Ticket Fines and Penalties in Idaho

Idaho Traffic Ticket Fines and Costs

Civil infractions (such as speeding tickets) have state-mandated fixed penalties (which include both the ticket fine and the court cost). This means a ticket for speeding in a school zone costs the same in one part of the state as it does in another.

Misdemeanors, on the other hand, can vary by location (in addition to violation).

Your exact traffic ticket fines and court costs should be printed on your citation. We can help you find lost traffic tickets, but if you have your ticket and it doesn’t include the information, contact your court.

Court Costs and Other Surcharges

Court costs for civil infractions are included in the fixed penalty and remain the same throughout the state.

Court costs for misdemeanor or other criminal charges can vary by violation and location.

Again, check your ticket or contact your court.

DUI Surcharges

DUI surcharges are as follows:

• First Conviction: Up to $1,000.
• Second Conviction (within 10 years): Up to $2,000.
• Third or Subsequent Conviction (within 10 years): Up to $5,000.

Steep fines are just the beginning. Please refer to our Idaho DUI section for more information about penalties related to DUI charges.

Defensive Driving Course Fees

You can’t take a defensive driving course to satisfy or remove the points associated with a current traffic citation, but you can take one for general point reduction.

Generally, drivers who plead or are found guilty of their traffic citations incur points on their driving records, and they later decide to take defensive driving courses to reduce those points.

Enrolling in a defensive driving course can cost anywhere from $18 to $60; sometimes, courses charge extra for completion certificates.

For more information about using defensive driving courses to reduce points (and how Idaho allows you to take an online course from your own home), refer to our section on Point Reduction.

Auto Insurance Rate Increase

Most auto insurance companies increase their policyholders’ rates when they’re convicted of traffic violations. Of course, this always depends on the provider, the driver’s history, and the specific policy, but there’s a good chance “higher premiums” are just one more cost you can tack on to a guilty plea or verdict.

Fortunately, there are two ways you can combat this possibility:

• Ask your provider about any available discounts for taking a defensive driving course.
• Start comparing car insurance rates online to see if you can find better prices.

Idaho Traffic Ticket Penalties

Similar to traffic ticket fines, violation penalties are the same throughout the state.

ID Driver’s License Suspension, Revocation, and Cancellation

Idaho can suspend or revoke your driver’s license for a variety of reasons, but what is the different between the two?

License Suspension: You lose your driving privileges for a shorter period of time (compared to revocations) and, depending on the violation, may or may not have to meet certain requirements before applying for reinstatement.

License Revocation: You lose your driving privileges for a much longer period of time. Typically, drivers must meet more involved requirements before getting their licenses back from a revocation.

NOTE: Idaho reserves the right to also disqualify, deny, or cancel a driver’s license when the state and the DMV see fit. Situations can include everything from obtaining a driver’s license under false pretenses to health and medical causes.

Chapter Eight of the Idaho Driver’s Manual outlines the various offenses (both related to and unrelated to traffic violations) that result in license suspension or revocation.

Examples include:

• Reckless driving.
• DUI related to alcohol or drugs.
• Fleeing from a police officer.
• Committing a felony with a motor vehicle.
• Leaving the scene of an accident that caused property damage.

Sometimes, it’s not the violations themselves but the points they accumulate that lead to license suspension.

• 8-11 points in any 12 months: Warning letter.
• 12-17 points in any 12 months: 30-day suspension.
• 18-23 points in any 24 months: 60-day suspension.
• 24 or more points in any 36 months: Six-month suspension.

Learn more at our Idaho Point System section.

Penalties for Drivers Younger than 21

Drivers younger than 21 caught driving with a BAC of .02% face:

• First Conviction: Fine up to $1,000 and license suspension for up to one year.
• Second Conviction (within 10 years): Fine of up to $2,000, up to 30 days in jail, and license suspension for up to two years.
• Third or Subsequent Conviction (within 10 years): Fine of up to $2,000, between 10 days and six months in jail, and mandatory one-year license suspension. Must use an interlock ignition device upon license reinstatement. This conviction is a felony.

Chapter Eight of the Idaho Driver’s Manual outlines DUI-related fines and penalties for drivers of all ages.

Drivers Younger than 17

Drivers younger than 17 face certain graduated license penalties for receiving a moving traffic violation conviction.

The first conviction results in a warning letter, but:

• A second conviction results in a 30-day license suspension.
• A third conviction results in a 60-day license suspension.

These penalties are in addition to the Supervised Instruction Permit (SIP) cancellation (if you’re in the permit phase). This means that once your suspension is over, you’ll have to purchase a new SIP.

Penalties for Idaho Commercial Drivers

Notify your employer within 30 days of receiving a traffic ticket; typically, this is regardless of the type of vehicle you were driving.

The following are national standards set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Major Offenses

You will lose your ID CDL for one year if convicted of any of the following offenses:

• Driving any vehicle with a blood alcohol count (BAC) of 0.08% or higher.
• Driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) with a BAC of 0.04%.
• Refusing to submit to a sobriety test.
• Leaving the scene of an accident.
• Using the vehicle to commit a felony.
• Driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) with a suspended, revoked, or canceled CDL.
• Causing a fatality through negligent driving.

Serious Offenses

These violations include:

• Speeding 15 mph over the posted speed limit.
• Reckless driving.
• Improper lane changes.
• Following a vehicle too closely.
• Driving a CMV without holding a CDL.
• Driving a CMV without having your CDL in your possession.
• Driving a CMV without the proper CDL endorsement.
• Violating a state law of texting while driving.

A second conviction of any combination of these violations will lead to the loss of your driving privileges for 60 days; 120 days for a third or subsequent conviction of any combination of these offenses.

CDL Disqualifications

Your CDL will be disqualified from anywhere from 180 days to one year for the following convictions:

• Violating a driver or vehicle out-of-service order while transporting nonhazardous materials.
• Violating a driver or vehicle out-of-service order while transporting hazardous materials required to be placarded, or while driving a vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers.

Visit the FMCSA and check out the Idaho Commercial Driver’s License Manual for more information.