The Massachusetts speeding fines chart below starts at a $105 minimum and climbs by $10 for every mile per hour once you’re more than 10 mph over the posted limit. That formula comes from M.G.L. c. 90, § 20 and applies statewide. Construction zones double the fine portion. Here’s exactly what you’ll owe.
How the Fine Is Calculated
Three pieces make up every speeding ticket in Massachusetts. There’s a $50 base fine for any speeding violation. If you were going more than 10 mph over the limit, the state adds $10 for each additional mph beyond that 10 mph cushion. Then two mandatory surcharges get layered on every citation: $50 for the Head Injury Treatment Services Trust Fund and $5 for the Public Safety Training Fund.1Mass.gov. Massachusetts Law About Speed Limits
Those $55 in surcharges are required by statute and appear on every ticket, regardless of your record or speed.2Mass.gov. Table of Citable Motor Vehicle Offenses That’s why the floor is $105, not $50.
Massachusetts Speeding Fines Chart
The base fine column shows the statutory fine before surcharges. The total column is what you actually pay.
| MPH Over Limit | Base Fine | Surcharges | Total Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | $50 | $55 | $105 |
| 11 | $60 | $55 | $115 |
| 12 | $70 | $55 | $125 |
| 13 | $80 | $55 | $135 |
| 14 | $90 | $55 | $145 |
| 15 | $100 | $55 | $155 |
| 20 | $150 | $55 | $205 |
| 25 | $200 | $55 | $255 |
| 30 | $250 | $55 | $305 |
To calculate any speed not in the chart: multiply the miles per hour above 10 by $10, add the $50 base fine, then add $55 in surcharges. A driver clocked at 22 mph over pays $50 + $120 + $55 = $225.1Mass.gov. Massachusetts Law About Speed Limits
Construction Zone Fines Are Doubled
Speeding through a marked construction zone doubles the base fine, whether or not workers are present at that moment.3General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90 Section 17 – Speed Limits The doubling hits the fine before surcharges are added.
| MPH Over Limit | Doubled Base Fine | Surcharges | Total Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | $100 | $55 | $155 |
| 15 | $200 | $55 | $255 |
| 20 | $300 | $55 | $355 |
| 25 | $400 | $55 | $455 |
| 30 | $500 | $55 | $555 |
What Counts as the Posted Limit
Your fine is calculated against the posted limit on the stretch of road where you were cited. Many Massachusetts roads aren’t signed, and in those cases M.G.L. c. 90, § 17 sets the defaults enforcement will use:3General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90 Section 17 – Speed Limits
- 50 mph on a divided highway outside thickly settled areas
- 40 mph on other roads outside thickly settled areas
- 30 mph in a thickly settled or business district
- 20 mph in a school zone
“Thickly settled” is the Massachusetts term for a residential area where buildings average less than 200 feet apart for a quarter mile. In a neighborhood with no speed signs, assume 30 mph.
The Real Cost: Insurance and License Points
The fine on the citation isn’t the full price. A standard speeding ticket counts as a minor traffic violation under the Massachusetts Safe Driver Insurance Plan and adds 2 surcharge points to your record, which raise your auto insurance premiums for years.4Mass.gov. Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP)
One break: the SDIP forgives your first minor traffic violation if you had a clean record for the five years before your policy’s effective date. No surcharge points, no premium bump.4Mass.gov. Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP)
Tickets also stack toward license suspension. Three speeding tickets in 12 months triggers a mandatory 30-day suspension from the RMV.1Mass.gov. Massachusetts Law About Speed Limits Seven surchargeable events in 36 months brings a 60-day suspension. Junior operators face a 90-day suspension on a first speeding conviction and a one-year suspension on a second.
You Have 20 Days to Pay or Appeal
The clock is 20 days from the date on the citation. Miss it and you’ll face late fees, release fees, and eventually a license suspension.5Mass.gov. Pay Your Traffic Ticket
Paying Online
Use the RMV’s online payment portal with your citation number, offense date, and a credit or debit card. Wait at least 10 days after the ticket was issued before trying to pay online, because the RMV needs time to process the citation into its system.5Mass.gov. Pay Your Traffic Ticket
Paying by Mail
Check Box 1 on the back of the citation, sign and date it, and mail it with a check or money order payable to MassDOT. Write your citation number and driver’s license number on the payment, and keep a copy of the citation before mailing it.5Mass.gov. Pay Your Traffic Ticket
Requesting a Hearing
To contest the ticket, check Box 2 on the back, sign and date it, and mail it in with a $25 check or money order payable to MassDOT for the filing fee.6Mass.gov. Appeal Your Traffic Ticket The court will mail back a notice with your hearing date. A clerk magistrate reviews the officer’s citation and any evidence you bring. If you’re found not responsible, the $25 is your only cost. If you lose, you can request a second hearing before a judge.