Fines for a Colorado Springs speeding ticket start at $15 for the mildest infractions and can exceed $300 once state surcharges and court costs are added, while the Department of Revenue puts anywhere from 0 to 12 points on your driving record depending on how far over the limit you were clocked. Where you were driving, who wrote the ticket, and whether you pay before your court date all change the final number.
Points by Speed Over the Limit
Colorado assigns points to every speeding conviction on a sliding scale tied to how far above the posted limit you were traveling:
- 1 to 4 mph over: 0 points
- 5 to 9 mph over: 1 point
- 10 to 19 mph over: 4 points
- 20 to 39 mph over: 6 points
- 40 or more mph over: 12 points
That 12-point category matters because 12 points inside any 12-month period triggers an automatic license suspension for an adult driver. A single extreme-speed conviction can hit that threshold on its own.
Fines, Surcharges, and Court Costs
Speeding up to 24 mph over the limit is a Class A traffic infraction. Base fines run from $15 to $100 depending on the recorded speed.2Colorado General Assembly. Penalties for Speeding Violations On top of that, Colorado law adds a surcharge equal to half the penalty amount, so a $100 fine actually costs $150 before anything else.3Justia Law. Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-4.2-104 – Surcharges
Colorado Springs Municipal Court also tacks on a $25 court cost if you pay on or after your scheduled court date. Paying earlier avoids that fee entirely.4City of Colorado Springs. Payments and Parking Tickets
When Speeding Becomes a Misdemeanor
Driving 25 mph or more over the limit turns a simple infraction into a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense.5FindLaw. Colorado Code 42-4-1101 – Speed Limits A Class 2 misdemeanor carries a minimum of 10 days in jail or a $150 fine (or both), and a maximum of 90 days or $300 (or both).2Colorado General Assembly. Penalties for Speeding Violations The surcharge on a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense is either 37% of the fine or $33, whichever is greater.3Justia Law. Colorado Revised Statutes Section 24-4.2-104 – Surcharges
A misdemeanor conviction creates a criminal record, not just a traffic record. The ticket cannot be resolved by mailing in payment; a court appearance is mandatory.
School Zones and Construction Zones
Speeding through a properly posted school zone doubles both the fine and the surcharge.6Justia Law. Colorado Revised Statutes Section 42-4-615 – Increased Penalties in School Zones A $70 fine with a $35 surcharge becomes $140 plus $70. The doubling only applies when the zone is signed to indicate enhanced penalties are in effect.
Construction zones work the same way, with doubled fines and surcharges in officially designated and signed zones.7FindLaw. Colorado Code 42-4-1701 – Traffic Offenses and Penalties Going 25 mph or more over the limit in a construction zone jumps the charge up another level, from a Class 2 to a Class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense, with a maximum of one year in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.2Colorado General Assembly. Penalties for Speeding Violations School zone and construction zone doublings do not stack on the same ticket.
Automatic Point Reduction for Paying Early
This is the single most useful thing most drivers miss. If your ticket is marked payable and the offense carries four or fewer points, Colorado Springs Municipal Court automatically reduces the points reported to the DMV when you pay before your scheduled court date:
- 4-point offense drops to 2 points
- 3-point offense drops to 1 point
- 2-point offense drops to 0 points
Several offenses are excluded: speeding in a school zone, speeding in a construction zone, careless driving, no proof of insurance, and anything carrying five or more points. CDL holders are also ineligible. Paying counts as a guilty plea, so you give up your chance to contest in exchange for the point reduction. The payment portal will show the original charge, and the reduction gets applied after your payment posts.
How Many Points Will Suspend Your License
The Department of Revenue suspends licenses automatically once point totals cross these thresholds:
- Adults 21 and older: 12 points in 12 months, or 18 points in 24 months
- Ages 18 to 20: 9 points in 12 months, 12 points in 24 months, or 14 points at any point between ages 18 and 21
- Under 18: 6 points in 12 months, or 7 points at any time while under 18
Younger drivers have the least room. A single 10-to-19-mph-over ticket is 4 points, and for a driver under 18 that one ticket combined with any other 3-point moving violation can be enough to trigger a suspension. Using the automatic point reduction when it is available matters most for drivers in that position.
Which Court Has Your Ticket
The agency that wrote the citation determines where the case lands. A ticket from a Colorado Springs police officer, with a summons to appear at 224 East Kiowa Street, goes to Colorado Springs Municipal Court for violations of city ordinances inside city limits.10City of Colorado Springs. Municipal Court FAQ
A ticket from the Colorado State Patrol or the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office goes to El Paso County Court in the 4th Judicial District, at the El Paso County Judicial Building, 270 South Tejon Street.11Colorado Judicial Branch. El Paso County Trial Courts Check your summons for the correct court. Sending payment or paperwork to the wrong one does not satisfy your obligation.
How to Pay
You can only pay without appearing if the officer wrote a payable amount on the front of your summons. If that line is blank, a court appearance is required and no payment option exists until a judge sees the case.4City of Colorado Springs. Payments and Parking Tickets
Municipal Court tickets can be paid online at MuniCourtPay.com with your ticket and case numbers and a credit card (a service fee applies), by mailed check or money order to the address on your summons, or in person at the clerk’s office at 224 East Kiowa Street. Pay before your court date to avoid the $25 court cost and trigger the automatic point reduction if your offense qualifies.
El Paso County Court tickets are handled through the Colorado Judicial Online Payment System; select El Paso County and search by case number.12Colorado Judicial Branch. Colorado Judicial Online Payment System In-person payment goes to the clerk at 270 South Tejon Street.
If you cannot pay the full amount at once, Colorado Springs Municipal Court sets up payment arrangements through its Probation Department in Room 230. You have to appear in court first; the plan is arranged after your court date.
Contesting the Ticket Instead
Paying is a guilty plea. To fight a Municipal Court citation, show up on your court date and enter a not guilty plea in person. Drivers who live outside El Paso County or need a disability accommodation can request to handle the plea remotely, but the request must be submitted at least 10 days before the court date, and the prosecution needs five to seven business days to respond.13City of Colorado Springs. Municipal Court
After the not guilty plea, most cases move to a pretrial conference where you or your attorney meet with the prosecutor and judge. This is where negotiation happens: a reduced speed on the ticket means a smaller fine and fewer points. You can change your plea during the conference, or set the case for trial. Common defense angles at trial include radar or lidar calibration, the officer’s ability to identify your vehicle as the one measured, and whether speed limit signs were properly posted. You can request the officer’s notes, calibration records, and equipment manuals through a written discovery request to the ticketing agency and the prosecutor.
If You Ignore the Ticket
Missing your court date or payment deadline triggers a bench warrant for your arrest, and the Department of Revenue places an Outstanding Judgment and Warrant hold on your driving record. Driving with that hold is a separate offense, driving under restraint for an outstanding judgment, which is a Class A traffic infraction adding 3 more points and up to a $100 fine.14FindLaw. Colorado Code 42-2-138 – Driving Under Restraint
The warrant does not expire. It stays active until you resolve the original case, and any traffic stop or background check in the interim can lead to an arrest.
A Note for CDL Holders
Commercial license holders face a different set of consequences. Under federal and Colorado law, driving 15 mph or more over the limit counts as a serious traffic violation for anyone with a CDL, whether or not you were in a commercial vehicle at the time. Two serious violations within three years disqualify the CDL for 60 days; a third within that window extends the disqualification to 120 days. CDL holders are also shut out of the Municipal Court’s automatic point reduction program, so every conviction hits the record at full point value.8City of Colorado Springs. Automatic Point Reduction for Eligible Traffic Offenses