A Class A traffic infraction in Oregon is the most serious non-criminal traffic violation the state recognizes, carrying a presumptive fine of $440 and consequences that reach your driving record and insurance premiums for years.1Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 153.019 – Presumptive Fines; Generally It’s a civil matter, not a crime, so a conviction won’t put you in jail or give you a criminal record on its own. The money and the downstream effects are where the pain lives.
Which Violations Are Actually Class A
Class A sits at the top of Oregon’s four-tier violation scale, reserved for conduct that creates a high risk of serious injury. The label gets thrown around loosely, so it helps to know what actually qualifies.
Excessive Speeding
Driving more than 30 mph over the posted speed limit is a Class A violation. On highways posted at 65 mph or higher, the threshold drops: more than 20 mph over is enough.2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 811 – Rules of the Road for Drivers – Section: 811.109 So 86 in a 65 zone and 66 in a 35 zone land in the same bucket. Below those cutoffs, speeding drops to Class B (21–30 over), Class C (11–20 over), or Class D (1–10 over).
Passing a Stopped School Bus
Passing a school bus while its red lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended is a Class A violation, no matter which direction you were approaching from.3Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 811 – Rules of the Road for Drivers – Section: 811.155 Bus-mounted cameras are increasingly used to catch drivers who think no one saw them.
Careless Driving That Contributes to an Accident
Careless driving by itself is Class B. It only becomes Class A when that careless driving contributes to a crash.4Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 811 – Rules of the Road for Drivers – Section: 811.135 Weaving through traffic and getting pulled over is Class B. Weaving through traffic and clipping a fender is Class A.
What Isn’t Class A
Several infractions that sound serious fall into lower tiers. Failing to yield to an emergency vehicle is Class B. Refusing to stop at an officer’s direction is Class B. Misusing a disabled parking permit starts as Class C and only reaches Class A on a second or subsequent conviction.5Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 811 – Rules of the Road for Drivers – Section: 811.625 Confirm the actual classification on your citation before deciding how to respond.
The Fine
The presumptive fine for a Class A violation is $440. That’s what’s printed on your citation and what you owe if you plead no contest.1Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 153.019 – Presumptive Fines; Generally The other tiers come in lower: Class B at $265, Class C at $165, Class D at $115.
A judge can move the fine in either direction. The statutory minimum is $225, which the court can waive if payment would be inconsistent with justice. The maximum reaches $2,000 for an individual. Maximum fines are rare for a first offense, but repeat offenders or egregious conduct can push well past $440. County surcharges under ORS 1.188 get added on top, so expect your actual bill to run slightly higher.1Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 153.019 – Presumptive Fines; Generally
Oregon Doesn’t Use a Points System
If you’re looking up how many points a Class A ticket adds to your license, the answer is none. Oregon’s DMV runs a Driver Improvement Program that counts raw convictions and preventable accidents instead, with thresholds that escalate quickly.
For drivers under 18, two convictions, two preventable accidents, or one of each triggers a 90-day restriction limiting driving to work purposes only. For drivers 18 and older, three convictions or preventable accidents (in any combination) within a 24-month period leads to a 30-day restriction barring driving between midnight and 5 a.m. Five within 24 months triggers a 30-day suspension, and each additional conviction or accident after that adds another 30 days.6Oregon Department of Transportation. Suspensions, Revocations and Cancellations
One Class A conviction won’t suspend your license on its own. But the DMV counts it the same as any other violation in its tally — a Class D speeding ticket and a Class A speeding ticket each register as one conviction.7Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 809 – Section: 809.480 If you already have two convictions in the past two years, a Class A ticket pushes you into restriction territory.
Record and Insurance Impact
A Class A conviction stays on your Oregon driving record for at least five years on a certified court print and three years on a standard non-employment record. Insurers access an open-ended record that isn’t limited to three years, so premium effects can last longer than the record you’d pull for yourself.
The insurance consequence of excessive speeding ranks among the steepest for any non-criminal violation. Industry data suggests a major speeding conviction (30 mph or more over the limit) raises annual premiums by roughly 40% or more on average, depending on your insurer, location, and prior record. Even lower-tier speeding tickets average a 25–34% increase. Compounded year over year, the insurance hit often dwarfs the fine.
Responding to the Citation
Your citation lists an Appearance Date, which is your deadline to act. The form includes a citation number, the court name and address, and the offense date. You have two plea options.
No contest means you accept the citation without admitting fault, pay the presumptive fine, and the case closes with a conviction on your record. The Oregon Judicial Department’s ePay portal accepts major credit cards for most open violation cases and automatically records your no contest plea during payment.8Oregon Judicial Department. OJD Courts ePay You can also mail a check or money order with the completed citation form (use certified mail) or pay in person at the court clerk’s office.
Not guilty triggers a trial date in front of a judge. Oregon law bars jury trials for violation proceedings.9Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 153 – Violations and Fines – Section: 153.076 At trial, the state has to prove the violation by a preponderance of the evidence, a lower bar than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard used in criminal cases. Common defenses include challenging speed-measuring device accuracy, questioning vehicle identification, and presenting evidence that the cited conduct didn’t happen.
Traffic School
Some Oregon circuit courts offer a traffic school program that can result in dismissal instead of a conviction. Eligibility depends on the violation type, your conviction history over the past three years, and whether you’ve used traffic school recently. You need court approval before enrolling. Completing a course on your own doesn’t count.
Traffic school is generally unavailable for the most dangerous offenses, including speeds of 100 mph or greater and reckless driving. CDL holders are excluded. Whether a Class A infraction like excessive speeding under 100 mph qualifies depends on the specific court’s policies, so call the court on your citation before assuming the option exists.
What Happens If You Ignore It
Doing nothing with a Class A citation is the costliest move available. If you miss the deadline, the court can enter a default judgment, convicting you based on the citation alone and imposing the fine without your input.10Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 153 – Violations and Fines – Section: 153.102
The court must also notify the DMV to begin suspension of your driving privileges when you fail to appear on a traffic violation.11Oregon Public Law. Oregon Revised Statutes 809.220 – Failure to Appear; Suspension or Other Procedures And here’s the part that catches people off guard: knowingly failing to appear on a violation citation is itself a Class A misdemeanor, a criminal charge punishable by up to one year in jail.12Oregon Public Law. Oregon Revised Statutes 153.992 – Penalty for Failure to Appear The court can also issue a show cause order, followed by an arrest warrant if you ignore that too.13Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 153 – Violations and Fines – Section: 153.064 A $440 fine can become a suspended license, a criminal record, and an outstanding warrant with surprising speed.
CDL Holders: Different Rules Apply
If you hold a Commercial Driver’s License, a Class A speeding violation in your personal vehicle can still jeopardize your work privileges, and federal thresholds are stricter than Oregon’s. Federal law treats speeding 15 mph or more over the limit as a “serious traffic violation” for CDL purposes.14eCFR. 49 CFR 383.51 – Disqualification of Drivers A Class B speeding ticket in Oregon (21–30 mph over) already clears that federal bar.
A single serious violation doesn’t disqualify you. Two within a three-year window brings a 60-day CDL disqualification; three or more within three years brings 120 days.14eCFR. 49 CFR 383.51 – Disqualification of Drivers Because the federal threshold is lower than Oregon’s Class A cutoff, two tickets at 16 mph over (neither Class A under state law) would still cost you 60 days of commercial driving.
Out-of-State Drivers
A Class A citation in Oregon doesn’t disappear when you drive home. Oregon participates in the Driver License Compact, which reports traffic convictions to a non-resident driver’s home state. Your home state then treats the Oregon conviction as if it happened on local roads and applies its own penalty schedule, including any applicable points.