Ticket Fines and Penalties in Indiana

Indiana Traffic Ticket Fines and Costs

Indiana traffic ticket fines vary by violation and location. Your ticket should include the fine; if it doesn't, contact your court.

Lost your citation? Visit Lost IN Traffic Ticket.

Court Costs and Other Surcharges

Like traffic ticket fines, court costs vary by court and drivers can get an exact number by contacting their courts.

OWI Surcharges

Unlike some states, Indiana doesn't have a statewide schedule of OWI surcharges. OWI-related fines vary by court and depend on the driver and exact situation.

Refer to IN OWI for more information about other OWI-related penalties including license suspension, insurance-related consequences, and habitual offender labels.

Driver Safety Program Costs

Your judge may allow (or order) you to enroll in a Driver Safety Program (DSP) course to either keep a violation off your record or avoid further penalties like license suspension.

When this is the case, expect to tack on up to $55 onto your total costs.

Deferral Program Fees

Some courts offer deferral programs. Simply put, these programs allow eligible drivers to pay certain additional fees to avoid having the violations on their records.

Just like program availability, program cost varies by court. You can contact your court to find out if a deferral program is available to you and if so, how much it will cost.

Pay Ticket
(Plead Guilty)

  • Pay the fine.
  • Accumulate driving record points.
  • Get higher auto insurance rates.
  • Possibly attend Driver Safety Program to keep violation off driving record.
  • Voluntarily attend DSP to offset points and get possible auto insurance discount.
  • Use a deferral program (if eligible and county offers it).

Learn more about
Paying your Traffic Ticket »

Fight Ticket
(Plead Not Guilty)

  • Contest ticket in court.
  • Seek legal counsel for representation.
  • Face no penalties if found not guilty.
  • Appeal the guilty verdict (if applicable).

Learn more about
Fighting your Traffic Ticket »

Auto Insurance Rate Increase

It's common for auto insurance providers to increase a policyholder's rates for a traffic ticket conviction. You may as well think of this increase as another ticket-related cost.

Fortunately, some providers offer discounts to drivers who complete approved DSP courses, but it's best to talk with your provider before enrolling.

Can't get a discount? Maybe it's time to start comparing insurance rates online to find a more affordable policy.

Indiana Traffic Ticket Penalties

Traffic ticket fines, court costs, and even OWI surcharges vary throughout the state, but penalties are the same in all counties.

IN Driver's License Suspension, Revocation, and Cancellation

Indiana can suspend, revoke, or cancel your driving privileges for a number of reasons.

License Suspension: If the BMV suspends your license, it means you lose your driving privileges for a specific (or, sometimes indefinite) amount of time. Most drivers must meet reinstatement requirements before the BMV restores their driving privileges.

License Revocation: Indiana doesn't use the term “revocation" as often as it does “suspension"; even habitual offenders (see below) suffer license “suspensions." Still, note that revocations are similar to suspensions except usually they last much longer.

License Cancellation: The BMV can cancel a driver's license for a variety of reasons, including physical and mental conditions, using false information to obtain the license, and driving while under a habitual offender suspension.

Check the Indiana Driver’s Manual for details about license suspensions and other penalties; for now, know that some of the most common reasons for license suspension and revocation include:

  • OWI-related offenses.
  • Racing.
  • Reckless driving.
  • Any offense involving death.
  • Fleeing or evading an officer.
  • Leaving an accident scene.

Habitual Offender Suspensions

Indiana considers a “habitual offender" a driver who commits multiple violations of serious offenses within 10 years.

You'll become a habitual offender if you commit:

  • 2 major offenses that result in death.
  • 3 major offenses such as OWI, reckless driving, or drag racing.

Habitual offenders lose their licenses for 10 years.

Point Accumulation

If you accumulate too many points on your driving record, you'll receive a letter from the BMV notifying you of an administrative hearing.

At this hearing, the BMV will decide how to handle your point accumulation:

  • Probation.
  • License suspension.

NOTE: The BMV may require you to enroll in a Driver Safety Program course.

Failure to appear at the hearing just means the BMV will go ahead without you and notify you of the results.

Refer to the IN Point System for more information about how points affect your driving record.

Penalties for Drivers Younger than 21

If you're younger than 21 years old and convicted of operating a motor vehicle with a BAC or 0.02% or higher (which, for you, is considered OWI), you face license suspension of up to 1 year.

This is in addition to OWI-related fines and any other penalties the judge sees fit.

Penalties for Indiana Commercial Drivers

Every CDL holder must inform his employer within 30 days of receiving a traffic ticket.

CDL drivers are subject to nationwide penalties set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA):

Major Offenses

You'll lose your driving privileges for one year if you're convicted of any of the following offenses:

  • Operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) with a BAC of 0.04%.
  • Refusing to submit to a sobriety test.
  • Leaving an accident.
  • Committing a felony with the vehicle.
  • Operating a CMV with a suspended, revoked, or canceled CDL.
  • Causing a fatality through negligent driving.

Serious Offenses

These violations include:

  • Speeding 15 miles or more over the limit.
  • Reckless driving.
  • Improperly changing lanes.
  • Driving too closely behind another vehicle.
  • Driving a CMV without having 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.

You'll lose your driving privileges for 60 days if you're convicted of any of the above a 2nd time, and 120 days if you're convicted a 3rd time.

CDL Disqualifications

Expect to lose your CDL for at least 180 days for violating a:

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

Learn more about CDL penalties in Section One of the Indiana Commercial Driver’s License Test Booklet or when you visit the FMCSA.

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