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Rhode Island traffic tickets

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

Speeding ticket$95–$205state schedule
Ticket due20 daysto pay or respond
Defensive Driving (court-ordered)No
Insurance after 1 ticket+32%on $3,312 a year

What will my ticket really cost? Check my points

What kind of ticket did you get?

Which court is on your ticket?

One statewide schedule sets most fines. Pick the court named on your ticket.

What are your options with a Rhode Island ticket?

Paying is the fastest route, and it usually puts the ticket on your record. Here is every route Rhode Island offers, and what each one changes.

  1. Pay the ticket

    Sign the form on the summons and send it with a check or money order to the Traffic Tribunal within 20 days, pay online by card or pay in person in Cranston.

    What it does: The violation goes on your record as a civil adjudication.[3][17][18]

    Cost: The amount on the schedule plus the court technology surcharge.

  2. Contest the ticket

    Appear on the date on the summons. At the first appearance you can admit the charge or ask for a trial.

    What it does: The state or town must prove the charge by clear and convincing evidence. If it is not proven, the charge is dismissed and nothing is paid. If you lose, the judge sets the fine and can add a suspension.[5][15][18]

    Cost: The fine plus a $35 hearing fee if you are found guilty.

  3. Ask for a good driving record dismissal

    Appear in court and show you have had your license more than 3 years with no other traffic violations in the past 3 years.

    What it does: The charge is dismissed. Speeding more than 14 mph over, school bus and child seat violations, crashes with damage or injury, and CDL holders are not eligible.[6][18]

    Cost: $35 administrative fee plus a $25 surcharge.

What does the Rhode Island state schedule charge for speeding?

1–10 mph over$95[2]
11+ mph over$205[2]

Fines paid without going to court carry only a court technology surcharge of up to $25 and no hearing fee.[2][14][15]

Every fine on the Rhode Island schedule (19)
TicketYou pay
Speeding, 1–10 mph overPrinted as: Speeding 1 to 10 mph over the limitThis is the total fine set by state law.$95[2]
Speeding, 11+ mph overPrinted as: Speeding 11 mph or more over the limit$10 for each mph over the limit, with a minimum of $205.$205[2]
Speed not reasonable and prudent for conditions$95[2]
School zone speed camera ticket$50[2]
Failure to obey a traffic signal or device$100[2]
Failure to obey a stop sign$100[2]
Failure to yield right of wayTurning left, yield signs and pulling out of a driveway are also $100.$100[2]
Following too closely$100[2]
Laned roadway violationLeaving your lane of travel is also $100.$100[2]
Turn signal required$100[2]
Driving in the emergency breakdown lane$100[2]
Using a handheld phone or texting while driving, first offense$150 for a second conviction and $250 for a third or later.$100[9]
Driver not wearing a seat beltA passenger without a seat belt is also $40.$40[2]
Child not in a required car seat$100[2]
Driving with an expired registration$100[2]
Driving on an expired license$100[2]
No inspection sticker$100[2]
Passing a stopped school busUp to $300 and up to 30 days of suspension for a first offense.On your notice[12]
Driving without insurance, first offense$100 to $500 and a suspension of up to 3 months.On your notice[13]

How many points is each Rhode Island ticket?

Rhode Island does not use driver points.[2][8][21]

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

When can you lose your license?

Full wording of each rule
  • 4 moving-violation convictions on separate occasions: fine up to $1,000, 60 hours of driver retraining, 60 hours of community service, and a suspension of up to 1 year or revocation up to 2 years if the court finds you are a substantial traffic safety hazard.
  • Second or later speeding ticket up to 10 mph over within 12 months: $10 per mph over for a second offense and $15 per mph for a third, plus up to 30 days of suspension.
  • Speeding more than 10 mph over: $10 per mph for a first offense, $15 for a second and $20 for a third within 12 months, plus up to 60 days of suspension.
  • A third ticket after 2 guilty findings within 12 months cannot be paid by mail. You must appear before a judge.
  • Not answering a ticket, missing court or not paying a fine: the court can suspend your license and registration.

Getting your license back after a suspension costs $153.50 in Rhode Island, before any course or court costs.[19]

Drivers under 21

Not published

Can Defensive Driving (court-ordered) keep a ticket off your record in Rhode Island?

No. A judge can order you to take a 6-hour Defensive Driving course as part of the sentence.[5][20]

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

Who qualifies, CDL drivers and cost

A judge can order you to take a 6-hour Defensive Driving course as part of the sentence. It does not dismiss the ticket.[5][20]

Who can use it: Only drivers ordered to take it by the Traffic Tribunal or a municipal court.[15][20]

Cost: 200[19]

Do school and work zones cost more?

School zones

Not doubled. The limit is 20 mph within 300 feet of school entrances and exits during school days when signs are posted. School zone speed camera tickets are $50.[2][10]

Work zones

Doubled. All fines, penalties and costs for a traffic violation in a signed construction or maintenance zone are twice the normal amount.[11]

When is your ticket due?

  1. 20daysPay or respondfrom the ticket date[3][4]
    Details

    Pay the ticket without going to court. If you miss it: You lose the option to pay by mail and must appear in court on the date on the summons.

  2. 10daysLast day to appealfrom conviction[7][18]
    Details

    Appeal a decision to the Traffic Tribunal appeals panel. If you miss it: The appeal will not be heard unless the late filing was due to excusable neglect.

  3. 45daysPay fines and costs set by a judgefrom conviction[17]
    Details

    Pay fines and costs set by a judge. If you miss it: Your license can be suspended for nonpayment. You can ask for an ability to pay hearing and a payment plan.

  4. 180daysAsk for a good driving record dismissalfrom conviction[6]
    Details

    Ask for a good driving record dismissal. If you miss it: The tribunal cannot dismiss a charge this way more than 6 months after the disposition.

What happens if you don't respond

If you don't pay in time and then miss your court date, a judge can enter a default judgment and decide the case without you. The order can include suspending your license and registration, and it is mailed to you. Unpaid fines can also lead to state tax refunds being held, and after 90 days your name and the amount owed can be posted on the Judiciary website.[4][5][18]

Work out your exact dates → · Already missed it?

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

Rhode Island is in both compacts. If you are from another state and go to court, bring a certified copy of your driving record to your first appearance.[1][18]

How out-of-state tickets work →

How much will it raise your insurance in Rhode Island?

One speeding ticket raised a full-coverage premium by about 32% on average in Rhode Island[1], from a clean-record average of $3,312 a year.[1] If that increase stays for three years, that's about $3,180 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 Rhode Island?

Rhode Island does not use driver points. Instead it counts convictions. Four moving-violation convictions within 18 months can bring a fine of up to $1,000, 60 hours of driver retraining, 60 hours of community service and a suspension of up to 1 year. Repeat speeding within 12 months raises the fine per mph and can bring a suspension. Most civil traffic violations come off your record after 3 years.

Is there traffic school for tickets in Rhode Island?

A judge can order you to take a 6-hour Defensive Driving course as part of the sentence. It does not dismiss the ticket.

How long do I have to pay or respond to a ticket in Rhode Island?

20 days from the citation. If you miss it: You lose the option to pay by mail and must appear in court on the date on the summons.

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

Rhode Island is a member of the Driver License Compact, so convictions in other member states are reported to Rhode Island. Rhode Island is in both compacts. If you are from another state and go to court, bring a certified copy of your driving record to your first appearance.

How much does a speeding ticket raise insurance in Rhode Island?

About 32% 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

Rhode Island law and DMV sources (21)
  1. AAMVA DLC/NRVC Member Joinder Dates (rev. April 2026), AAMVA.
  2. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-4 Schedule of violations, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  3. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-3 Method of payment, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  4. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-5 Failure to answer or appear, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  5. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-6 Hearings, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  6. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-7 Application for dismissal based on good driving record, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  7. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-8 Appellate review, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  8. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-24 Multiple moving offenses, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  9. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30 Distracted driving prohibited while operating a motor vehicle, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  10. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-14-2 Prima facie limits, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  11. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-14-12.1 Special speed limits in highway construction and maintenance operations, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  12. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-20-12 Stopping for school bus required, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  13. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-47-9 Penalties (Motor Vehicle Reparations Act), Rhode Island General Assembly.
  14. R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-15-11 Electronic filing and online payments, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  15. R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-18-4 Adjudication of summonses by municipal courts, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  16. Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal, Rhode Island Judiciary.
  17. Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal Payment Instructions (revised February 2026), Rhode Island Judiciary.
  18. Know Your Rights: For Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal Violations, Rhode Island Judiciary.
  19. Adjudication Fees, Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles.
  20. Driver Retraining, Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles.
  21. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-10 Expungement, Rhode Island General Assembly.
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).