Speeding 1-15 Over in Texas: Points, Surcharges & Rate Impact

A speeding ticket 1-15 mph over the limit in Texas costs $200–$300 in court fines and triggers a 15–25% insurance rate increase that lasts 3 years on most carriers' surcharge schedules. Texas does not use a point system — violations appear as convictions on your driving record, and carriers surcharge based on the conviction date and type. A driver paying $140/month before the ticket will see premiums rise to $161–$175/month, adding $756–$1,260 to total premium cost over the 3-year surcharge window. The conviction stays on your Texas driving record for 3 years from the conviction date, which aligns with the typical carrier lookback period. Some carriers extend surcharges to 5 years for drivers with multiple moving violations. Because Texas does not have a point-removal mechanism, the only way to clear the conviction is to wait out the 3-year reporting window. Your rate increase depends on your carrier's underwriting tier and your prior violation history. Preferred carriers like State Farm and Allstate typically apply the lowest surcharges for a first minor speeding ticket. Standard-tier carriers like Progressive and Nationwide apply moderate increases. Non-standard carriers like Acceptance and Dairyland apply the highest surcharges and may decline renewal if you add a second conviction within 3 years.

Texas does not assign points to moving violations — the state tracks convictions directly. When you receive a speeding ticket, you can pay the fine and accept the conviction, contest the ticket in court, or request deferred adjudication. Deferred adjudication allows you to complete a defensive driving course in exchange for conviction dismissal, which keeps the violation off your driving record entirely. Carriers access your conviction record through the Texas Department of Public Safety driving record, which shows all convictions for 3 years. A 1-15 over speeding ticket appears as a moving violation conviction, not a point value. Carriers translate this conviction into a surcharge percentage based on their internal underwriting rules. Most carriers treat a minor speeding conviction as a Tier 1 violation, the lowest surcharge category. If you accumulate 4 or more moving violation convictions within 12 months, or 7 convictions within 24 months, Texas suspends your license under repeat-offender rules. The suspension is administrative, not points-based. Reinstatement requires paying a $100 fee and filing SR-22 for 2 years. Most drivers with a single 1-15 over ticket never approach this threshold.

Texas allows you to take a defensive driving course once every 12 months to dismiss a speeding ticket and keep the conviction off your driving record. You must request deferred adjudication from the court within the appearance deadline printed on your citation, typically 10–20 days from the ticket date. The court grants deferred adjudication, you complete a state-approved 6-hour defensive driving course within 90 days, and the court dismisses the ticket upon proof of completion. Completing the course before the conviction posts prevents the rate increase entirely — carriers never see the violation. If you miss the deferred adjudication window and the conviction posts, taking defensive driving afterward does not remove the conviction from your record. The 12-month eligibility window resets from the date of your last course completion, not the ticket date. The course costs $25–$50 through state-approved online providers like Comedy Defensive Driving, Aceable, or iDriveSafely. Court administrative fees add $125–$150. Total cost runs $150–$200, which is less than the first year of a rate increase for most drivers. Request deferred adjudication immediately — waiting until after the conviction posts eliminates this option.

Carriers apply the surcharge for 3 years from the conviction date, not the ticket date. If you were cited on January 15, 2023, and convicted on March 1, 2023, the surcharge period runs from March 1, 2023, to March 1, 2026. Your rate will drop at your first renewal after the 3-year anniversary, assuming no additional violations. Some carriers apply a step-down surcharge structure: full surcharge for the first year, 75% surcharge the second year, 50% the third year. Most Texas carriers apply the full surcharge for the entire 3-year window. Check your policy declaration page for the violation surcharge line item — it will show the exact percentage applied and the expiration date. If you add a second moving violation before the first surcharge expires, carriers reset the surcharge clock and apply a higher multi-violation surcharge percentage. Two convictions within 3 years typically trigger a 30–45% combined surcharge, and preferred carriers may non-renew your policy. Non-standard carriers will quote you, but expect monthly premiums $80–$120 higher than your previous rate.

Your current carrier applies its surcharge at your next renewal, typically 6 months after the conviction. Shopping for quotes from other carriers before that renewal can reduce your total rate increase. Carriers vary widely in how they weight a single minor speeding conviction — some add 15%, others add 30% for the same violation. Preferred carriers like State Farm, Allstate, and USAA offer the lowest post-violation rates for drivers with one ticket and no other violations in the prior 3 years. Standard carriers like Progressive, Nationwide, and Farmers quote competitively for drivers with one or two violations. Non-standard carriers like Acceptance, Dairyland, and Direct Auto quote drivers with 3+ violations or a combination of violations and lapses. Request quotes 30–45 days before your renewal date. New carriers pull your Texas driving record and apply their surcharge at the time of the quote, so the conviction will appear. Provide the exact conviction date and violation type — misrepresenting the conviction voids your policy. Expect to submit proof of prior insurance and vehicle registration. Switching carriers does not remove the conviction or reset the surcharge period, but it can cut your monthly premium by $30–$60 compared to staying with a high-surcharge carrier.

Dropping collision or comprehensive coverage to offset the rate increase saves $40–$80/month but eliminates your ability to file a claim for vehicle damage. If you finance or lease your vehicle, your lender requires both coverages. Dropping them triggers a lender-placed insurance policy at 2–3 times your market rate, plus a loan default notice. Reducing liability limits to the Texas state minimum — $30,000 bodily injury per person, $60,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage — cuts your premium by $25–$50/month but leaves you personally liable for damages above those caps. A two-car accident with moderate injuries generates $80,000–$150,000 in total claims. You pay the difference out of pocket, and judgment creditors can garnish wages and seize assets. The better adjustment: raise your collision and comprehensive deductibles from $500 to $1,000. This cuts your premium by $15–$30/month without eliminating coverage. You self-insure the first $1,000 of damage, which is manageable for most drivers. Keep liability limits at 100/300/100 or higher — bodily injury liability is where catastrophic financial exposure lives, and the premium difference between state minimum and 100/300/100 is typically $30–$50/month.