How much is a speeding ticket in Rhode Island?
$205 – $230state-set
15 mph over the limit, first offense — the full arithmetic is on this page.
Rhode Island writes speeding fines into state law itself — 1–10 mph over the posted limit: $95 – $120 · 11 mph or more over the posted limit: at least $205. Where mandatory surcharges attach on top, this page itemizes them with their statutes. For 15 mph over the limit, the all-in figure is $205 – $230. What raises it: second offense within 12 months (judge-imposed); third or subsequent offense within 12 months (judge-imposed); automated school-zone speed enforcement; four moving violations within 18 months. Points: Rhode Island statutes establish no demerit-point system — the schedule-of-violations chapter attaches consequences per offense instead. Repeat speeding within 12 months carries judge-imposed per-mile fines and discretionary suspension (up to 30 days for 1–10 over, up to 60 days for 11+ over), and four moving violations within 18 months trigger the separate multiple-offense regime of §31-27-24. Every row on this page carries its citation — 4 primary sources (statute text, court fine schedules, DMV publications), each with a retrieval date, plus the local-variation caveat that applies in Rhode Island. This is a reference to what the law and the schedules print; it is not legal advice.
How Rhode Island sets it Rhode Island prints its speeding fines directly in statute: the schedule of violations in G.L. §31-41.1-4 sets $95 for 1–10 mph over and, for 11 mph or more over, $10 per mile over the limit with a $205 minimum. Subsection (c) of the same statute bars any additional costs or assessments on administrative payment except a technology surcharge of up to $25 — so the statutory number is very close to the whole bill.
The fine, tier by tier
| Speed over the limit | Base fine | What you actually owe | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 mph over the posted limit | $95 state-set | $95 – $120 state-set | R.I. Gen. Laws §31-41.1-4(a), (c); §8-15-11 The statute's table prints $95.00 as the Total Fine. On administrative payment no other costs or assessments may be added except a technology surcharge of not more than $25 (§8-15-11) — hence the $95–$120 span for the amount owed. |
| 11 mph or more over the posted limit | at least $205 cap only | at least $205 cap only | R.I. Gen. Laws §31-41.1-4(a), (c); §8-15-11 Formula tier: $10.00 per mile in excess of the speed limit, with a $205.00 minimum. The per-mile computation passes the floor only above 20 mph over — $210 at 21 over, $250 at 25 over, $300 at 30 over. A technology surcharge of up to $25 (§8-15-11) may be added at payment; §31-41.1-4(c) bars any other addition on administrative payment. |
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Judiciary technology surcharge | Not to exceed $25, set by the state court administrator with the approval of the chief justice; may be assessed at the inception or conclusion of a case or on electronic payment. Under §31-41.1-4(c) it is the ONLY addition allowed on administrative payment of a scheduled violation. | R.I. Gen. Laws §8-15-11; §31-41.1-4(c) |
Worked example: 15 mph over the limit, first offense
| Line | Amount | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Fine — $10 × 15 mph over = $150, raised to the statutory $205 minimum | $205 | R.I. Gen. Laws §31-41.1-4(a) |
| Total | $205 – $230 state-set | lines sum to $205 |
At 15 mph over, the per-mile computation ($10 × 15 = $150) sits below the statutory floor, so the fine is the $205 minimum. The only amount that can join it on administrative payment is the judiciary technology surcharge of not more than $25 (§8-15-11) — §31-41.1-4(c) expressly bars any other costs or assessments, including the hearing fee. Hence $205 to $230 owed.
What raises it
- Second offense within 12 months (judge-imposed). For 1–10 over: $10 per mile over the limit, and the license may be suspended up to 30 days. For 11+ over: $15 per mile over, and the license may be suspended up to 60 days. (R.I. Gen. Laws §31-41.1-4(b)(1)–(2))
- Third or subsequent offense within 12 months (judge-imposed). For 1–10 over: $15 per mile over the limit. For 11+ over: $20 per mile over. (R.I. Gen. Laws §31-41.1-4(b)(1)–(2))
- Automated school-zone speed enforcement. A camera-issued school-zone speeding citation carries a $50 fine under the statutory schedule. (R.I. Gen. Laws §31-41.1-4(a) schedule row for §31-41.3-15)
- Four moving violations within 18 months. May be fined up to $1,000, must attend 60 hours of driver retraining and perform 60 hours of public community service, and the license may be suspended up to one year or revoked up to two years. Speeding under §§31-14-1 through 31-14-3 counts as a moving violation for this purpose. (R.I. Gen. Laws §31-27-24)
License points
Rhode Island statutes establish no demerit-point system — the schedule-of-violations chapter attaches consequences per offense instead. Repeat speeding within 12 months carries judge-imposed per-mile fines and discretionary suspension (up to 30 days for 1–10 over, up to 60 days for 11+ over), and four moving violations within 18 months trigger the separate multiple-offense regime of §31-27-24.
Second and third offenses within 12 months escalate the per-mile fine and expose the license to suspension (up to 30/60 days). Four moving violations within 18 months: fine up to $1,000, 60 hours of driver retraining, 60 hours of community service, suspension up to one year or revocation up to two years. (R.I. Gen. Laws §31-41.1-4(b); §31-27-24)
When a court appearance is required
No appearance is required for a first-offense scheduled speeding violation — it is payable administratively under chapter 31-41.1, and §31-41.1-4(c) bars added costs on that path. Offenses with punishments that vary (including the repeat-offense escalations of subsection (b)) are heard and decided by the Traffic Tribunal or a municipal court, where a judge imposes the per-mile fines and any suspension. (R.I. Gen. Laws §31-41.1-4(a)–(c))
Local variation — the honest caveat
Amounts are statutory and statewide: the Traffic Tribunal (and municipal courts in some towns) apply the same printed schedule, and subsection (c) blocks local add-ons on administrative payment. The main geographic variance is automated school-zone speed cameras ($50 per the schedule), which operate only in municipalities that deploy them. (R.I. Gen. Laws §31-41.1-4)
- The technology surcharge is worded as 'not to exceed $25' and is set administratively (§8-15-11); the exact amount applied at payment was not published in the statutes read for this build, so totals are shown as spans rather than a single figure.
- The no-point-system characterization is recorded from the statutes and DMV materials read for this build (the schedule-of-violations chapter and the RI driver's manual contain no demerit-point schedule); no official page affirmatively stating it was located.
- Prima facie limits under §31-14-2: 25 mph in business or residence districts, 50 mph daytime / 45 mph nighttime elsewhere, 20 mph in posted school areas (daytime, school days).
- Second/third-offense per-mile fines and suspensions are worded as judge-imposed ('a judge may impose') — they are not part of the administratively payable schedule.
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.
- R.I. Gen. Laws §31-41.1-4 — Schedule of violations (official text, webserver.rilegislature.gov)
retrieved 2026-07-17
https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-41.1/31-41.1-4.htm - R.I. Gen. Laws §8-15-11 — Electronic filing and online payments (official text, webserver.rilegislature.gov)
retrieved 2026-07-17
https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE8/8-15/8-15-11.htm - R.I. Gen. Laws §31-14-2 — Prima facie limits (official text, webserver.rilegislature.gov)
retrieved 2026-07-17
https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-14/31-14-2.htm - R.I. Gen. Laws §31-27-24 — Multiple moving offenses (official text, webserver.rilegislature.gov)
retrieved 2026-07-17
https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE31/31-27/31-27-24.htm
This is not legal advice This page republishes what Rhode Island'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.