How Much a Speeding Ticket in Washington State 
Costs and What You Can Do if You Get One

Key Highlights

• An ordinary officer-issued Washington speeding infraction currently carries a total penalty ranging from $114 to $432 under the statewide schedule and assessment formula.
• Washington Courts publishes base penalties, but mandatory assessments increase the amount normally shown on a citation.
• School-zone and emergency or work-zone speeding penalties are generally twice the ordinary penalty and may not be waived, reduced, or suspended.
• A traffic-infraction response is generally due within 30 days after personal service or 33 days after mailing; the instructions and deadline on the notice should be followed.
• Washington records qualifying moving violations rather than assigning conventional driver’s-license point totals.

Introduction

For an ordinary officer-issued speeding infraction in Washington, the current total penalty generally ranges from $114 to $432, depending on the posted speed limit and how far over the limit the driver was cited. A ticket for 10 mph over the limit, for example, is generally $135 when the posted limit is over 40 mph and $145 when the posted limit is 40 mph or less.

Those totals combine the base penalty in Washington’s statewide infraction schedule with mandatory statutory assessments. School-zone and emergency or work-zone penalties are treated differently and can be twice the ordinary penalty. Automated camera notices also follow separate rules.

The amount printed on the notice is the amount that applies to the individual citation. Court schedules and statutes can change, so drivers should check the notice and the current court rules before relying on any online fine table.

2026 Washington Speeding Ticket Fine Chart

Washington’s statewide schedule uses two tables: one for roads with a speed limit over 40 mph and another for roads with a speed limit of 40 mph or less. The official rule lists base penalties. The estimated total column below applies the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts’ current formula: the base penalty, public-safety and education assessments equal to 105% of the base rounded up to the next dollar, and $46 in fixed assessments.

Posted Speed Limit Over 40 MPH

Alleged speed over the limit	Official base penalty	Current total with statewide assessments
1-5 mph	$33	$114
6-10 mph	$43	$135
11-15 mph	$58	$165
16-20 mph	$73	$196
21-25 mph	$88	$227
26-30 mph	$108	$268
31-35 mph	$133	$319
36-40 mph	$158	$370
More than 40 mph	$188	$432

Posted Speed Limit 40 MPH or Less

Alleged speed over the limit	Official base penalty	Current total with statewide assessments
1-5 mph	$43	$135
6-10 mph	$48	$145
11-15 mph	$63	$176
16-20 mph	$83	$217
21-25 mph	$108	$268
26-30 mph	$133	$319
31-35 mph	$158	$370
More than 35 mph	$188	$432

Source note: Base penalties come from Washington’s current IRLJ 6.2 monetary penalty schedule. Total amounts are calculated under the Administrative Office of the Courts’ current assessment formula. Figures were reviewed in September 2026. The citation and court record control in an individual case.

Why the Total Is Higher Than the Base Penalty

The base amount in IRLJ 6.2 is not the full amount normally shown on a traffic citation. Washington adds statutory assessments to the base. Under the current court calculation, those additions include:

• Public-safety and education assessments totaling 105% of the base penalty, rounded up to the next whole dollar
• $5 for trauma care
• $24 as a legislative assessment
• $10 for auto-theft prevention
• $5 for traumatic brain injury programs
• $2 for driver-licensing technology support

This is why a $48 base penalty produces a $145 total. It also explains why fine tables that list only the base amount can substantially understate the amount due.

School-Zone Speeding Tickets

Under RCW 46.61.440, a speeding infraction within a properly established school or playground speed zone carries a monetary penalty equal to twice the ordinary penalty. The statute also says that this penalty may not be waived, reduced, or suspended.

School-zone camera notices can follow the separate automated-camera framework discussed below. Drivers should review the location, signage, active-zone conditions, recorded speed, and enforcement method instead of assuming every school-zone notice is governed in exactly the same way.

Emergency and Work-Zone Speeding Tickets

RCW 46.61.212 requires twice the ordinary monetary penalty for an infraction involving speed restrictions in an emergency or work zone. That doubled penalty may not be waived, reduced, or suspended.

The same statute separately addresses conduct that endangers or is likely to endanger an emergency or work-zone worker or property. That allegation can involve a criminal charge rather than an ordinary traffic infraction, making it important to read the exact statutory citation on the notice or complaint.

Speed Too Fast for Conditions

Washington law does more than prohibit driving over a posted limit. RCW 46.61.400 also requires a speed that is reasonable and prudent for existing conditions and hazards. A driver can therefore be cited for driving too fast for conditions even when the vehicle was at or below the posted limit.

The current base penalty for speed too fast for conditions is $48, producing a $145 total under the current assessment formula. If an accident occurs in conjunction with that infraction, IRLJ 6.2 lists a different base penalty.

What Are Your Options After a Washington Speeding Ticket?

A person who receives a Washington traffic infraction generally has several response options. The correct choice depends on whether the driver disputes the allegation, wants to explain mitigating circumstances, may qualify for a deferred finding, or wants legal counsel to review the evidence.

Pay the Ticket

Paying an officer-issued traffic infraction without contesting it results in a court finding that the infraction was committed. For an ordinary moving violation, the court reports the disposition to the Washington Department of Licensing. Paying may end the court dispute, but it does not necessarily eliminate driving-record, insurance, CDL, or employment consequences.

Request a Mitigation Hearing

A mitigation hearing is for a driver who does not contest that the infraction occurred but wants the court to consider the circumstances when deciding the penalty. A mitigation hearing is not the same as challenging whether the government can prove the infraction. Some penalties, including the doubled school-zone and emergency or work-zone penalties described above, may not be reduced by law.

Request a Contested Hearing

A contested hearing challenges the infraction. The government must prove the infraction by a preponderance of the evidence. Depending on the facts, review may involve the citation, the officer’s sworn report, speed-measuring-device evidence and certifications, location and signage, identification, filing requirements, and applicable court rules.

A Washington speeding ticket lawyer can evaluate which issues are relevant to a particular citation and advocate for an available resolution. No lawyer can guarantee dismissal or any other result.

Ask About a Deferred Finding

RCW 46.63.070 permits a court to defer a finding for up to one year and impose conditions. If the conditions are met and the driver is not found to have committed another traffic infraction during the deferral period, the court may dismiss the infraction.

A driver generally may not receive more than one deferral for a moving violation within seven years. A holder of a commercial driver’s license, or a person who was operating a commercial motor vehicle at the time, may not receive a deferral under this statute. Eligibility and procedure can also depend on the citation and court, so a driver should confirm the rules that apply before relying on deferral. Read more in Ticket Cutter’s guide to asking for a deferred finding.

How Long Do You Have to Respond?

For a traffic infraction, IRLJ 2.4 generally requires a response within 30 days after personal service or 33 days after the notice is mailed. RCW 46.63.070 likewise requires a response within 30 days of the date of the notice.

Follow the instructions and deadline printed on the citation. Failing to respond or failing to appear can lead the court to enter a committed finding, assess the monetary penalty, and notify the Department of Licensing. Ticket Cutter’s five-step guide to fighting a speeding ticket explains the process in more detail.

Does Washington Use a Driver’s-License Points System?

Washington does not assign conventional point totals to traffic violations. Instead, the state records qualifying moving violations and uses violation-based thresholds for certain licensing action.

Under RCW 46.20.2892, three or more moving-violation occasions within one year, or four or more within two years, can trigger a 60-day license suspension and a one-year probation period. Multiple infractions issued during or resulting from a single traffic stop count as one occasion for that statute.

The Department of Licensing says most convictions, bail forfeitures, and court findings that an infraction was committed remain on a Washington driving record for five years from the conviction or adjudication date. Learn more about how speeding tickets can appear on a Washington driving record.

Can a Speeding Ticket Raise Insurance Rates?

A committed speeding violation may affect insurance pricing or underwriting, but Washington law does not set a universal premium increase for a speeding ticket. The effect depends on the insurer, the driver’s history, the alleged speed, other violations or collisions, policy terms, and how long the insurer considers the event.

Because the insurance effect is individual, a fixed claim such as “one ticket raises rates by a certain percentage” is not reliable for every Washington driver. The insurer can explain how a particular policy may be affected.

What If the Driver Has a CDL?

Commercial drivers can face consequences beyond the dollar amount printed on the citation. A moving violation may affect a driving record, employer requirements, insurance, or commercial-driving privileges, depending on the offense, the vehicle being operated, and the driver’s history.

CDL holders are not eligible for a deferred finding under RCW 46.63.070. Before paying or selecting a hearing option, a commercial driver should consider obtaining advice focused on both the court case and possible licensing consequences.

Are Speed-Camera Tickets Treated the Same Way?

No. Under RCW 46.63.220, an automated traffic-safety-camera infraction is processed like a parking infraction and is not part of the registered owner’s driving record. The fine generally may not exceed $145, although the law permits a doubled amount for a school speed-zone or crash-prevention-zone camera infraction.

Camera notices are generally mailed to the registered owner and use a statutory presumption that can be rebutted in the manner allowed by law. A camera notice should not be confused with an officer-issued moving violation, even when both involve alleged speeding.

Is Speeding a Crime in Washington?

Ordinary speeding under RCW 46.61.400 is generally handled as a traffic infraction, not a standalone crime called “criminal speeding.” However, RCW 46.61.465 states that unlawful speed can be prima facie evidence of operating a vehicle in a reckless manner under the circumstances.

Reckless driving is a separate offense requiring willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. A charging decision and outcome depend on the complete facts, not a universal miles-per-hour threshold. Drivers facing a criminal citation or summons should review the exact charge rather than assume it is an ordinary speeding infraction.

Is Hiring a Lawyer Worth More Than the Ticket Amount?

The face amount is only one consideration. A driver may also care about the driving record, a pending suspension threshold, insurance, employment, a CDL, the ability to appear in court, or whether the evidence supports a defense.

Legal fees vary with the court, allegation, complexity, record, and work required. Ticket Cutter’s separate guide explains what can affect the cost of a speeding ticket lawyer. A consultation can help a driver compare the cost of representation with the consequences and options in the individual case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest ordinary speeding ticket in Washington?

Under the current statewide schedule and assessment formula, the lowest ordinary officer-issued speeding penalty is generally $114 for 1-5 mph over a posted limit above 40 mph. A local automated-camera notice follows separate rules.

How much is a ticket for 10 mph over in Washington?

At 6-10 mph over, the current total is generally $135 when the posted speed limit is over 40 mph and $145 when it is 40 mph or less. The amount printed on the citation controls.

Are Washington speeding fines based only on how fast I was going?

No. The schedule considers both the alleged number of miles per hour over the limit and whether the posted limit was above 40 mph or 40 mph and below. Special zones and automated enforcement can change the analysis.

Can a judge reduce a Washington speeding ticket?

In an ordinary case, the court may have authority to impose a lesser monetary penalty or consider another lawful resolution. That does not apply uniformly. School-zone and emergency or work-zone statutes say their doubled penalties may not be waived, reduced, or suspended.

Does a speeding ticket add points to a Washington license?

Washington does not use conventional point totals. It records qualifying moving violations and can impose licensing action based on the number of moving-violation occasions within specified periods.

Will a speed-camera notice go on my Washington driving record?

Under current RCW 46.63.220, an automated traffic-safety-camera infraction is not part of the registered owner’s driving record and is processed like a parking infraction.

Can a lawyer guarantee that a speeding ticket will be dismissed?

No. A lawyer can review the citation and evidence, identify available defenses, explain the court process, and advocate for dismissal, amendment, reduction, or another lawful result, but the outcome depends on the facts, law, court, and parties involved.

Talk With Ticket Cutter About a Washington Speeding Ticket

Received a speeding ticket in Washington State? We review the citation and available evidence, explain the response options, and fight for dismissal or reduction when supported by the facts and law. Call Ticket Cutter at (425) 264-2000.

This page provides general information, not legal advice. Traffic laws, court rules, assessments, and local procedures can change, and the correct response depends on the individual citation.