new company could use that as a reason to deny your application.

Many insurers look favorably upon policyholders who complete a defensive driving course after committing a moving violation or offense. Whether or not you have been legally compelled to retake classes at a traffic school or your local DMV, having that course on your record might even qualify you for insurance discounts in the future.

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Shopping for Car Insurance With a Traffic Ticket on Your Record

So, you were caught doing 80 in a 65 and got dinged with a speeding ticket…now what? Well, the premium on your current policy will probably increase. But, by shopping around and comparing quotes, you might be able to minimize the financial damage and find a cheaper rate. After all, not all car insurance companies treat violations the same way.

Using Insurify is a quick and easy way to get cheap car insurance quotes from top providers in three minutes or less. Though Insurify can’t promise a discount, you can be sure that you will gain peace of mind by comparing quotes between leading carriers, knowing you have the best rate possible.

Keep in mind that if you do switch, your new company will still apply a surcharge until the chargeable period ends. It should just be a smaller surcharge. It is also essential to know that you might struggle with finding new car insurance to begin with, depending on the severity of your driving infraction. Some companies could outright deny your application, while others might be more expensive than your existing policy since you will no longer qualify for a “good driver discount.”

If you recently got a traffic ticket, your car insurance rates will likely be more expensive for the next three years. But this is not a strict rule. If you want to know the exact amount of time your rates will be affected, contact your insurance provider directly.

If you’re optimistic about and intent on finding a better rate and comparing auto insurance quotes today, you can easily get started with Insurify.

Let the countdown begin!

Sabrina Perry

Sabrina Perry is a writer with experience in data journalism and a passion for translating complex topics into insightful and engaging stories. She has a degree in neuroscience from University of California, Santa Barbara and can often be found reading books about behavioral economics, decision-making, and personal finance.