Speeding Tickets in Alabama: Points, Costs and When to Fight One
Paying the ticket is pleading guilty. It is not a fee to make the problem go away — it is a conviction, and it puts points on your driving record.
Under Alabama’s point system, points count for two years from the date of conviction, and 12 points in a two-year period is a 60-day suspension. Most people do not realise how close they are until the letter arrives.
What a speeding conviction actually costs
- The fine and court costs. These vary by court and by municipality, which is why no honest page can quote you a single number.
- Points. Two points for 1–25 mph over the limit; five points for 26 mph or more over.
- Insurance. Frequently the largest cost, and it lasts years rather than weeks.
- Your record. For a commercial driver, or anyone who drives for work, a moving violation is a different order of problem.
Alabama Administrative Code r. 760-X-1-.07: “Reports of traffic convictions shall retain their point value for suspension purposes for a period of two years from the date of conviction.”
So the question is never just this ticket. It is this ticket plus everything in the previous 24 months.
Ala. Admin. Code r. 760-X-1-.07.When it is worth fighting
- You are near the thresholdIf you already have points from the last two years, one more conviction can push you over 12 and cost you your licence for 60 days.
- You drive for a livingA commercial licence holder faces consequences a private driver does not. So does anyone whose job depends on being insurable.
- It is 26 mph or more overThat is five points rather than two, and it moves you two and a half times closer to a suspension.
- You are already suspended, or close to itDriving while suspended is a separate offence and it escalates quickly.
- The stop itself is questionableWhy you were stopped, how the speed was measured, and whether the equipment was calibrated are all real questions.
- It was written in a court you cannot easily attendFailing to appear turns a ticket into a much larger problem.
Not sure how many points you already have?
That is the first thing to establish, and it changes the advice completely. Call the Athens office.
When it probably is not
Sometimes paying is the sensible answer. A clean record, a modest speed, no commercial licence, and no job that depends on insurability — a two-point conviction may simply not be worth the cost of fighting.
A lawyer who tells you to fight every ticket is not giving you advice, they are quoting a price. Ask what your record actually looks like first.
Where the ticket goes
To the court named on the citation. A city police stop goes to that municipality’s court; a county or state trooper stop goes to district court. In Limestone County that is Athens Municipal Court or Limestone County District Court. Check the citation — and check the appearance date, because missing it is worse than the ticket.
I-65 and US-72 stops commonly land here
Related charges that are not simple tickets
- Reckless driving — Ala. Code § 32-5A-190. A first conviction carries 5 to 90 days’ imprisonment, or a fine of $25 to $500, or both. It is six points. This is not a traffic ticket.
- Driving while suspended or revoked — a separate offence that compounds the original problem.
- DUI — a different process entirely, with a 10-day deadline on your licence that runs whether or not you do anything.
What we handle
We handle traffic charges and DUI. We do not handle felony criminal defence. If the charge on your citation is more serious than it looks, we will tell you on the first call.
Speeding ticket questions
How many points is a speeding ticket in Alabama?
Two points for 1 to 25 mph over the limit, and five points for 26 mph or more over, under Ala. Admin. Code r. 760-X-1-.07.
How many points before I lose my licence in Alabama?
12 to 14 points in a two-year period is a 60-day suspension; 15 to 17 is 90 days; 18 to 20 is 120 days; 21 to 23 is 180 days; and 24 or more is 365 days.
How long do points stay on my Alabama record?
Convictions retain their point value for suspension purposes for two years from the date of conviction. Whether the conviction itself remains visible on a record is a separate question from whether it still counts toward a suspension.
If I pay the ticket, is that the end of it?
No. Paying is pleading guilty. The conviction is entered, the points are assessed, and your insurer generally finds out. It ends the court case; it does not end the consequences.
Can I go to traffic school instead in Alabama?
Options vary by court and by municipality, and are not available everywhere or for every charge. Ask about the specific court on your citation rather than assuming.
What happens if I just ignore the ticket?
Failing to appear is significantly worse than the ticket. It can lead to a warrant and to a separate licence suspension. If you have already missed a date, say so on the first call — that changes what has to happen next.
Do I have to appear in court myself?
It depends on the charge and the court. In many traffic matters a lawyer can appear on your behalf. Tell us which court is on the citation and we will tell you.
Is reckless driving just a bad speeding ticket?
No. Under Ala. Code § 32-5A-190 a first conviction carries 5 to 90 days’ imprisonment, or a fine of $25 to $500, or both, and it is six points. Treat it as a criminal charge, because it is one.
Check your points before you pay the ticket
Traffic and DUI defence across Limestone, Madison, Morgan and the surrounding counties.
Daniel Shawn Pickens
Attorney at Daniel S. Pickens Law in Athens, Alabama. The firm handles DUI and traffic defense, real estate closings and title work, estate planning and probate, deeds, business formation and contracts for clients across Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin and Lawrence Counties.