The speed limit in Maryland depends on the type of road: 30 mph in business and residential districts, 35 mph on divided residential roads, 50 mph on undivided rural highways, and 55 mph on divided highways, with posted limits reaching 65 or 70 mph only on qualifying interstates and expressways. Fines for exceeding the posted limit start at $80 and rise sharply the faster you were going, and driving 30 mph or more above the limit is automatically charged as reckless driving, a criminal offense carrying up to 60 days in jail.
Default Speed Limits by Road Type
When no other limit is posted, Maryland Transportation Code Section 21-801.1 sets the default:
- Business districts: 30 mph
- Residential districts on an undivided highway: 30 mph
- Residential districts on a divided highway: 35 mph
- Other locations, undivided highway: 50 mph
- Other locations, divided highway: 55 mph
A common assumption is that Maryland’s general highway limit is 65 mph. It isn’t. The statute caps speeds at 55 mph on any road that is not an interstate or expressway, and posted limits of 65 or 70 mph exist only on qualifying interstates and expressways. Seventy mph is the statewide ceiling.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 21-801.1 – Maximum Speed Limits Local authorities can lower limits after a traffic and engineering study, so the posted number on a specific road may be below the statutory default.
Section 21-801 adds a separate “basic rule”: you must drive at a speed that is reasonable and prudent for conditions. You can be cited for driving under the posted limit if weather, traffic, or road conditions make your speed unsafe.
Fines for Speeding
Maryland’s traffic fine schedule, effective October 1, 2025, ties the fine to how far over the posted limit you were traveling:
- 1 to 9 mph over: $80
- 10 to 19 mph over: $90
- 20 to 29 mph over: $160
- 30 to 39 mph over: $290
- 40 mph or more over: $530
If the violation contributed to an accident, the lower brackets increase by $40. The two highest brackets stay the same regardless of accident because those speeds already trigger the reckless driving statute.2Maryland Courts. Traffic Fine Schedule
Speeding on a road posted at 65 or 70 mph carries enhanced fines: $160 for 10 to 19 mph over and $290 for 20 to 29 mph over, roughly double the standard amount at those speed brackets.2Maryland Courts. Traffic Fine Schedule
Points and What They Do to Your License
Every officer-issued speeding conviction adds points to your Maryland driving record. Point values run from 1 point for minor speeding up to 5 or more for severe violations. Exceeding a posted 65 or 70 mph limit by 20 mph or more carries 5 points instead of the standard 2 that would apply at lower posted speeds.3Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Point Accumulation
Points remain on your record for two years from the violation date. The MVA acts at set thresholds:
- 3 to 4 points: warning letter
- 5 to 7 points: possible driver improvement program
- 8 to 11 points: notice of license suspension
- 12 or more points: notice of license revocation
Revocation is more serious than suspension. Getting reinstated after revocation involves a formal MVA hearing where you have to demonstrate corrective steps, often including completing a driver improvement program. Completing the program doesn’t erase points already on your record; the points stay until they age off after two years.
When Speeding Becomes Reckless Driving
Driving 30 mph or more above the posted limit is automatically classified as reckless driving under Maryland Transportation Code Section 21-901.1. No swerving, no near-miss, no aggressive behavior required. The speed alone is enough.4Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 21-901.1
A reckless driving conviction carries up to 60 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. These cases require a court appearance and can’t be resolved by mailing in a prepaid fine.4Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 21-901.1
Maryland also recognizes a lesser charge of negligent driving, defined as operating a vehicle in a careless or imprudent manner that endangers people or property. The maximum penalty is a $750 fine with no jail time. An officer may charge negligent driving rather than reckless driving when the circumstances read more as inattention than deliberate risk.4Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 21-901.1
School Zones
Maryland allows the State Highway Administration and local authorities to designate school zones within a half-mile of any school and post reduced limits there. The maximum permitted school zone limit where a crossing guard is posted is 35 mph during posted hours, and most zones are set well below that.5Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 21-803.1 – School Zones
Officer-issued fines double in school zones where flashing lights are active or signs indicate doubled fines during school hours. Under the state fine schedule, doubled school zone fines range from $120 for 1 to 9 mph over up to $1,000 for 40 mph or more over.2Maryland Courts. Traffic Fine Schedule Points still apply on top of the doubled fine.
Highway Work Zones
The State Highway Administration and local authorities can reduce speed limits in work zones for safety.6Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 21-802.1 – Highway Work Zones Officer-issued citations in work zones carry a separate elevated schedule running from $290 for 1 to 9 mph over up to $740 for 40 mph or more over, with a statutory maximum of $1,000.2Maryland Courts. Traffic Fine Schedule
Work zones are also heavily monitored by cameras under Maryland’s SafeZones program. As of January 2025, camera-issued fines double when workers are physically present:
- 12 to 15 mph over: $60 ($120 with workers present)
- 16 to 19 mph over: $80 ($160 with workers present)
- 20 to 29 mph over: $140 ($280 with workers present)
- 30 to 39 mph over: $270 ($540 with workers present)
- 40 mph or more over: $500 ($1,000 with workers present)
Camera citations are civil penalties and don’t add points to your license.7Maryland SafeZones. Frequently Asked Questions8Maryland Department of Transportation. Stay Safe on Maryland Roadways, New Work Zone Fines Effective in 2025
Automated Speed Cameras
Maryland uses automated speed enforcement more aggressively than most states, especially in the Baltimore and Washington suburbs. Under Section 21-809, a speed camera can only issue a citation if a vehicle is traveling at least 12 mph above the posted limit. Cameras are authorized in:
- School zones on roads posted at 20 mph or higher, operating Monday through Friday between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
- Residential districts in Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties, on roads posted at 35 mph or less
- Highway work zones statewide, under SafeZones
Outside of work zones, the maximum camera fine is $40. These are civil penalties with no points, no impact on your driving record, and no required court appearance.9Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 21-809 – Citations Issued as Result of Speed Monitoring Systems The cap is mild, but the cameras are widespread, and a commuter passing through several camera zones can accumulate multiple citations quickly.
If an officer pulls you over in the same school zone where a camera operates, the officer-issued ticket carries the full fine schedule and points. The enforcement method changes the consequences significantly.10Maryland Department of Transportation SHA. Automated Speed Enforcement School Zones
What to Do If You Get a Ticket
You have 30 days from receiving a payable Maryland traffic citation to respond. Ignoring it is the worst option: the MVA gets notified and can suspend your license, and driving on a suspended license is a criminal offense with potential jail time.11Maryland Courts. Traffic Citation Information
Within that window, you have three options beyond paying the fine outright:
- Prepay the fine. You accept the conviction and points go on your record.
- Request a waiver hearing. You plead guilty but ask the judge to reduce the fine. The officer doesn’t appear. The judge can lower the fine, or raise it up to $500.
- Request a trial. You plead not guilty and the case goes before a judge. The citing officer must appear. You can present evidence and cross-examine. If found guilty, you can appeal within 30 days.
Before a trial, requesting the officer’s notes and calibration records for the speed-detection device can surface weaknesses in the state’s case. If the agency doesn’t respond to your request, you can ask the judge to compel disclosure or dismiss.11Maryland Courts. Traffic Citation Information
Insurance and CDL Consequences
A speeding conviction on your driving record will almost certainly raise your auto insurance premium, and the increase generally lasts about three years. Industry data suggests a first ticket raises rates by roughly 20 to 25 percent on average, though the actual impact varies by insurer, prior record, and how far over you were going. Multiple tickets in a short span compound quickly.
Camera citations are the exception. Because they’re civil penalties without points and don’t appear on your driving record, insurers generally never see them.
Commercial driver’s license holders face a separate risk. Under federal regulation, speeding 15 mph or more above the posted limit counts as a “serious traffic violation” whether you were driving a commercial vehicle or your personal car. Two such violations within three years result in a 60-day disqualification from operating any commercial vehicle; three within three years extend that to 120 days.12eCFR. 49 CFR 383.51 – Disqualification of Drivers The vehicle you were driving when ticketed doesn’t matter. A CDL holder with two excessive speeding tickets in a personal car over one weekend faces the same 60-day commercial disqualification as a driver caught twice in a tractor-trailer.13Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Disqualifications of Drivers – General Questions If your livelihood depends on a CDL, even a single 15-over ticket is worth contesting.