Texas speed limit laws set default maximums that range from 15 mph in alleys to 75 mph on certain highways, with one toll road south of Austin posted at 85 mph — the highest limit in the country. Posted signs override the defaults, and you can still be ticketed for driving below the posted number if conditions make that speed unsafe. Speeding is a Class C misdemeanor with fines up to $500, and enough tickets in a short window will cost you your license.
Default Speed Limits by Road Type
When no sign says otherwise, Texas Transportation Code Section 545.352 fills in the number for you. These defaults are called prima facie limits, meaning the law presumes anything faster is unreasonable.
- 70 mph on state and U.S. numbered highways outside city limits, including farm-to-market and ranch-to-market roads
- 60 mph on unnumbered highways outside city limits
- 30 mph on streets within an urban district
- 15 mph in alleys, on beaches, and on county roads next to public beaches1State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 545.352 – Prima Facie Speed Limits
Whatever the default, the posted sign controls when it differs. Municipalities can raise or lower limits within their boundaries, though no city can post above 75 mph.2State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 545.356 – Authority of Municipality to Alter Speed Limits The Texas Transportation Commission adjusts limits on state highways, and county commissioners courts handle county roads outside cities. Any change has to be supported by an engineering and traffic investigation, which is why residential streets often post 25 mph instead of the 30 mph default.3Texas Department of Transportation. Procedures for Establishing Speed Zones – Background
The 85 Mph Toll Road
Segments 5 and 6 of State Highway 130, a toll road running from just north of Mustang Ridge to I-10 in Seguin, carry an 85 mph limit.4SH 130 Concession Company. About SH 130 Segments 5 and 6 It was engineered as a bypass around congested I-35, and no other public road in the United States matches it.
You Can Be Ticketed Below the Posted Limit
The posted number is a ceiling, not a guarantee. Texas Transportation Code Section 545.351 requires you to drive at a speed that’s reasonable and prudent under the conditions, whatever the sign says.5State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 545.351 – Maximum Speed Requirement
The statute names the situations where you have to slow down: approaching and crossing intersections and railroad crossings, going around curves, cresting hills, driving on narrow or winding roads, and whenever there’s a special hazard from weather, pedestrians, or highway conditions.5State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 545.351 – Maximum Speed Requirement An officer who watches you hydroplane at 65 in a 70 zone has grounds to write a ticket.
School Zones
Texas doesn’t fix a single statewide school zone speed. Each zone is set by an engineering study, with state guidance recommending no higher than 35 mph. Most are posted at 20 mph.
The reduced limit is legally enforceable only when the sign either lists the hours the limit applies or has a flashing beacon that turns on during those hours.6Texas Department of Transportation. Procedures for Establishing Speed Zones – Signs Outside those hours, or when the beacon isn’t flashing, the road’s regular limit applies again.
Construction Zones
A posted construction zone limit is in force whether or not you see workers or equipment nearby. It stays in force until a sign raises the limit again.
The fines change dramatically when workers are actually on site. If your citation states that workers were present in a posted work zone, both the minimum and maximum fines for the speeding offense double. One important limit on this rule: the doubled fine for speeding applies only where the work zone is marked with a sign showing the maximum lawful speed. Unsigned work areas can still get you cited, but the doubled-fine provision doesn’t kick in for the speed itself.7State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 542.404 – Fine for Offense in Construction or Maintenance Work Zone
Driving Too Slowly and the Left-Lane Rule
Speed laws cut both ways in Texas. Section 545.363 prohibits driving so slowly that you impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic, unless the slower speed is needed for safety or required by law.8Texas Public Law. Texas Transportation Code 545.363 – Minimum Speed Regulations Some highways also carry posted minimum speeds where studies show slow vehicles cause consistent problems.
If you’re moving slower than surrounding traffic, you also have to keep to the right lane or as close to the right edge of the road as practical. The only exceptions are when you’re passing or preparing for a left turn.9Texas Legislature Online. Texas Transportation Code Chapter 545 – Operation and Movement of Vehicles Sitting in the left lane at 60 while traffic around you moves at 70 is a citable offense.
Fines and License Suspension
A speeding ticket is a Class C misdemeanor. The maximum fine is $500, and there’s no jail time.10State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 12.23 – Class C Misdemeanor What you actually pay depends on the court and how far over the limit you were. Some courts charge a set amount per mile over; others use a flat schedule. Court costs and state fees get added on top and often exceed $100 by themselves, so a ticket with a $100 base fine can easily run $250 or more out the door.
Work zone tickets with workers present double both ends of the fine range, and a single citation can top $500 with fees.7State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 542.404 – Fine for Offense in Construction or Maintenance Work Zone
The bigger long-term risk is your license. Texas doesn’t use a traditional point system. The Department of Public Safety instead counts moving violation convictions, and it will suspend your license if you rack up four or more within 12 months or seven or more within 24 months.11Texas Department of Public Safety. Traffic Offenses That threshold surprises people who commute heavily and collect a few tickets in a short span.
Keeping a Ticket Off Your Record
A citation doesn’t have to end in a conviction. Texas gives you two main ways to avoid one.
Deferred Disposition
Under Article 45.051 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, a judge can hold your case without entering a guilty finding and put you on probation for up to 180 days. Meet the judge’s conditions during that period and the charge is dismissed. The conditions can include paying the fine amount, completing a driving safety course, or other requirements the judge sets.12State of Texas. Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Art. 45.051 – Deferred Disposition
Drivers under 25 face a stricter version. For a moving violation, the judge is required to order a driving safety course as part of the deferral rather than leaving it optional.12State of Texas. Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Art. 45.051 – Deferred Disposition A driver with a provisional license also has to pass a DPS re-examination.
Driving Safety Course Dismissal
Separately, Texas lets you request dismissal by completing a state-approved driving safety course. You pay the court’s administrative fee upfront, take the course, and submit your certificate within 90 days. If the court accepts it, the ticket is dismissed and no conviction goes on your record.
Not every ticket qualifies. You generally can’t use this option if you were going 25 mph or more over the limit, driving 95 mph or above, speeding in a construction zone with workers present, or if you’ve already used the course to dismiss a ticket within the previous 12 months. Commercial driver’s license holders are ineligible even if they were driving a personal vehicle when they were cited.
Both options come with costs. Between court fees, administrative processing, and the course itself, you’ll usually spend $150 to $200 or more. That’s still cheaper than a conviction that stays on your record and pushes your insurance premiums up for years.