Speeding Tickets

Speeding Ticket Ontario

Speeding violation is one of the most widespread problems across Canada.

According to the Highway Traffic Act, section 128, every person driving a vehicle, is required to comply with established speed limits and is not allowed to exceed them.

You can get a speeding ticket if you’re travelling faster than (if there are no posted speed limit signs):

  • 50 km/h in municipal (cities, towns, villages) and built-up areas;
  • 80 km/h in any other areas.

At first glance, speeding might seem not like a serious offence, but in reality, the consequences can be really disappointing – up to $1,000 in fines, up to 6 demerit points and hugely inflated insurance rates.

Important: due to the stunt driving law changes on 1 July 2021 there is a fine line between speeding and stunt driving charge. Please consider it.

Let’s get to the details!


Penalties for Speeding Tickets in Ontario:

In Ontario, penalties for speeding tickets vary depending on how much the driver is over the posted speed limit. Here are the typical consequences:

  • Demerit points:
    • 0-15 km/h over does not attract demerit points;
    • 16-29 km/h over the limit results in 3 demerit points;
    • 30-49 km/h over the limit results in 4 demerit points;
    • 50 km/h or more over the limit results in 6 demerit points and is classified as stunt driving, which carries more severe penalties.
  • Fines: The speeding fines depend on how many km/h you are over the speed limit (+ court fee & victim fine surcharge to be added):
    • $2.50 per km/h over the limit for speeding 1-19 km/h over the limit;
    • $3.75 per km/h over the limit for speeding 20-29 km/h over the limit;
    • $6.00 per km/h over the limit for speeding 30-49 km/h over the limit;
    • Fines for 50 km/h+ start at $9.75 per km/h over the limit, but there is no out-of-court settlement.
  • Licence suspension:
    • 1-29 km/h over the limit: no licence suspension;
    • 30-50 km/h+ over the limit: 30-day licence suspension for G1 & G2 drivers;
  • A conviction for speeding will stay on your driving record forever, but it will be visible to your insurance for three years.
  • Increased insurance rates:
    • Possible increase of car insurance premiums with 0 to 3 points with a duration of up to 3 years;
    • 100% increased insurance premiums with 3 or more points with a duration for up to 3 years or longer depending on your insurance company. This is an absolute liability offence and is considered a major violation.

Yes, penalties are not so harsh as for careless driving in Ontario or stunt driving, for example, but anyway, it’ll influence your driving record and wallet (at least because insurance companies will utilize your conviction to increase your rates).


Things to Know About Ontario Speeding Tickets:

  • there are no 1 or 2 demerit points speeding offences – only 0, 3, 4 and 6.
  • speeding 0 – 49 km/hr over the speed limit will be issued on Part I – Offence Notice, with an ‘out of court set fine’;
  • any speeds in a Community Safety Zone will be dealt with in the same manner; however, the fines will double.
  • with speeds 50 km/h and 35 km/h over the posted speed limit in a Community Safety Zone the officer will issue a Part III summons to appear in court.

When fighting speeding tickets it is imperative that you are familiar with the speed-measuring device used by a police officer at the time. In order to prove the alleged traffic ticket fine, the officer has to complete specific obligations before evidence is accepted as accurate. The equipment used may change depending on different police agencies.


Ontario Speeding Fines 2024 & Demerit Points

We’ve summarised for you the information about speeding fines and demerit points depending on how fast you were driving over the speed limit. Here is up-to-date information (as of 1 January, 2024) from the Highway Traffic Act, Schedule 43:

Over speed limitFine amount
(per km/h)
Demerit points
1-15 km/h$2.500 demerit points
16-19 km/h$2.503 demerit points
20-29 km/h$3.753 demerit points
30-49 km/h$6.004 demerit points
50+ km/hno out of court settlement6 demerit points

Ontario Speeding Fines & Demerit Points – Community Safety Zone

In Ontario, speeding fines are increased when speeding occurs in a designated community safety zones and construction zones. Demerit points are the same as regular speeding. Here are the breakdown of the fines:

Over speed limitFine amount
(per km/h)
Demerit points
1-15 km/h$5.000 demerit points
16-19 km/h$5.003 demerit points
20-29 km/h$7.503 demerit points
30-49 km/h$12.004 demerit points
50+ km/hno out of court settlement6 demerit points

The fines for speeding in a Community Safety Zone are higher than regular ones because they are designated to emphasize the importance of maintaining a safe speed in areas where pedestrian and workers safety is a top priority. Community Safety Zones are typically designated in areas near schools, parks, and other locations with high pedestrian activity.


Legal Aspects of Fighting Speeding Tickets in Ontario

It’s not the best idea to listen to your relatives or rookie paralegals “selling the best advice” about how to beat a speeding ticket in Ontario or how to get out of a speeding charge or something in this fashion. Because unfortunately, it’s not that easy, and in most cases, such advice will do you a disservice.

Generally, working with an experienced speeding ticket paralegal is the best practice for anyone interested in reducing the risks of gettings maximum fines and demerit points for their speeding charges in traffic court.

Also, here are a few things to remember:

  • Every case is different. Hence, fighting your first speeding ticket in Ontario cannot be based on the process your friend’s speeding lawyer or paralegal used in the past to help them out. Well, the actual process is almost the same when it comes to administrative work to be done; however, utilizing the most suitable approach or tactic in each specific situation is exactly where the magic happens.
  • Most speeding tickets in Canada must be filed with the traffic court within 15 days to request a meeting with a prosecutor or trial date, depending on the court location.
  • A lot of people think that showing up to trial will result in automatic speed rate reduction which will ultimately reduce their demerit points, but often once police officer was requested to show up in court, prosecutors must proceed with a trial process and fighting a speeding ticket can result in less than favourable results to you and your future driving record.
  • Prior to your early meeting with a prosecutor, you should request or obtain police officer’s evidence that will be used in traffic court to prove your guilt in committing a speeding offence.

How to Fight a Speeding Ticket in Ontario

There are 2 ways:

  1. Hire a speeding lawyer or licensed paralegal and they’ll fight the ticket on your behalf.
  2. Fight your speeding ticket in court alone.

Sometimes people decide just to plead guilty and forget about the ticket. But pleading guilty is not advisable, because:

  • you’ll get demerit points;
  • speeding ticket will remain on your driving record for 3 years;
  • you’ll pay full cost of the ticket;
  • your insurance company will increase your premiums.

As mentioned above, the best possible first step is to seek legal advice (from a speeding ticket attorney or paralegal). This fact alone will immensely increase your odds of getting a positive outcome compared to just going to court on your own. 


But if you want to fight your speeding traffic ticket alone, you need to do the following:

  1. File your traffic ticket with a court in order to receive a date with a prosecutor to discuss a possible reduction of your speeding ticket to a lower reduced speed resulting in less or 0 demerit points on your driving record*.
  2. Schedule a trial date with the appropriate traffic court.
  3. Make a disclosure request and prepare for trial.
  4. Show up at trial at a court date prepared to be questioned about every little fact from the day when you were caught speeding. Also, be ready to ask police officer questions about relevant facts about your speeding ticket that would help you draw answers proving that events in your case might have been different than what the police officer is suggesting.

*In order to fight a speeding ticket Ontario it takes at least 2-3 times to attend the court and for most people, it means taking time off from work.

Remember that courts have heard it all: “I was speeding because I needed to go to use the restroom and I had a sick stomach” or “I was helping to drive a sick friend to the hospital”.

Is it worth fighting a speeding ticket? – We’re a bit biased, but considering speeding tickets fines that can be up to $1,000 + insurance rates increase for a minimum of 3 years, we do believe, that it’s worth fighting.


When it comes to fighting speeding tickets which is an absolute liability offence there can only be two possible legal defences. But be prepared that the standard of proof for each of these excuses is very high. Here they are:

1 – “I believe my life was in danger and I was dialling 911 while being followed by a dark car through a dark alley”

2 – You were the only person who could have potentially saved a person’s life and there were no other alternatives but to break the law and speed to maximize their chances of survival. The importance of breaking the speeding law must have been far greater than the actual act of speeding because you helped to save another person’s life.


If you’re looking for the best speeding ticket defense in Ontario for yourself, then hiring a lawyer to fight a speeding ticket would definitely be an investment to be repaid a hundredfold in the future (both time and money).

We employ only the best speeding ticket lawyers, licensed paralegals, former police officers and prosecutors that are now helping people fight speeding tickets and other traffic tickets of any complexity anywhere in Ontario. Even if it’s your first ticket, don’t worry – we’ll help you with it!

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    FAQ

    Here we've prepared a short list of frequently asked questions in order to provide quick answers to anyone who's looking for information associated with the topic. If you need more clarification, please don't hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.

    👉Is it worth fighting a speeding ticket in Ontario?

    Every ticket worth fighting. For speeding, penalties could be up to $1,000, and chances are your insurance company will increase your rates for up to 3 years or even more. So, in our opinion, yes, it worth it!

    👉How many demerit points I can get for speeding violation?

    It depends on km/hr over the speed limit. Basically, it is 0, 3, 4 and 6 demerit points. 0 – 15 km/h - 0 demerit points; 16 – 29 km/h - 3 demerit points; 30 – 49 km/h - 4 demerit points; 50+ km/h - 6 demerit points.

    👉Do I need to be present in court during a hearing associated with my case?

    If you hire a legal representative, we will advise you in advance should your attendance is required. However, most of the time, we are able to deal with most cases ourselves. It is your right to be present in court every time.

    👉Will you really help me to withdraw my speeding ticket?

    Helping people to fight their tickets is our work. And we pour all our knowledge and experience to get the best outcome for you as possible. However, if your ticket cannot be dismissed, we will still fight for you to get the best possible result.

    👉What is the best way to beat a speeding ticket in Ontario?

    The best way to fight a speeding ticket is with the help of a traffic ticket paralegal. This will increase your chances of getting a positive outcome compared to just going to court alone. Or simply paying a fine, which might result in unwanted consequences.

    👉How long does a speeding ticket stay on your record in Ontario?

    A conviction for speeding will remain on your driving record for 3 years.

    👉How much is a speeding ticket in Ontario?

    Penalties will depend on how fast you were driving over the speed limit. But in general, fines for speeding tickets can be up to $1,000.

    Don’t just pay the fine or go to court alone

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