Traffic Ticket Cost Calculator — All
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Traffic fines have two layers: the base fine (set by statute or local ordinance) and court fees and surcharges added on top. California is an extreme example — a $100 base fine becomes $490 after state penalty assessments, court construction fees, and DNA identification fees. In Texas, a $200 speeding ticket can run $304 after court costs. New York adds a Driver Responsibility Assessment on top of the fine for certain violations. Always look for the 'total bail' or 'total fine amount due' on your ticket — the base fine printed on the citation is rarely the final number.

In most states, completing a state-approved defensive driving course can either dismiss a ticket entirely or mask points from your insurance record. California allows one ticket dismissal per 18 months through traffic school (if the violation is eligible). Texas allows online defensive driving for eligible citations. New York's Point and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP) reduces your DMV record by 4 points and can qualify you for an insurance discount. The key distinction: traffic school generally doesn't remove the ticket from your DMV record (it's still there for courts and police) — it prevents points from affecting your insurance.

Most moving violations stay on your DMV driving record for 3–5 years. California keeps violations for 3 years (minor) and 7 years (major, like DUI). New York keeps convictions on your license for 4 years. DUI/DWI convictions typically stay for 7–10 years for insurance purposes — California keeps them 10 years; some states keep them permanently. Insurance companies typically look back 3–5 years when calculating rates. Even after a ticket falls off your DMV record, it may remain in commercial databases used by some insurers for longer.

Hiring a traffic attorney (typically $150–$400 for a single ticket) is worth considering when: facing license suspension due to point accumulation, holding a commercial driver's license (CDL) where a single conviction has major consequences, the ticket is in a school zone or construction zone (doubled fines), or you're facing 4+ points on one ticket. For a standard speeding ticket with no prior violations, the math often doesn't favor an attorney unless you can negotiate a non-moving violation (like a parking ticket) that keeps the conviction off your record — a common outcome in states like Ohio and Texas where 'ticket amendment' is standard practice.

A fix-it ticket (also called an 'equipment violation' or 'correctable violation') is issued for vehicle equipment defects — expired registration, broken tail light, missing front license plate. These can typically be 'fixed' by correcting the problem and having a police officer or court official sign off on proof of correction (Form TR-303 in California, for example). The fine is often reduced to a small administrative fee ($25) or dismissed entirely once correction is verified. A moving violation (speeding, running a red light, failure to yield) cannot be fixed — it goes on your driving record and affects your insurance.