How much is a speeding ticket in North Dakota?
$45state-set
15 mph over the limit, first offense, road posted 65 mph or less, admit-and-pay disposition — the full arithmetic is on this page.
North Dakota writes speeding fines into state law itself — 1–6 mph over (roads posted 65 mph or less): $20 · 7–15 mph over (roads posted 65 mph or less): $21 – $45 · 16 and more mph over (roads posted 65 mph or less): at least $68. Where mandatory surcharges attach on top, this page itemizes them with their statutes. For 15 mph over the limit, the all-in figure is $45. What raises it: 16 or more mph over the limit; school zone speed limit; highway construction zone (workers present, minimum-fee sign posted). Points: Two statutory point tables: on ordinary roads, points start at 11 mph over (1 point) and climb to 15 points at 46+ over — 10 or less over carries zero. On highways posted above 65 mph, points start at 6 over (1 point) and reach 15 at 36+ over. 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 North Dakota. This is a reference to what the law and the schedules print; it is not legal advice.
How North Dakota sets it North Dakota treats ordinary speeding as a noncriminal violation with the fee written into the statute: $20 or $3 for each mph over the limit, whichever is greater, with a $20 add-on at 16 or more over — and a steeper $5-per-mph schedule on highways posted above 65 mph. What the statute calls the 'statutory fee' is the whole amount for an admit-and-pay disposition; there are no separate court costs stacked on top. Even after 2023-era increases these remain among the lowest speeding amounts in the country.
The fine, tier by tier
| Speed over the limit | Base fine | What you actually owe | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–6 mph over (roads posted 65 mph or less) | $20 state-set | $20 state-set | N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(4) The formula is $20 or $3 per mph over, whichever is greater — through 6 mph over, the $20 floor governs. |
| 7–15 mph over (roads posted 65 mph or less) | $21 – $45 state-set | $21 – $45 state-set | N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(4) $3 for each mph over the limit ($21 at 7 over, $45 at 15 over). |
| 16 and more mph over (roads posted 65 mph or less) | at least $68 cap only | at least $68 cap only | N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(4) $3 per mph over plus the mandatory additional $20 for 16 or more over ($68 at 16 over; $3 more per additional mph, no cap). |
| Highways posted above 65 mph: 1–4 over | $20 state-set | $20 state-set | N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(6) Parallel schedule for highways with a posted limit in excess of 65 mph (interstates and similar): $20 or $5 per mph over, whichever is greater — the $20 floor governs through 4 over. |
| Highways posted above 65 mph: 5–15 over | $25 – $75 state-set | $25 – $75 state-set | N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(6) $5 for each mph over the limit ($25 at 5 over, $75 at 15 over). |
| Highways posted above 65 mph: 16 and more over | at least $100 cap only | at least $100 cap only | N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(6) $5 per mph over plus the mandatory additional $20 for 16 or more over ($100 at 16 over; $5 more per additional mph, no cap). |
- 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.
Worked example: 15 mph over the limit, first offense, road posted 65 mph or less, admit-and-pay disposition
| Line | Amount | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory fee — $3 × 15 mph over (greater than the $20 floor) | $45 | N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(4) |
| Total | $45 state-set | lines sum to $45 |
The statutory fee IS the total for a noncriminal admit-and-pay disposition — $45 for 15 over on an ordinary road, with no court costs added. The same 15 over on a highway posted above 65 mph is $75 ($5 per mph); in a school zone it is $45 ($40 plus $1 per mph over 10); in a signed construction zone with workers present it is $160 ($150 plus $2 per mph over 10).
What raises it
- 16 or more mph over the limit. An additional $20 fee is assessed on top of the per-mph amount, on both the ordinary and the above-65 schedules. (N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(4), (6))
- School zone speed limit. Fee of $40 for 1–10 mph over the posted school-zone speed, then $40 plus $1 for each mph beyond 10 over — unless a greater fee applies under the ordinary schedules. (N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(7))
- Highway construction zone (workers present, minimum-fee sign posted). Fee of $150 for 1–10 mph over, then $150 plus $2 for each mph beyond 10 over — applicable only when individuals engaged in construction are present and the posted sign states 'Minimum Fee $150'. (N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(8))
License points
Two statutory point tables: on ordinary roads, points start at 11 mph over (1 point) and climb to 15 points at 46+ over — 10 or less over carries zero. On highways posted above 65 mph, points start at 6 over (1 point) and reach 15 at 36+ over.
| Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| Ordinary roads: 6–10 over | 0 |
| Ordinary roads: 11–15 over | 1 |
| Ordinary roads: 16–20 over | 3 |
| Ordinary roads: 21–25 over | 5 |
| Ordinary roads: 26–35 over | 9 |
| Ordinary roads: 36–45 over | 12 |
| Ordinary roads: 46+ over | 15 |
| Highways posted above 65: 1–5 over | 0 |
| Highways posted above 65: 6–10 over | 1 |
| Highways posted above 65: 11–15 over | 3 |
| Highways posted above 65: 16–20 over | 5 |
| Highways posted above 65: 21–25 over | 7 |
| Highways posted above 65: 26–30 over | 10 |
| Highways posted above 65: 31–35 over | 12 |
| Highways posted above 65: 36+ over | 15 |
At 12 or more accumulated points the director notifies the licensee of intended suspension: 12 points draws a 7-day suspension, and each point above 11 adds 7 days. (N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-10(1)–(2))
When a court appearance is required
Never for speeding itself: speeding is a noncriminal violation and the cited driver may pay the statutory fee at or before the time scheduled for hearing, or request a hearing by posting bond equal to the fee. The noncriminal procedures are unavailable only for the excepted criminal offenses (DUI, reckless driving, leaving the scene, driving under suspension, and similar) — no speed threshold is among them. (N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-02; §39-06.1-03; §39-06.1-05)
Local variation — the honest caveat
By statute, the fee formula applies to a violation of §39-09-02 'or an equivalent ordinance,' so the code itself ties city speeding citations to the same statewide fee schedule rather than authorizing each city to set its own amount. What changes the number under the statute is road type and zone — the above-65 highway schedule, school zones, and signed construction zones — not which jurisdiction wrote the ticket. That said, this is a reading of the statute's text, not a city-by-city audit: a spot check of Fargo's own published municipal court fee schedule showed per-tier dollar amounts that do not match the current statutory formula (see caveats), so some local pages may not reflect the current law. (N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06(4), (6)–(8))
- Amounts reflect the current N.D.C.C. text as published by the legislature (the older, famously low $5-plus-$1-per-mph era table has been replaced by the $20-floor / $3-per-mph structure with the $5-per-mph schedule for highways posted above 65 mph).
- The statutory fee is the amount for a noncriminal admit-and-pay disposition under §39-06.1-02; outcomes after a requested hearing are not tabulated here.
- Point reductions over time and the suspension-hearing process are governed by neighboring sections of chapter 39-06.1 not reproduced here.
- Verification spot check (2026-07-17): Fargo's published municipal court fee-and-point schedule (fargond.gov) lists different, more granular per-tier fee amounts (e.g., a '$5 + $1 per mph over' style bottom tier) that resemble the pre-amendment structure and do not match the current §39-06.1-06 formula used above, even though its point values match current §39-06.1-10. Not used as a source for any figure in this file; noted because it shows at least one city's own page has not caught up to the current statute, which the local_variation note above now reflects.
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.
- N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-06 — Amount of statutory fees (ndlegis.gov, chapter 39-06.1 PDF)
retrieved 2026-07-17
https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t39c06-1.pdf - N.D.C.C. §39-06.1-10 — Entries against driving record; demerit schedule; suspension (ndlegis.gov, chapter 39-06.1 PDF)
retrieved 2026-07-17
https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t39c06-1.pdf - N.D.C.C. §§39-06.1-02, -03, -05 — Traffic violations noncriminal; procedures; offenses excepted (ndlegis.gov, chapter 39-06.1 PDF)
retrieved 2026-07-17
https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t39c06-1.pdf
This is not legal advice This page republishes what North Dakota'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.