How much is a speeding ticket in Indiana?
up to $175cap only
15 mph over the limit, first offense, admitted before the appearance date (the standard mail/online resolution) — the full arithmetic is on this page.
Indiana law only CAPS the fine — Any speed over the limit (statutory or posted): up to $175 — and the amount you actually pay is set by the court handling the ticket, with local costs and add-ons attaching on top. This page shows the statutory ceilings, what is uniform statewide, and exactly where the local court takes over. For 15 mph over the limit, the all-in figure is up to $175. What raises it: worksite speed zone; school zone (limits established under ic 9-21-5-6(d)/(f)). Points: BMV points for speeding: 2 points (1–15 mph over), 4 points (16–25 over), 6 points (26+ over). Points stay active on the record for two years from the conviction date. Every row on this page carries its citation — 8 primary sources (statute text, court fine schedules, DMV publications), each with a retrieval date, plus the local-variation caveat that applies in Indiana. This is a reference to what the law and the schedules print; it is not legal advice.
How Indiana sets it Indiana speeding is a Class C infraction with a $500 statutory judgment ceiling — but a second statute quietly does most of the work: for moving violations, a driver who admits the violation (or is a first offender in that county in five years) cannot be ordered to pay a judgment above $35.50. What actually makes an Indiana ticket cost real money is court costs, and those ARE uniform statewide: $139.50 for a moving traffic infraction, itemized fee by fee in the court system's own manual.
The fine, tier by tier
| Speed over the limit | Base fine | What you actually owe | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any speed over the limit (statutory or posted) | up to $500 cap only | up to $175 cap only | IC 9-21-5-2(b); IC 34-28-5-4(c), (f); Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual Indiana's speed statute has no mph tiers — the layers are in who is paying: admit (or plead nolo contendere) before or on the appearance date, or lose a first contested case with no prior moving violation in that county in 5 years, and the judgment is capped at $35.50 — so the all-in ceiling is $175 with the uniform $139.50 costs. One prior moving violation in 5 years raises the contested-judgment cap to $250.50 (all-in $390); two or more priors allow the full $500 Class C ceiling (all-in $639.50). The mph mostly moves the POINTS (2 / 4 / 6) — and 26+ over can also draw a court-ordered driver safety program. |
- 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
These attach on top of whatever fine the court sets:
| Add-on | How it is computed | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Infraction or ordinance violation costs fee | $70 flat | IC 33-37-4-2; Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
| Automated record keeping fee | $20 flat | IC 33-37-5-21; Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
| Judicial salaries fee | $20 flat | IC 33-37-5-26; Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
| Jury fee | $6 flat | IC 33-37-5-19; Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
| Document storage fee | $5 flat | IC 33-37-5-20; Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
| Public defense administration fee | $5 flat | IC 33-37-5-21.2; Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
| Court administration fee | $5 flat | IC 33-37-5-27; Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
| Law enforcement continuing education fee | $4 flat | IC 33-37-5-8(c); Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
| DNA sample processing fee | $3 flat | IC 33-37-5-26.2; Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
| Judicial insurance adjustment fee | $1 flat | IC 33-37-5-25; Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
| Highway worksite zone fee | $0.50 on traffic offenses; rises to $25.50 if the violation is exceeding a worksite speed limit or failure to merge | IC 33-37-5-14; Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3 |
Worked example: 15 mph over the limit, first offense, admitted before the appearance date (the standard mail/online resolution)
| Line | Amount | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Infraction judgment — statutory cap for admitting a moving violation (or a first offense in the county in 5 years) | $36 | IC 34-28-5-4(f) |
| Statewide court costs — ten itemized statutory fees ($70 + $20 + $20 + $6 + $5 + $5 + $5 + $4 + $3 + $1) | $139 | Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §3; IC 33-37-4-2, 33-37-5 |
| Highway worksite zone fee (attaches to traffic offenses) | $1 | IC 33-37-5-14 |
| Where it lands | up to $175 cap only |
The $35.50 is a ceiling on the judgment, not a fixed amount — the honest statewide statement is 'no more than $175 all-in' for an admitted first-offense speeding ticket, because the costs component ($139.50) is uniform statewide while the judgment is whatever the court enters up to the cap. Contesting and losing with priors raises the judgment cap: $250.50 with one prior moving violation in that county in 5 years, $500 (the Class C ceiling) with two or more — always plus the same costs. Where a county offers a deferral program, that path runs on its own user-fee schedule (the manual illustrates $192 total for a moving traffic offense over 6 months) and varies by county.
What raises it
- Worksite speed zone. A separate offense with mandatory minimum fines the ordinary caps do not touch: Class B infraction with a fine of at least $300 (first), at least $500 (one prior in 3 years), $1,000 (two or more priors in 3 years). A second worksite-speed infraction within one year lets the sentencing court additionally order a driving-privilege suspension; once ordered, the BMV suspension is a fixed 60-day term that begins 5 business days after the BMV mails notice. The court-costs worksite fee also rises from $0.50 to $25.50. (IC 9-21-5-11(d), (f); IC 9-30-13-9; IC 33-37-5-14)
- School zone (limits established under IC 9-21-5-6(d)/(f)). Exceeding a school-zone speed limit is a Class B infraction — judgment ceiling $1,000 instead of $500, and the $35.50 moving-violation cap does not apply (it covers only Class C moving violations). (IC 9-21-5-6(h); IC 34-28-5-4(b), (f))
License points
BMV points for speeding: 2 points (1–15 mph over), 4 points (16–25 over), 6 points (26+ over). Points stay active on the record for two years from the conviction date.
| Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| 1–15 mph over | 2 |
| 16–25 mph over | 4 |
| 26+ mph over | 6 |
The BMV may require a driver convicted of two or more traffic offenses within 12 months to complete a Driver Safety Program; failing to complete it within 90 days of the mailed notice suspends driving privileges until it is completed. A BMV-approved DSP earns a 4-point credit (one credit per 3 years). Repeat major offenses over 10 years feed the separate Habitual Traffic Violator suspensions. (Indiana BMV Driver's Manual, ch. 5)
When a court appearance is required
Not required to resolve the ticket: mailing or delivering an admission of the violation (or a plea of nolo contendere) before the appearance date closes the case at the capped amounts. Contesting means a court proceeding on the appearance date specified in the summons; Class B charges (school-zone, worksite) and repeat-offender judgment ceilings live on that track. (IC 34-28-5-4(f)(1)–(3))
Local variation — the honest caveat
The judgment within the caps is set case-by-case by the court; the costs are uniform statewide. County-level edges: Marion County courts must impose a judgment of at least $35 (making a Marion County ticket effectively a $35–$35.50 judgment plus costs); many county prosecutors run deferral programs with their own user fees (illustrated at about $192 total for a moving offense); and a $28 sheriff's service-of-process fee attaches only where service by the sheriff is requested. (IC 34-28-5-4(h); IC 34-28-5-1(f); Ind. Trial Court Fee Manual §§3–4)
- Indiana Code read from the official 2025 code published at iga.in.gov (Titles 9 and 34, current through the 2025 session); fee amounts from the Indiana Trial Court Fee Manual (current through the 2025 legislative session) and the State Board of Accounts costs-by-case-type schedule (July 1, 2024).
- The $139.50 costs figure assumes the standard ten statutory fees plus the 50-cent highway worksite fee on traffic offenses; judge-discretionary additions exist (alcohol/drug services program fee where a county has a program, a $25 late-payment fee under local rule).
- Older references to Indiana traffic court costs of '$185.50' or '$189.50' reflect superseded fee schedules; the current manual's infraction total is $139.00 plus the applicable worksite fee.
- Reckless driving (IC 9-21-8-52) is a separate criminal offense defined by conduct, not by a fixed mph threshold, and is not part of this table.
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.
- IC 34-28-5-4 — Infraction judgments; special provisions for moving violations (Indiana Code 2025, official, iga.in.gov)
retrieved 2026-07-17 · Indiana Code 2025
https://iga.in.gov/ic/2025/Title_34.html - IC 9-21-5-1 and 9-21-5-2 — Speed limits; violations as Class C infractions (Indiana Code 2025, official, iga.in.gov)
retrieved 2026-07-17 · Indiana Code 2025
https://iga.in.gov/ic/2025/Title_9.html - IC 9-21-5-11 — Worksite speed limits; violation; penalties (Indiana Code 2025, official, iga.in.gov)
retrieved 2026-07-17 · Indiana Code 2025
https://iga.in.gov/ic/2025/Title_9.html - IC 9-21-5-6 — Speed limits altered by local authority; school zones (Indiana Code 2025, official, iga.in.gov)
retrieved 2026-07-17 · Indiana Code 2025
https://iga.in.gov/ic/2025/Title_9.html - Indiana Trial Court Fee Manual (Indiana Office of Court Services, current through 2025 Legislative Session)
retrieved 2026-07-17 · Current through 2025 Legislative Session
https://www.in.gov/courts/iocs/files/courtmgmt-pubs-trial-court-fee-manual.pdf - Indiana State Board of Accounts — Court Costs and Fees by Case Type (July 1, 2024)
retrieved 2026-07-17 · July 1, 2024
https://www.in.gov/sboa/files/2024-Court-Costs-and-Fees-by-Case-Type_v2.pdf - IC 9-30-13-9 — Worksite speed limit violation; suspension of driving privileges (Indiana Code 2025, official, iga.in.gov)
retrieved 2026-07-17 · Indiana Code 2025
https://iga.in.gov/ic/2025/Title_9.html - Indiana BMV Driver's Manual, Chapter 5 — Points, Suspension, and Insurance Requirements (official BMV publication)
retrieved 2026-07-17
https://www.in.gov/bmv/licenses-permits-ids/files/Drivers_Manual_Chapter_5.pdf
This is not legal advice This page republishes what Indiana'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.