There are so many questions that run through your head when you’re getting a NY speeding ticket, and none of them are very fun to consider. Sometimes having a better idea of what you can expect can be the key to getting through your question-enriched headache without a scratch.

How Long Does a Citation Take to Arrive?

When a cop pulls you over the on the road, they’ll take a few minutes to run your information and then decide your charges based on your actions. They’ll briefly look at your record, see if you are a wanted criminal, estimate how dangerous you are, then may or may not give you a break on your ticket. For example, they may decide to only cite you for a broken taillight even though they originally pulled you over for going 35 in a 25 mile an hour zone.

At this point, they’ll give you the ticket personally. You can see just how much it is and just how long you have until you must pay it. You’ll usually have 30 days to pay the ticket, but up to 90 days if you want to contest it.

Now, if you see a flashing light as you go through a camera, then this is obviously a different story. If you know for sure that you weren’t going through a questionable yellow-turned-red light, then it’s likely because you were going over the legal speed limit. You’ll usually get your citation within about 2 weeks in New York, with 30 days to pay it. If you want to contest it, you’ll generally have 90 days to do so.

If you get points on your license from a traffic violation, then they’ll generally hang around for about 18 months or so. This may sound like a long time, but remember that an accident can take up to 5 years to completely clear from your record. It’s best to take traffic school or a defensive driving course as soon as you get the copy of your ticket in the mail to stop the points from going on your record.

How Much Are Speeding Tickets in New York?

What you pay is determined by several factors, including how fast you were going and your past driving record. But the ranges are fairly big, and thus, not very helpful.

For a first infraction:

• You could pay $45 – $150 for going less than 10 miles over the limit.
• You’ll pay an average of $150 to $200 for going 11-30 miles an hour over the limit.
• Your ticket could be $600 if you were going more than 31 miles over the limit.

Traffic tickets in New York State – Your fines go up with each previous infraction on your record, though it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact amount you’ll pay. The officer will generally consider not just how fast you were going but also extenuating circumstances. For example, were you going 40 miles an hour down a suburban street where kids are outside playing? Or was it in the middle of the night when no one’s on the road?

If you have at least 6 points on your license:

• You’ll also be charged an addition $70 as a Driver Assessment Fee.
• You can get you up to 3 points for going over ten miles an hour over the speed limit.
• You can get up to 11 points for driving more than 41 miles over the limit.

If you’re concerned about your driving record (and the amount of money you’ll have to pay if it’s not perfect), you may want to check out online traffic school or a NY Defensive Driving course. If you weren’t already mandated to take classes, this could be an excellent way to shave points off your license and potentially lower your insurance to boot!