The cost of a 28-701(A) speeding ticket in Arizona runs from about $156 to $495 after surcharges, with the exact number depending on how far over the limit you were driving and which court handles the citation. That range covers the base fine plus the state’s percentage surcharges and flat assessments, which together roughly double the base amount. The precise figure is printed on your citation, and the court listed there can confirm it.
Why the Number on Your Ticket Isn’t Just the Fine
Arizona adds surcharges and flat assessments to every civil traffic violation. The state levies percentage-based surcharges of roughly 78% on top of the base fine, plus flat assessments of around $44 per case, funding police training, court technology, clean elections, and other programs.1Joint Legislative Budget Committee. Court Surcharges and Assessments Each justice court and municipal court sets its own base fine, so the total you owe varies across the state. The Arizona Department of Public Safety directs fine questions to the specific court where you were cited, precisely because there is no statewide figure.2Department of Public Safety. Courts and Traffic Tickets Information
As one example, a justice court in Apache County publishes the following totals for A.R.S. 28-701(A) violations, surcharges included:3Apache County. St. Johns Justice/Municipal Courts Traffic Bond Fee Schedule
- 1–10 mph over: $156
- 11–15 mph over: $190
- 16–20 mph over: $290
- 21–25 mph over: $390
- 26+ mph over: $495
Your court’s schedule may be higher or lower. Call the court on your citation for the exact amount.
The Cost You Don’t See on the Citation
Paying the fine is the smaller expense for most drivers. A conviction adds three points to your Arizona driving record through the Motor Vehicle Division, and points accumulate on a rolling 12-month basis. Reaching eight points in any 12-month window triggers mandatory Traffic Survival School or a possible license suspension of up to 12 months.4Department of Transportation. Points Assessment Three points from one ticket won’t get you there alone, but combined with any other recent moving violation it can.
Insurance is the larger, longer expense. Arizona drivers see an average premium increase of roughly 28% after a speeding conviction for going 11 to 15 mph over the limit, and that elevated rate typically stays in place for three to five years. Across those years, the added premium almost always exceeds the ticket itself.
28-701(A) Is the Civil Statute, Not the Criminal One
A.R.S. 28-701(A) is Arizona’s basic speed law, which prohibits driving faster than is reasonable and prudent for road conditions.5Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28 – Transportation – 28-701 – Reasonable and Prudent Speed; Prima Facie Evidence; Exceptions It’s a civil infraction. Arizona also has a separate criminal speeding statute, A.R.S. 28-701.02, which applies when you exceed the posted limit by more than 20 mph, exceed 35 mph approaching a school crossing, or exceed 45 mph in a residential or business district with no posted limit. Criminal speeding is a class 3 misdemeanor with up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500 plus surcharges.6Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28 – Transportation – 28-701.02 – Excessive Speeds; Classification If your citation lists 28-701.02, the numbers and process in this article don’t apply to you, and talking to a lawyer is worth serious consideration.
How to Reduce or Eliminate the Cost
Defensive Driving School
For most eligible drivers, defensive driving school (DDS) is the cheapest path overall. Arizona courts are required to allow eligible defendants to attend DDS to dismiss a civil traffic moving violation.7Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28 – Transportation – 28-3392 – Defensive Driving School; Eligibility Successful completion dismisses the citation, so no conviction goes on your record and no points are assessed, which means no insurance hit either.
You skip the fine but pay a court diversion fee, a state fee, a state surcharge, and the school’s own fee.8Arizona Judicial Branch. Cost to Attend School Total cost typically runs $100 to $200 depending on your court and the school you pick. You aren’t eligible if you’ve already used DDS for another violation within the past 12 months.7Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28 – Transportation – 28-3392 – Defensive Driving School; Eligibility The diversion fee can change in April and October each year, so confirm the current amount with your court before signing up.
Contest the Citation
You can plead not responsible and request a hearing. At the hearing the citing officer presents evidence, and you can challenge the facts or the conditions that supposedly made your speed unreasonable. Win, and the citation is dismissed with no fine and no points. Lose, and you owe the full amount.
Payment Plan If You Can’t Pay at Once
Arizona courts offer the Compliance Assistance Program (CAP), which sets up a payment plan for civil traffic charges without a court appearance. While you stay current on the plan, the court reports you as in compliance to the MVD. Paying the fine still counts as an admission of responsibility, so the conviction, points, and insurance consequences all still follow.
If You Hold a CDL
Defensive driving school won’t do the same job for a commercial driver’s license holder in most cases. Federal regulations prohibit states from masking, deferring, or diverting traffic convictions off a CDL holder’s record.9eCFR. 49 CFR 384.226 – Prohibition on Masking Convictions Under Arizona law, if you were driving a commercial motor vehicle requiring a CDL, the court can order you to attend DDS as part of your sentence but cannot dismiss the conviction.7Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28 – Transportation – 28-3392 – Defensive Driving School; Eligibility
There is one narrow exception. If you hold a CDL but were driving a personal vehicle (one requiring only a class D or class M license) and were not on a commercial trip, you can use DDS to dismiss the citation like any other driver.7Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28 – Transportation – 28-3392 – Defensive Driving School; Eligibility The vehicle you were in and the purpose of the trip control, not the license class on your card.
If the Driver Is Under 18
Arizona treats younger drivers more strictly. Any driver under 18 convicted of a moving violation must complete Traffic Survival School, even for a first offense and even with no prior points. For adults, TSS only kicks in at eight points. For a teen, one speeding conviction triggers it automatically, and not completing the course results in a license suspension.10Department of Transportation. Traffic Survival School Add the TSS cost to whatever the ticket itself runs.
What Ignoring the Ticket Costs
Ignoring a 28-701(A) citation turns a moderate fine into a much larger one. If you don’t respond by the appearance date, the court enters a default judgment, the allegations are deemed admitted, and the judgment is reported to the MVD.11Department of Transportation. Penalties
The court adds a $30 default fee and a $20 time payment fee on top of the original fine. If the balance goes delinquent, a $35 FARE delinquency fee and a 19% collection surcharge are added.12Arizona Judicial Branch. FARE Process Reference A $156 citation can easily reach $300 or more through inaction alone.
The MVD consequences hurt more than the extra money. Your license will not be issued or renewed if the MVD has been notified you failed to appear, and the court can direct the MVD to suspend your driving privilege. The MVD can also refuse to renew the registration on any vehicle you own.11Department of Transportation. Penalties None of these come with a second warning.