How Much Is a Speeding Ticket in Illinois? Fines and Costs

The cost of an Illinois speeding ticket depends almost entirely on one number: how many miles per hour over the limit the driver was going. Minor speeding is a petty offense punishable by a fine, while going far enough over the limit turns the same conduct into a criminal misdemeanor that carries larger fines and possible jail. This article breaks down the fine tiers, the court assessments added on top of the fine, and how court supervision affects both the cost and the driving record. It is one of the topics covered in Illinois traffic tickets, the statewide overview of fines, court, and options.

What a speeding ticket costs in Illinois

Illinois sets its default speed limits in 625 ILCS 5/11-601: 30 mph in an urban district, 55 mph on most rural highways, 65 mph on many rural divided highways, and 70 mph on rural interstate highways. Driving faster than the posted or statutory limit is the violation. What it costs turns on the margin over that limit.

Two figures do most of the work. Speeding 1 to 25 mph over the limit is a petty offense, meaning a fine with no possibility of jail. Speeding 26 mph or more over the limit is a criminal misdemeanor, meaning larger maximum fines, a possible jail sentence, and a criminal charge rather than a simple traffic citation. Every dollar figure below is a statutory maximum or minimum; the judge sets the actual fine within those bounds, and mandatory court assessments are added separately.

Illinois speeding tiers: petty offense vs. misdemeanor

Illinois speeding penalties fall into three tiers based on speed over the limit:

• 1 to 25 mph over, petty offense. Under 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-75, a petty offense carries a minimum fine of $75 and a maximum fine of $1,000, with no jail. Most ordinary speeding tickets land here.
• 26 to 34 mph over, Class B misdemeanor. 625 ILCS 5/11-601.5 makes this a Class B misdemeanor, punishable under 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-60 by up to 6 months in jail and a fine up to $1,500.
• 35 mph or more over, Class A misdemeanor. The same statute makes this a Class A misdemeanor, punishable under 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-55 by a jail term of less than one year and a fine up to $2,500.

The line between a fine-only ticket and a criminal charge sits at 26 mph over the limit. That threshold matters far more to the total cost, and to the long-term consequences, than the base speed limit on the road where the stop happened.

Court costs and assessments beyond the fine

The fine is only part of what a driver pays. On top of the fine, Illinois courts add mandatory assessments set by the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act, and the amounts vary from county to county because parts of the schedule are set locally. The circuit clerk in the county where the ticket was filed collects both the fine and the assessments, so the total on a minor speeding ticket is higher than the base fine alone.

Some conditional assessments apply only to specific violations. Under 705 ILCS 135/15-70, speeding in a construction or maintenance zone adds a $250 assessment on top of everything else, and reckless driving or driving 26 mph or more over the limit that triggers an emergency response can add a reimbursement charge of up to $1,000. Because the base assessment schedule is county-specific, the reliable way to learn the exact total is the circuit clerk’s office listed on the ticket. The Illinois Courts Self-Help center links to court forms and payment information for people handling a case without a lawyer.

Aggravated speeding: 26 mph or more over the limit

Illinois treats high-speed violations as “aggravated speeding,” and the label is not cosmetic. A Class B or Class A misdemeanor is a criminal charge. A conviction creates a permanent criminal record in addition to the traffic consequences, and the case is prosecuted like other misdemeanors, with a court appearance generally required rather than a mail-in payment. That first appearance resembles the Illinois DUI arraignment that opens other traffic-related criminal cases, where the court reads the charge and takes an initial plea.

The financial exposure is also higher. As noted above, the fine ceiling is $1,500 for a Class B misdemeanor and $2,500 for a Class A misdemeanor under 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-60 and 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-55, and both carry the possibility of jail. Those maximums are on top of the same mandatory court assessments that apply to any traffic case.

Court supervision and your driving record

Court supervision for a speeding ticket is the disposition that most affects both the record consequences and, indirectly, the cost of a speeding case. Under 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-75, a court may defer proceedings and enter an order of supervision instead of a conviction. When the driver completes the supervision period and its conditions, the case ends without a conviction being entered. Supervision still involves paying the fine and assessments, and a supervision disposition on a Vehicle Code offense adds a small statutory assessment of 50 cents under 705 ILCS 135/15-70.

The record consequence is what makes supervision valuable. Traffic convictions are reported to the Illinois Secretary of State, which maintains the driving record, and accumulating convictions in a short period can lead the Secretary of State to suspend a driver’s license. Supervision completed successfully is generally not reported as a conviction, so it does not count the same way toward a suspension. Whether a court grants supervision, and on what conditions, is decided case by case.