How much is a speeding ticket in California?
$274state-set
15 mph over the limit, first offense, no enhancement zones — the full arithmetic is on this page.
California runs a statewide schedule, so the number printed is the number you pay anywhere in the state — 1–15 mph over: $274 · 16–25 mph over: $438 · 26 mph and more over: $567. Those totals already include every mandatory assessment and surcharge, and this page itemizes each one with its statute. For 15 mph over the limit, the all-in figure is $274. What raises it: highway construction or maintenance zone (workers present); safety-enhancement double-fine zones; driving over 100 mph. Points: Ordinary speeding adds 1 DMV point; driving over 100 mph adds 2. Every row on this page carries its citation — 3 primary sources (statute text, court fine schedules, DMV publications), each with a retrieval date, plus the local-variation caveat that applies in California. This is a reference to what the law and the schedules print; it is not legal advice.
How California sets it California is the rare state where the advertised number is close to the real one: the Judicial Council adopts a statewide Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule every year, and its 'Total Bail' column already includes every mandatory penalty assessment, surcharge, and fee stacked on the base fine. The base fine for speeding 1–15 mph over is $45 — but the schedule's own math turns that into $274 owed.
The fine, tier by tier
| Speed over the limit | Base fine | What you actually owe | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–15 mph over the limit | $45 state-set | $274 state-set | Cal. Veh. Code §§22349–22350; Judicial Council UBPS 2026 (Speed Chart, for all speed limits) |
| 16–25 mph over the limit | $85 state-set | $438 state-set | Cal. Veh. Code §§22349–22350; Judicial Council UBPS 2026 (Speed Chart, for all speed limits) |
| 26 mph and more over the limit | $120 state-set | $567 state-set | Cal. Veh. Code §§22349–22350; Judicial Council UBPS 2026 (Speed Chart, for all speed limits) Below the 100 mph threshold — driving over 100 mph is charged under Veh. Code §22348(b) with its own, much higher amounts (next row). |
| Over 100 mph (any limit) | $240 state-set | $1,059 state-set | Cal. Veh. Code §22348(b); Judicial Council UBPS 2026 (Traffic Infraction Fixed Penalty Schedule) Charged by absolute speed, not mph-over. The statute caps the first-offense base fine at $500 (the schedule sets $240) and authorizes a license suspension of up to 30 days; the court can also require a personal appearance. Carries 2 DMV points instead of 1. |
- state-set state law or a statewide schedule fixes this number.
- cap only the statute sets a ceiling; the court picks the amount within it.
- court-set no statewide number exists — the local court’s schedule decides.
The mandatory add-ons
Already inside the totals above — this is the arithmetic that turns the base fine into the payment:
| Add-on | How it is computed | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| State penalty assessment | $10 per $10 (or part) of base fine | Cal. Penal Code §1464 |
| County penalty assessment | up to $7 per $10 (or part) of base fine — the statewide schedule computes at the $7 maximum | Cal. Gov. Code §76000(e) |
| DNA Identification Fund penalties | $5 per $10 (or part) of base fine (state + county combined) | Cal. Gov. Code §§76104.6, 76104.7 |
| Court facilities construction penalty | $5 per $10 (or part) of base fine | Cal. Gov. Code §70372(a) |
| State surcharge | 20% of the base fine | Cal. Penal Code §1465.7 |
| Emergency medical services penalty | up to $2 per $10 (or part) of base fine — the statewide schedule computes at the $2 maximum | Cal. Gov. Code §76000.5 |
| Court operations assessment | $40 flat per conviction | Cal. Penal Code §1465.8 |
| Conviction assessment | $35 flat per conviction | Cal. Gov. Code §70373 |
Worked example: 15 mph over the limit, first offense, no enhancement zones
| Line | Amount | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Base fine (UBPS Speed Chart, 1–15 over) | $45 | Judicial Council UBPS 2026 |
| State penalty assessment — $10 × 5 units of $10 | $50 | Penal Code §1464 |
| County penalty assessment — $7 × 5 units | $35 | Gov. Code §76000(e) |
| DNA Identification Fund — $5 × 5 units | $25 | Gov. Code §§76104.6, 76104.7 |
| Court construction penalty — $5 × 5 units | $25 | Gov. Code §70372(a) |
| State surcharge — 20% of $45 | $9 | Penal Code §1465.7 |
| Emergency medical services penalty — $2 × 5 units | $10 | Gov. Code §76000.5 |
| Court operations assessment (flat) | $40 | Penal Code §1465.8 |
| Conviction assessment (flat) | $35 | Gov. Code §70373 |
| Total | $274 state-set | lines sum to $274 |
The $45 'fine' becomes $274 owed: the penalty assessments are computed per $10 of base fine (5 units for a $45 base), the surcharge is 20% of the base, and two flat assessments attach to every conviction. This is the Judicial Council's own statewide arithmetic — the schedule prints $274 as the Total Bail.
What raises it
- Highway construction or maintenance zone (workers present). The schedule jumps one category: totals become $438 (1–15 over), $608 (16–25), $766 (26+). (Cal. Veh. Code §42009; UBPS 2026 enhanced speed chart)
- Safety-enhancement double-fine zones. For infractions — which speeding is — the base fine is bumped one category higher, the identical mechanism to a construction zone; only misdemeanors get a literal doubling despite the zone's name (UBPS 2026 preface: 'the base fine ... shall be double in the case of misdemeanors and in the case of infractions shall be one category higher'). Assessments are computed on the base fine BEFORE that enhancement, not after (Veh. Code §42010(d)(2)). Totals: $322 (1–15 over), $521 (16–25), $650 (26+). (Cal. Veh. Code §42010; Sts. & Hwy. Code §97; UBPS 2026 enhanced speed chart)
- Driving over 100 mph. Separate offense with a $1,059 scheduled total, 2 DMV points, and discretionary license suspension up to 30 days on a first offense. (Cal. Veh. Code §22348(b); UBPS 2026)
License points
Ordinary speeding adds 1 DMV point; driving over 100 mph adds 2.
| Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| Speeding (Veh. Code §§22349–22350 and related) | 1 |
| Over 100 mph (§22348(b)) | 2 |
The DMV presumes a driver a negligent operator — which triggers probation/suspension proceedings — at 4 or more points in 12 months, 6 in 24 months, or 8 in 36 months. (Cal. Veh. Code §12810.5; dmv.ca.gov negligence guidance)
When a court appearance is required
Courts may require a mandatory appearance where a statutory license restriction, suspension, or revocation is authorized — which includes the over-100-mph offense. Ordinary speeding tickets are payable without appearing. (UBPS 2026 preface; Cal. Veh. Code §22348(b))
Local variation — the honest caveat
The schedule is statewide, but 30 named counties — including Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Clara, and Fresno — are statutorily authorized to EXCEED the uniform Total Bail amounts, and per-county editions of the schedule exist. Treat the statewide totals as the floor of what that county may charge. (Cal. Penal Code §1463.28; UBPS 2026 preface §IV.C)
- Totals are first-offense amounts from the 2026 schedule (effective 2026-01-01); the Judicial Council re-adopts the schedule annually.
- Traffic violator school, when a court allows it, involves a fee computed from the Total Bail (less the §1465.7 surcharge) plus an administrative fee — amounts vary by court and are not tabulated here.
- A $1 night-court assessment applies in some counties and is not included in the statewide totals.
Sources
Every figure above was compiled from these sources, with a verbatim quote of the sentence carrying each number stored in the dataset so any row can be re-checked against its origin.
- Judicial Council of California, Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules (2026 edition)
retrieved 2026-07-17 · 2026 edition · effective 2026-01-01
https://www.yolo.courts.ca.gov/sites/default/files/yolo/default/2026-04/UBPS_2026.pdf - Cal. Veh. Code §22348 (official text, leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
retrieved 2026-07-17
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=22348 - California DMV — Driver negligence (negligent operator treatment)
retrieved 2026-07-17
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-education-and-safety/dmv-safety-guidelines-actions/negligence/
This is not legal advice This page republishes what California's statutes, court fine schedules, and driver-licensing publications print, for reference. Amounts change on legislative cycles, and the court named on a citation is the authority on what is owed in that court. Nothing here is advice about any citation or case.