Ticket Fines and Penalties in Louisiana

Louisiana Traffic Ticket Fines and Costs

Louisiana traffic ticket fines vary by violation and by court―and they’re not printed on your actual citation.

You must contact your court for the fine amount.

Court Costs and Other Surcharges

Like traffic ticket fines, court costs vary by court. You must contact your court for the exact amount.

DWI Surcharges

DWI surcharges are the same throughout Louisiana.

• First Offense: $1,000
• Second Offense: $1,000
• Third Offense: $2,000
• Fourth Offense: $5,000

These surcharges are in addition to court costs and other DWI-related penalties like license suspension, incarceration, and in some cases felony criminal records.

Refer to LA DWI for more information.

Negligent Injury and Homicide Surcharges

You must pay additional fines if you cause harm or death with a vehicle.

• Vehicle Negligent Injury: Up to $1,000.
• First Degree Vehicle Negligent Injury: Up to $2,000.
• Vehicular Homicide: Between $2,000 and $15,000.

NOTE: Vehicle Negligent Injury and First Degree Vehicle Negligent Injury both involve a driver who is under the influence of drugs or has a BAC of 0.08% or higher.

Pay Ticket
(Plead Guilty or No Contest)

• Pay the fine.
• Possibly have the violation appear on your PDPS record.
• Risk license suspension or revocation depending on the violation.
• Potentially experience an increase in auto insurance rates.

Learn more about
Paying your Traffic Ticket »

Fight Ticket
(Plead Not Guilty)

• Contest the ticket during your hearing.
• Prepare your case, possibly with a traffic ticket attorney.
• Possibly attend a driver improvement course for ticket dismissal.
• Have no penalties if found not guilty (except any applicable court/attorney fees).
• Appeal the guilty verdict (if applicable).

Learn more about
Fighting your Traffic Ticket »

Auto Insurance Rate Increase

It’s almost as if we’re born with this knowledge: I get a traffic ticket, and my insurance rates go up.

Fortunately, it’s not the case for all drivers. Depending on your driving history, your provider, and your policy, a violation might not result in higher rates for you.

Talk with your agent about the possibility of higher rates the next time you renew your policy; if you find out you can expect an increase, start comparing car insurance rates online to see if you can find a better deal.

Louisiana Traffic Ticket Penalties

The state can automatically suspend, revoke, or cancel a driver’s license for a variety of reasons. Let’s focus on traffic- and driving-related causes here.

LA Driver’s License Suspension, Revocation, and Cancellation

License Suspension: Usually, a license suspension takes away your driving privileges for a predetermined amount of time, though restoration of your privileges also might depend on meeting certain reinstatement requirements.

License Revocation: Revocations are similar to suspensions, but usually they last much longer and require more involved reinstatement processes.

License Cancellation: Typically, a license cancellation occurs when a driver obtains a license using false information, uses a license for illegal purposes, or has been determined physically or mentally unfit to operate a motor vehicle.

Chapter Eight (“Driving Offenses”) of Louisiana’s Driver Guide outlines reasons why the state will suspend or revoke your driver’s license. Below are some of the most common traffic- and driving-related causes:

• DWI convictions.
• Not stopping for a school bus loading or unloading children.
• Manslaughter or negligent homicide involving a vehicle.
• Commission of a felony involving a vehicle.
• Three reckless driving convictions in a 12-month period.
• Using a text messaging device while driving, a cellular phone while operating a school bus, or either while you’re younger than 18 or have a learner’s or intermediate license.
• Driving with a license that’s already suspended.

Point Accumulation

Louisiana doesn’t adhere to a point system; instead, the state sends certain information (such as serious traffic violations, suspensions, and revocations) to the National Driver Registry’s Problem Driver Pointer System.

However, the OMV does keep a five-year public record of all your traffic violations, and a 10-year record of any DWI-related violation.

Learn more at LA Driving Records.

Penalties for Drivers Younger than 21

For drivers younger than 21, DWI means driving with a BAC of 0.02% or higher.

Penalties include:

• First Offense: 180-day license suspension or revocation.
• Second Offense: 365-day license suspension.

Note that these penalties are in addition to any other penalties the court imposes, such as the usual incarceration. Plus, you’ll acquire a criminal record or, for some, a felony criminal record.

Penalties for Louisiana Commercial Drivers

You must notify your employer within 30 days of receiving a traffic ticket.

The following CDL driver penalties are federally mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):

Major Offenses

Conviction of any of the following major offenses results in one-year suspension or disqualification:

• Driving any vehicle with a BAC of 0.08% or higher.
• Driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) with a BAC of 0.04%.
• Refusing a sobriety test.
• Leaving an accident scene.
• Commission of a felony with the vehicle.
• Operating a CMV with a suspended, revoked, or canceled CDL.
• Negligent driving that results in fatality.

Serious Offenses

The following are considered serious offenses:

• Speeding 15 miles or more over the limit.
• Driving recklessly.
• Changing lanes improperly
• Following too closely behind another vehicle.
• Operating a CMV without having a CDL.
• Operating a CMV without having your CDL in your possession.
• Operating a CMV without the proper CDL endorsement.
• Violating a state law of texting while driving.

For:

• Second convictions, you’ll lose your license for 60 days.
• Third convictions, you’ll lose your license for 120 days.

CDL Disqualifications

You’ll lose your CDL for anywhere from 180 days to one year if you violate a driver or vehicle out-of-service order:

• While transporting nonhazardous materials.
• While transporting hazardous materials required to be placarded, or while driving a vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers.

For more information, refer to the FMCSA’s Rules and Regulations and check out the Louisiana Commercial Driver’s License Manual.