Washington Traffic Fines
& Penalty Ranges
10 common Washington violations with typical fine ranges, plus how the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) handles repeat convictions.
🔎Washington Traffic Fines at a Glance
- Typical fines
- $124–$1,000
- Point system
- No — conviction count
- Traffic school
- Available
- Records kept by
- Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL)
Of the 10 Washington violations below, the lowest typical fine is for seat belt violation ($124–$139) and the highest is for driving without insurance ($550–$1,000).
Speeding fines climb across 5 tiers, from $125–$135 (speeding 1–5 mph over) to $250–$425+ (speeding 21+ mph over).
Ranges only, not legal advice. Your actual Washington fine depends on the county, the court, and your record, and court costs are added on top. For a criminal charge such as DUI or reckless driving, consult a licensed Washington attorney.
📋Common Washington Violations & Typical Fines
Base-fine ranges; Washington court costs are extra.
| Violation | Typical Fine |
|---|---|
Speeding 1–5 MPH over | $125–$135 |
Speeding 6–10 MPH over | $135–$155 |
Speeding 11–15 MPH over | $165–$185 |
Speeding 16–20 MPH over | $205–$225 |
Speeding 21+ MPH over Doubled in active school and work zones. | $250–$425+ |
Running a red light Camera-issued red-light tickets are typically $124–$139 (no driver record entry). | $139–$240 |
Running a stop sign | $190–$240 |
Seat belt violation | $124–$139 |
Hand-held cell phone ("E-DUI") $136 first / $234 second offense within 5 years; counts as a moving violation reportable to insurance. | $136–$340 |
Driving without insurance | $550–$1,000 |
Estimate what your Washington ticket will really cost
The fine on the ticket is rarely the total. Pick the violation to add court costs, points, suspension risk and the likely insurance impact in Washington.
Pick the speeding tier that matches how fast you were going over the limit. Washington typically breaks speeding into different tiers — choose the right one above for the most accurate estimate.
Based on the fine ranges listed on this page. Open the full estimator to compare other states.
🎯How Washington's License Action System Works
Washington does not use a traditional traffic-violation point system. Instead, license-action triggers are based on the number of moving-violation convictions within a fixed period.
Moving-violation convictions on 3 separate occasions within 12 months, or 4 within 24 months, bring a 60-day suspension followed by 1 year of probation (multiple tickets from one traffic stop count as one occasion). Each new violation during probation adds a 30-day suspension.
🎓Traffic School & Defensive Driving
Washington allows a "deferred finding" once every 7 years for a non-commercial driver, where you pay an administrative fee (typically $150–$250 depending on court) and the violation is removed from your record after 1 year of clean driving.
📝Got a Washington Ticket?
- Before paying a moving violation, check whether you qualify for Washington's traffic-school option (see above) — it can keep the conviction off your record.
- Each conviction counts toward Washington's suspension threshold, so a cheap ticket can still matter.
🔗Official Washington Sources
For exact, current penalties, check the official Washington sources:
Sourced from public Washington statutes and Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) publications; may not reflect the latest amendments. usdriverguide.com is not affiliated with the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL), any Washington court, or any law enforcement agency. Full disclaimer.