A speeding ticket in San Diego costs between $218.24 and $448.10 in 2026, depending on how far over the limit you were clocked. That covers the citation itself after California’s mandatory penalty assessments are added to the base fine. It does not cover the insurance premium increase that usually follows a conviction, traffic school fees if you choose that route, or the late penalties that pile on if you miss your deadline.1Superior Court of California – County of Lassen. Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule Effective January 1, 2026
Total Cost by Speed Tier in 2026
The California Judicial Council’s Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule sets the amounts the San Diego Superior Court collects. For a standard speeding violation under Vehicle Code 22349 or 22350, the totals are:1Superior Court of California – County of Lassen. Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule Effective January 1, 2026
- 1–15 mph over the limit: $218.24 (base fine $35)
- 16–25 mph over the limit: $336.17 (base fine $70)
- 26 or more mph over the limit: $448.10 (base fine $100)
Those are the amounts due to the court for the citation. Nothing more, nothing less, before you add anything you choose to do about it.
Why the Base Fine Isn’t What You Pay
The small number on the schedule — $35, $70, or $100 — is only the starting point. California layers several assessments on top of every base fine, most of them calculated per $10 of the base amount (or any portion of $10). The result is a total that runs roughly four times the base.
Here is what stacks on top:
- State Penalty Assessment: $10 per $10 unit (Penal Code 1464)
- County Penalty Assessment: $5.31 per $10 unit (Government Code 76000)
- DNA Identification Fund: $5 per $10 unit (Government Code 76104.6)
- Court Facilities Construction: $5 per $10 unit (Government Code 70372)
- State Surcharge: 20 percent of the base fine
- Court Operations Assessment: $40 flat per conviction
- Criminal Conviction Assessment: $35 flat per conviction
The Emergency Medical Services penalty is set at $0 in the 2026 schedule, though the Legislature has authority to activate it. The practical effect of all this stacking is why a $35 base fine comes to $218.24 and a $100 base fine lands at $448.10.1Superior Court of California – County of Lassen. Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule Effective January 1, 2026
The Insurance Hit Is Usually Larger Than the Ticket
A standard speeding conviction under Vehicle Code 22349 or 22350 adds one point to your California DMV record, and that point stays visible for three years from the violation date. Every insurer reviewing your record during that window will see it.
The surcharge most carriers apply after a minor speeding conviction also runs about three years, dropping off at renewal once that window closes. The exact amount depends on your carrier, your driving history, and the tier of violation, but rate increases of 20 to 30 percent on the affected coverage are common for a first offense. On average California premiums, that can translate to hundreds of dollars per year over the three-year surcharge period, often exceeding the cost of the ticket itself.
Points also matter for your license. California can trigger a negligent operator review at four points in 12 months, six in 24 months, or eight in 36 months. One ticket won’t put you there alone, but it narrows the room you have for the next one.
Traffic School Keeps the Point Off Your Record
If you haven’t attended traffic school for another ticket in the past 18 months, you can usually request permission from the San Diego Superior Court to take a DMV-licensed course. The court charges an administrative fee, and the school charges tuition separately — online courses generally run $20 to $50.2Superior Court of California – County of San Diego. Traffic / Minor Offense Division
Traffic school does not reduce the fine. You still pay the full ticket amount. What it does is keep the conviction confidential on your DMV record, which means your insurer never sees it and the surcharge never kicks in. All fees are non-refundable, and your completion certificate has to be filed with the court before your deadline. Measured against three years of inflated premiums, the course fees are usually the cheaper outcome.
If You Can’t Afford the Full Amount
California law lets you ask the court for an ability-to-pay determination. The San Diego Superior Court can reduce the fine, set up a payment plan, convert the balance to community service hours, or combine those options.
You’ll need to submit documentation: recent pay stubs or proof of unemployment, tax returns, a list of monthly expenses, and proof of any public assistance. Courts look at whether your income sits at or near the federal poverty level. The 2026 federal poverty guidelines set that threshold at $15,960 per year for a single-person household and $33,000 for a family of four, and falling below 125 percent of those figures generally strengthens a request.
Reductions can be substantial — sometimes 50 to 80 percent — and installment plans can spread payments over several months. Community service conversions credit a set dollar amount per hour worked. File the request before your payment deadline, because once the due date passes, additional penalties complicate the process.
What Ignoring the Ticket Adds to the Cost
Missing the deadline printed on your citation turns an expensive ticket into a much more expensive one. The court can add a civil assessment of up to $300, and the DMV places a hold on your license. You won’t be able to renew your license or registration until the hold clears, and driving on a suspended license is a separate misdemeanor with its own fines and potential jail time.
A bench warrant may also issue for failure to appear, which means any future traffic stop could end in an arrest. Clearing all of this requires appearing at the San Diego Superior Court in person to resolve the original citation, paying the added assessments, and then paying a DMV reinstatement fee to lift the hold. The total cost of ignoring a $218 ticket can easily exceed $1,000 once late penalties, reinstatement fees, and potential towing are added in. Even if you need a payment plan, dealing with the ticket on time is always cheaper.
If You Hold an Out-of-State License
You still owe the fine to the San Diego Superior Court. California belongs to the Driver License Compact, an agreement among 46 states to share conviction information, so the court will report your conviction to your home state’s DMV. How your home state treats the report varies: some add points as if the violation happened locally, others record the conviction without points for minor offenses. Either way, the conviction typically shows on your driving history and can affect your insurance rates.
Ignoring the ticket because you live elsewhere is particularly risky. California can ask your home state to suspend your license until you resolve the citation, and any bench warrant stays active the next time you cross back into the state.