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Michigan traffic tickets

Points, traffic school, deadlines and what a ticket does to your insurance in Michigan.

Speeding ticketAbout $46–$240estimate with court costs
License at risk12 ptsin 24 months
Basic Driver Improvement Course (BDIC)Yesavailable, with limits
Insurance after 1 ticket+17%on $3,120 a year

What will my ticket really cost? Check my points

What kind of ticket did you get?

Which court is on your ticket?

State law sets a range, and the court picks the amount. Pick the court named on your ticket.

What are your options with a Michigan ticket?

Paying is the fastest route, and it usually puts the ticket on your record. Basic Driver Improvement Course (BDIC) is the main way to avoid that.

  1. Admit responsibility and pay

    Pay the court listed on the ticket by mail, in person or online by the due date.

    What it does: A civil infraction finding. The court reports it to the Secretary of State, which adds points.[15][22]

  2. Admit responsibility with an explanation

    Send or bring a written explanation to the court by the due date. A magistrate reviews it and may lower the amount.

    What it does: Still a finding of responsibility with points.[15][18][22]

  3. Deny responsibility at an informal hearing

    Ask the court for a hearing date by the due date. A magistrate or judge hears it, the officer must attend and no lawyers are allowed.

    What it does: If found not responsible, no fine and no points. If the officer doesn't appear, the case is dismissed.[16][18]

  4. Deny responsibility at a formal hearing

    Ask the court for a formal hearing before a judge by the due date. A prosecutor appears and you may have a lawyer.

    What it does: If found not responsible, no fine and no points.[15][18]

  5. Basic Driver Improvement Course

    If the Secretary of State mails you an eligibility letter after you pay, finish an approved course within 60 days.

    What it does: No points for the violation and insurers can't see it. Once in a lifetime.[4]

    Cost: Up to $100

  6. Ask for more time or installments

    Ask the court for permission to pay within a set time or in installments.

    What it does: Still a finding with points.[5][19]

What does Michigan law allow for speeding?

1–10 mph overAbout $46–$170[19][20]$6–$30 fine + costs
11–15 mph overAbout $71–$199[19]$31–$59 fine + costs
16+ mph overAbout $100–$240[19][5]$60–$100 fine + costs

Every traffic civil infraction adds a $40 justice system assessment, plus court costs of up to $100 set by each court.[5][19]

Every fine on the Michigan schedule (15)
TicketState fineWith court costs
Speeding, 1–10 mph overPrinted as: Speeding 1 to 10 mph overRecommended range for a first offense when you admit responsibility.$6–$30[19][20]$46–$170
Speeding, 11–15 mph overPrinted as: Speeding 11 to 15 mph overRecommended range for a first offense when you admit responsibility.$31–$59[19]$71–$199
Speeding, 16+ mph overPrinted as: Speeding 16 mph or more overRecommended range for a first offense when you admit responsibility.$60–$100[19][5]$100–$240
Speeding in an active school zoneDouble the usual speeding fine.On your notice[6][8]Plus court costs
Speeding in a work zoneDouble the usual speeding fine.On your notice[19][6]Plus court costs
Speeding on a limited access freeway with a limit of 55 mph or moreMinimum fines of $10 for 1 to 5 over, $20 for 6 to 10, $30 for 11 to 15, $40 for 16 to 25 and $50 for 26 or more.At least $10[23][19]At least $50
Disregard stop and go lightRecommended range for a first offense when you admit responsibility.$35[19]$75–$175
Disregard stop signRecommended range for a first offense when you admit responsibility.$35[19]$75–$175
Fail to yield at intersectionRecommended range for a first offense when you admit responsibility.$35[19]$75–$175
Careless drivingRecommended costs of $59 to $100 and the $40 assessment are added.$65[19]$105–$205
Holding or using a mobile device while driving (602b(1))Set by statute: $100 first offense and $250 for a second or later.$100[5][9]$140–$240
Safety belt violationFine and costs are fixed at $25 by statute, plus the $40 assessment.$65[5][19]$65
Failing to stop for a school busSCAO recommends a $177 fine.$100–$500[11][19]$140–$640
No insurance or no proof of insuranceSCAO recommends a total of $125 to $143.If you fix it: Up to $25, to have it dismissed. Show insurance valid on the ticket date, before your due date.[12][19]On your notice[12][19]Plus court costs
Registration or plate violationRecommended range for a first offense when you admit responsibility.$35[19]$75–$175

With court costs is an estimate. $40 justice system assessment plus court costs of up to $100 set by each court.[5][19] Your notice shows the exact total.

How many points is a speeding ticket in Michigan?

All 14 point values
  • Failure to yield2 pts[2]
  • Careless driving3 pts[2]
  • Reckless driving6 pts[2]
  • DUI6 pts[2]
  • Moving violation causing an at-fault crash4 pts[2]
  • Handheld phone use0 pts[2]
How points work in Michigan

The Secretary of State adds points for each conviction or civil infraction finding, including out-of-state ones. Speeding is 1 point for up to 5 mph over, 2 for 6 to 10, 3 for 11 to 15 and 4 for more than 15. Freeway speeding where the limit is 55 or more carries fewer points. Running a red light or stop sign is 3 points and OWI is 6. If several tickets come from one stop, only the one with the most points counts. 12 points within 2 years can lead to a reexamination.[2][23][3]

Commercial driver? Points and disqualifications work differently. How tickets affect a CDL →

When can you lose your license?

  1. 9 ptson recordThe Secretary of State may call you in for an interview about your driving[2]
  2. 12 ptsin 24 monthsThe Secretary of State may require a reexamination and may restrict, suspend or revoke your license[3]
Full wording of each rule
  • 9 points: The Secretary of State may call you in for an interview about your driving. If you don't show up, 3 more points are added.
  • 12 points in 24 months: The Secretary of State may require a reexamination and may restrict, suspend or revoke your license. A suspension under this rule can't last more than 1 year.

Getting your license back after a suspension costs $125 in Michigan, before any course or court costs.[14]

Drivers under 21

Drivers on a graduated license keep their Level 1 or Level 2 restrictions longer after any moving violation conviction, at-fault crash with a moving violation, or suspension. Level 1 extends until 90 days in a row with no violations or age 18. Level 2 extends until 12 months in a row with none. A parent or guardian is notified of the conviction.[17]

Can Basic Driver Improvement Course (BDIC) keep a ticket off your record in Michigan?

It can help. If you finish the course within 60 days of the Secretary of State's eligibility letter, the points for the violation are not added and insurers can't see the violation.[4]

How often: Once in a lifetime.

Official list of approved schools ↗

Is it worth it for your ticket? Get a yes or no →

Who qualifies, CDL drivers and cost

If you finish the course within 60 days of the Secretary of State's eligibility letter, the points for the violation are not added and insurers can't see the violation. The Secretary of State decides who is eligible, not the court.[4]

Who can use it: Not eligible if you hold a CDL or were driving a commercial vehicle, the violation is a crime or worth 4 or more points, it was careless driving, work zone speeding, school zone speeding or a school bus violation, you got more than one moving violation in the same stop, you already have 3 or more points, or you took the course before.[4]

Commercial (CDL) drivers: No[4] (Not available to commercial drivers, even in a personal vehicle.)

Cost: Up to $100, charged by the approved course sponsor.[4]

Do school and work zones cost more?

School zones

Doubled. The fine for a moving violation in a school zone is doubled from 30 minutes before school through 30 minutes after school. Court costs and the assessment are not doubled.[6][8][19]

Work zones

Doubled. The fine for a moving violation in a work zone, a school bus zone or an emergency scene is doubled and may go above $100. Court costs and the assessment are not doubled.[6][19]

When is your ticket due?

  1. Date on noticePay or respondset by the court[15][18][22]
    Details

    Pay, admit with an explanation, or ask for a hearing by the date on the ticket. If you miss it: The court enters a default judgment and starts the license suspension process.

  2. 7daysLast day to appealfrom conviction[18]
    Details

    Appeal an informal hearing decision. If you miss it: The decision stands.

  3. 14daysAsk the court to set aside a default judgmentfrom the notice date[18]
    Details

    Ask the court to set aside a default judgment. If you miss it: After 14 days you must use the general motion process instead.

  4. 28daysLicense suspended if ignoredfrom the court date[13][21]
    Details

    Court mails a suspension warning after you miss the due date. If you miss it: If you don't respond or pay within 14 days of the notice, the Secretary of State suspends your license until the court clears it and you pay a $45 clearance fee.

  5. 60daysFinish traffic schoolfrom the notice date[4]
    Details

    Finish the Basic Driver Improvement Course. If you miss it: The points are added to your record.

What happens if you don't respond

If you don't respond to a civil infraction ticket, the court enters a default judgment. 28 days or more after you miss the due date, the court mails a notice. If you still don't respond or pay within 14 days, the Secretary of State suspends your license. It stays suspended until the court reports that you resolved the ticket and you pay a $45 driver license clearance fee for each ticket.[18][13][21]

Work out your exact dates → · Already missed it?

Will an out-of-state ticket follow you home?

Michigan records convictions sent by courts in other states and adds points for them. If an out-of-state civil infraction became a conviction only because you didn't appear, it is noted on your record with no points.[2]

How out-of-state tickets work →

How much will it raise your insurance in Michigan?

One speeding ticket raised a full-coverage premium by about 17% on average in Michigan[1], from a clean-record average of $3,120 a year.[1] If that increase stays for three years, that's about $1,591 on top of the fine.

Averages from ValuePenguin State of Auto Insurance in 2026, not a quote. Insurers differ, and many look back three to five years.

Where are the official pages?

What else do people ask?

How do points work in Michigan?

The Secretary of State adds points for each conviction or civil infraction finding, including out-of-state ones. Speeding is 1 point for up to 5 mph over, 2 for 6 to 10, 3 for 11 to 15 and 4 for more than 15. Freeway speeding where the limit is 55 or more carries fewer points. Running a red light or stop sign is 3 points and OWI is 6. If several tickets come from one stop, only the one with the most points counts. 12 points within 2 years can lead to a reexamination.

How many points before your license is at risk in Michigan?

12 points in 24 months: The Secretary of State may require a reexamination and may restrict, suspend or revoke your license. A suspension under this rule can't last more than 1 year.

Can traffic school keep a ticket off my record in Michigan?

Basic Driver Improvement Course (BDIC): If you finish the course within 60 days of the Secretary of State's eligibility letter, the points for the violation are not added and insurers can't see the violation. The Secretary of State decides who is eligible, not the court. Limit: Once in a lifetime.

Will an out-of-state ticket follow me home to Michigan?

Michigan is not a member of the Driver License Compact. Michigan records convictions sent by courts in other states and adds points for them. If an out-of-state civil infraction became a conviction only because you didn't appear, it is noted on your record with no points.

How much does a speeding ticket raise insurance in Michigan?

About 17% on average for full coverage, according to ValuePenguin State of Auto Insurance in 2026. Your insurer's rate can differ a lot from the average.

Sources

Michigan law and DMV sources (23)
  1. AAMVA DLC/NRVC Member Joinder Dates (rev. April 2026), AAMVA.
  2. MCL 257.320a Recording convictions and points, Michigan Legislature.
  3. MCL 257.320 Investigation or reexamination (12 points in 2 years), Michigan Legislature.
  4. MCL 257.320d Basic driver improvement course, Michigan Legislature.
  5. MCL 257.907 Civil infraction fines, costs and assessments, Michigan Legislature.
  6. MCL 257.601b Double fines in work zones, school zones, school bus zones and emergency scenes, Michigan Legislature.
  7. MCL 257.627 Speed limits (work zones), Michigan Legislature.
  8. MCL 257.627a School zone speed limits, Michigan Legislature.
  9. MCL 257.602b Holding or using a mobile electronic device while driving, Michigan Legislature.
  10. MCL 257.710e Safety belt use, Michigan Legislature.
  11. MCL 257.682 Stopping for a school bus, Michigan Legislature.
  12. MCL 257.328 Proof of insurance, Michigan Legislature.
  13. MCL 257.321a Failure to answer a citation or comply with a judgment, Michigan Legislature.
  14. MCL 257.320e License reinstatement fee, Michigan Legislature.
  15. MCL 257.743 Contents of a civil infraction citation, Michigan Legislature.
  16. MCL 257.746 Informal hearing, Michigan Legislature.
  17. MCL 257.310e Graduated licensing, Michigan Legislature.
  18. Michigan Court Rule 4.101 Civil Infraction Actions, Michigan Supreme Court.
  19. SCAO memo: 2022 Recommended Range of Civil Fines and Costs for First-Time Civil Infractions, Michigan State Court Administrative Office.
  20. Fiscal Brief: Traffic Citation Revenue (February 9, 2026), Michigan House Fiscal Agency.
  21. Comparison of Civil Infractions (quick reference, updated April 24, 2025), Michigan Judicial Institute.
  22. 36th District Court: Traffic Violations FAQ, 36th District Court.
  23. MCL 257.629c Speeding on limited access freeways (fines and points), Michigan Legislature.
Insurance sources (4)
  1. State of Auto Insurance in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
  2. Car Insurance Rate Increases with a Speeding Ticket in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
  3. How Does a DUI Affect Your Auto Insurance Rates in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
  4. How Much Will My Car Insurance Rates Go Up After a Crash in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).