Following Too Closely Ticket in Louisiana: Fines, Points, and Record

A following too closely ticket in Louisiana is a misdemeanor under Revised Statute 32:81, with a statutory fine of up to $175 and up to 30 days in jail for a first offense.¹ Once court costs are added, most drivers pay somewhere between $130 and $250, and the conviction stays on the driving record for three years. Jail is rare for a standalone tailgating ticket, but the real cost usually comes from the insurance rate increase that follows the conviction. You have three practical choices: pay it, fight it, or try to keep it off your record through a deferred sentence or diversion program.

What the Officer Had to See

RS 32:81 prohibits following another vehicle “more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicle and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.”² The statute names no number of car lengths and no number of seconds. Officers make a judgment call based on speed, road conditions, weather, and traffic density.

That vagueness cuts both ways. It gives officers wide discretion to write the ticket in the first place. It also gives you room to argue the stop wasn’t justified, because there is no radar reading or camera clip for the state to rely on. The officer’s judgment is the primary evidence, and judgment can be challenged.

What You’ll Actually Pay

The statutory ceiling is a $175 fine for a first offense. A second or subsequent offense raises the ceiling to a $500 fine, 90 days in jail, or both.¹

The fine is only part of the bill. Every parish adds its own court costs and administrative fees on top. Baton Rouge City Court lists a combined total of $139 for a following too closely violation; the 19th Judicial District Court lists $175.75 for comparable moving violations. A small reporting fee of $2 per conviction, or $10 in Orleans Parish, also gets added to cover reporting the conviction to the state.³ Expect to pay somewhere between roughly $130 and $250 out of pocket for a first offense, depending on where the ticket was issued.

If the citation was written in a designated highway safety corridor, the penalties jump sharply. Fines in those zones run from $750 to $1,000, with up to 30 days in jail.¹

What It Does to Your Record and Insurance

Paying the ticket is a guilty plea. The court must report every traffic conviction to the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles within 30 days.⁴ Once the OMV receives that report, the conviction appears on your official driving record and stays visible for three years from the date of conviction.⁵

Insurers review that record when they set premiums. A moving violation during the three-year window usually triggers a rate increase at your next renewal. Exact percentages depend on your carrier and your overall history, but increases of 10% to 25% for a single moving violation are common. Over three years, that surcharge can easily cost more than the ticket itself.

Multiple convictions in a short period can also put your license at risk. The OMV tracks violations and can initiate a review or suspension when a record shows a pattern of unsafe driving. If a violation leads to a suspension action, it stays on the record for five years instead of three.⁵

Extra Stakes for CDL Holders

If you drive commercially, treat this ticket differently. Under federal law, following too closely is a serious traffic violation for commercial drivers. Two serious violations within three years result in a minimum 60-day CDL disqualification. Three in three years triggers at least 120 days.⁶ A single conviction starts a clock that makes the next ticket career-threatening.

RS 32:81 also sets a hard spacing rule for trucks. A motor truck traveling outside a business or residential area must stay at least 400 feet behind another motor truck unless it’s actively passing.² A truck driver following at 350 feet on a rural highway has violated the statute even if the gap would be safe for a passenger car. And the usual escape routes may not help: a CDL holder’s conviction has to be reported to the OMV even if the driver completes a pre-trial diversion program.⁷

What Happens If You Ignore It

Doing nothing is the worst option. Miss the court date or payment deadline on the citation and the judge can issue an arrest warrant, meaning you could be taken into custody at a routine traffic stop.⁸ You may also be held in contempt and hit with additional fees.

The OMV can suspend your license over the unresolved ticket, and if you hold a license from another state, that state can impose its own penalties once notified.⁹ An unpaid fine that goes 120 days past final disposition can be reported to consumer reporting agencies, which can hit your credit.³ A $139 ticket you forgot about can snowball into a suspended license, a warrant, and damaged credit.

Paying the Ticket

If you plan to plead guilty and pay, the citation is your starting point. The citation number identifies you to the court, and the ticket lists the court with jurisdiction and your appearance date. If the fine amount isn’t printed on the ticket, call the clerk’s office at the listed court to confirm the exact total, since costs vary by parish.

Most parishes accept online credit card payments, mailed money orders, or in-person payments at the courthouse. After paying, keep the receipt or confirmation number and verify with the clerk that the case is marked resolved. Administrative errors happen, and proof of payment is what prevents the OMV from suspending your license over a ticket you already paid. One caveat: if the violation involved an accident, some courts require a mandatory court appearance instead of letting you pay remotely. Check with the clerk before assuming otherwise.

Contesting the Ticket

You have the right to plead not guilty and request a trial. You or your attorney must contact the court before the appearance date on your citation. Some parishes require the request in person at the clerk’s office; others accept written or phone requests.⁹ The common thread is timing: act before your court date passes.

Because the “reasonable and prudent” standard is subjective, a following too closely ticket is more defensible than many other moving violations. Dry roads, moderate speeds, no accident, and any dashcam footage showing adequate spacing all work in your favor. Whether hiring a traffic attorney makes financial sense depends on the stakes. For a first offense with no accident, a lawyer may cost more than the fine. If you have prior violations, hold a CDL, or face a multi-year insurance surcharge, the math shifts the other way.

Keeping the Conviction Off Your Record

Article 894 Deferred Sentence

Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 894 lets a judge defer sentencing on a misdemeanor conviction. You go on probation for up to two years. If you finish that period with no new convictions and no pending charges, the court can set aside the conviction and dismiss the case, which carries the same legal effect as an acquittal.¹⁰

This is the strongest tool available for a traffic ticket, because a set-aside conviction should not appear as a conviction on your driving record going forward. Two catches: the arrest and prosecution records aren’t destroyed, and the original conviction still counts as a prior offense if you’re charged again later.¹⁰ Not every judge grants Article 894 treatment for traffic cases, and a clean driving history helps your odds. An attorney can make the request on your behalf.

Pre-Trial Diversion

Some parishes run pre-trial diversion programs through the district attorney’s office. These usually require a driving course and a fee. In exchange, the ticket never becomes a conviction, so it doesn’t affect your insurance.⁷

Eligibility varies. Common disqualifiers include multiple violations in the past two years, excessive speed, and non-payable offenses like DUI. Where diversion is available, the request usually has to be submitted at least 15 days before the court date.⁷ Not every parish has a program, so check with the court or district attorney’s office listed on your citation. CDL holders get limited benefit, since the conviction still has to be reported to the OMV regardless of program completion.

1
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:57
2
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:81 – Following Vehicles; Exceptions
3
Justia Law. Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:393 – Persons Charged With Violations
4
Louisiana Judicial College. Life of a Ticket
5
Louisiana Department of Public Safety Office of Motor Vehicles. Louisiana Department of Public Safety Office of Motor Vehicles
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 31310
7
4th Judicial District Attorney. Traffic Pretrial Diversion
8
Municipal and Traffic Court of New Orleans. Penalties
9
Municipal and Traffic Court of New Orleans. Tickets
10
Louisiana State Legislature. Code of Criminal Procedure Article 894 – Suspension and Deferral of Sentence; Probation in Misdemeanor Cases