Ticket Fines and Penalties in Oregon

Oregon Traffic Ticket Fines and Costs

OR traffic ticket fines vary by offense, but each offense has a minimum and maximum fine.

Check your citation for a fine amount. This amount is what the state refers to as a “base fine." The base fine is somewhere in between your offense's minimum and maximum fine. Your judge can alter this fine if you appear in court.

For information more specific to your offense, contact your court.

Court Costs and Other Surcharges

Court costs vary by court.

Some courts will provide information about court costs before your arraignment or traffic ticket hearing date; some will refer you to the law enforcement agency that issued your citation.

Learn more in the Oregon Driver Manual.

Pay Ticket
(Plead Guilty or No Contest)

Learn more about
Paying your Traffic Ticket »

Fight Ticket
(Plead Not Guilty)

  • Enter a not guilty plea.
  • Prepare for your hearing, possibly with help from a traffic ticket attorney.
  • Suffer no penalties if found not guilty (except applicable court/attorney fees).
  • Appeal the guilty verdict (if applicable).

Learn more about
Fighting your Traffic Ticket »

Auto Insurance Rate Increase

Although they're not court-mandated, higher auto insurance rates often follow traffic ticket convictions.

Usually, increases don't take effect until it's policy renewal time, meaning you have some time to compare car insurance rates online and find a more affordable policy.

Oregon Traffic Ticket Penalties

The DMV will suspend or revoke your driver's license for certain moving and non-moving offenses.

OR Driver's License Suspension, Revocation, and Cancellation

License Suspension: This is a temporary loss of driving privileges. It may last a specific amount of time, until you meet reinstatement requirements, or both.

License Revocation: Revocations can last temporarily or permanently, depending on the offense. Similar to suspensions, you may have to wait a certain time period, until you meet reinstatement requirements, or both before you can get your license back.

License Cancellation: Typically, cancellations are reserved for instances when a driver provides false information in order to obtain a license, or the court or DMV determines a person is no longer fit to drive.

Most suspensions and revocations are related to an accumulation of violations (see below), or violations unrelated to traffic convictions, such as driving without insurance, getting in trouble at school, and failing to pay child support.

However, DUII-related moving violations almost always result in license suspension or revocation, depending on the offense number.

Learn more about the ways you can lose your driving privileges in the “Traffic Violations and License Suspensions" section of the Oregon Driver Manual.

Violation Accumulation Penalties

Oregon doesn't use a point system, but the state does record violations on your driving record. You'll receive penalties accordingly.

Penalties for Oregon Commercial Drivers

All CDL drivers must notify their employers within 30 days of receiving traffic convictions.

The following penalties are set forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:

Major Offenses

You'll get a 1 year license suspension for any of the following major offenses:

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

Serious Offenses

The following are considered serious offenses:

  • Reckless driving.
  • 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.

Note that:

  • Second offenses result in 60-day suspensions.
  • Third offenses result in 120-day suspensions.

For more information, check the FMCSA’s Rules and Regulations and the Oregon Commercial Driver Manual.

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