A Maryland speeding ticket carries 1 point if you were under 10 mph over the limit, 2 points if you were 10 to 29 mph over, and 3 points if your speeding contributed to an accident. Anything 30 mph or more over the limit is now charged as reckless driving — 6 points, must-appear, jail-eligible — under the Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act, effective October 1, 2025. Five accumulated points triggers an MVA warning letter. Eight points triggers a suspension hearing. Twelve points triggers revocation proceedings.
Points are the part of a Maryland speeding ticket that follows you. The fine is one-time. The points stay on your record, drive your insurance premiums, and eventually pull the MVA into your life if they accumulate. Knowing what your ticket actually carries — before you sign it or prepay it — is how you protect your driving record.
The Maryland Speeding Ticket Point Schedule
Maryland Code, Transportation § 16-402 controls point assessment. For speeding offenses, the points scale with how far over the posted limit the officer measured you:
| Speed Over Limit | MVA Points | Charge Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 9 mph over | 1 | Payable speeding |
| 10 to 29 mph over | 2 | Payable speeding |
| 30 mph or more over | 6 | Reckless driving (must-appear, jail-eligible) |
| Any speed (contributing to accident) | 3 | Speeding contributing to accident |
| Work zone with workers present | +1 enhancement | Enhanced fines apply |
| School zone during school hours | +1 enhancement | Enhanced fines apply |
Two things changed in 2025. First, under the Kepp Act, 30 mph or more over the posted limit is no longer a high-tier speeding ticket — it’s a reckless driving charge with criminal exposure. Second, work-zone and school-zone enforcement has tightened across the state, with more cameras, more officer detail assignments, and enhanced penalties applied more consistently.
What MVA Points Actually Do to Your License
Points stack on your MVA record over a 2-year sliding window. The MVA escalates its response as you accumulate them, with four clear thresholds.
3 to 4 Points: MVA Warning Letter
A formal letter from the MVA notifying you that you are approaching the action threshold. No restriction on driving at this stage. The letter is meant as a wake-up call. Most drivers receive it and never escalate further, but the next violation pushes them into the next tier.
5 to 7 Points: Mandatory Driver Improvement Program
You’ll be required to complete a state-approved Maryland Driver Improvement Program. This is not optional. Failing to complete the program by the deadline can lead directly to suspension. The DIP is generally an 8-hour course, conducted in-person or online through MVA-approved providers.
8 to 11 Points: Suspension Proceedings
The MVA will move to suspend your license. You have a right to a hearing at the Office of Administrative Hearings before the suspension takes effect, but the default path from this point is suspension unless you successfully contest. Suspension lengths vary based on the violation history and circumstances.
12 or More Points: Revocation
A revoked license requires a full reapplication process to restore — distinct from suspension, which has a defined waiting period after which driving privileges are returned. Revocation is the MVA’s most serious administrative action and frequently involves a hearing where the driver must show why driving privileges should be restored at all.
These numbers compound quickly. Two speeding tickets in the 10 to 29 mph range during the same 2-year window is 4 points and a warning letter. Three is 6 points and a mandatory DIP. Four is 8 points and a suspension hearing. The point system was designed to escalate steadily, and it does.
Why a Single Speeding Ticket Can Be Worse Than It Looks
A 2-point speeding ticket on its own is not license-threatening. But the same ticket on a driver with prior violations may be the one that triggers MVA action. The point system is cumulative, and a “minor” ticket on top of an existing record carries weight that the ticket alone does not.
Stacking. If you already have 3 or 4 points from prior violations, a new 2-point speeding ticket pushes you into mandatory DIP territory. The MVA does not care that this one was “minor.” It cares about the total in your 2-year window.
Insurance. Most insurers care less about the point total and more about the conviction itself. A speeding conviction — at any speed range — can trigger a premium increase. The increase is sharper for drivers under 25, drivers with recent violations, and drivers in non-standard insurance tiers. Even a 1-point conviction can cost more in premium increases over three years than the fine itself.
Court appearance. A speeding ticket above certain thresholds is must-appear and cannot be prepaid. Skipping the court date leads to a failure-to-appear, which adds problems on top of the original violation. A Maryland bench warrant may follow.
The 30 mph Threshold Now Means Reckless Driving
The Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act fundamentally changed the calculation for high-speed Maryland speeding cases. Before October 2025, driving 30 mph or more over the posted limit was a high-tier speeding ticket — payable in many cases, with a hearing option. After October 2025, that same speed gets charged as reckless driving under § 21-901.1(a), with full criminal consequences:
- 6 MVA points (the highest available for a speeding-based offense);
- Up to 60 days in jail;
- Up to a $1,000 fine;
- Must-appear status — no prepay option, you will see a judge;
- Significant insurance exposure, including potential policy non-renewal.
A driver clocked at 86 in a 55 used to be in high-tier speeding territory. After the Kepp Act, that same speed is a criminal reckless driving charge with everything that comes with it. For the difference between reckless and the related aggressive driving charge, see the difference between reckless and aggressive driving in Maryland.
How a PBJ Affects MVA Points
A Probation Before Judgment under Maryland Code, Criminal Procedure § 6-220 lets a judge withhold a conviction in eligible cases. The most important effect for drivers: a PBJ generally avoids MVA points.
That’s why a PBJ matters so much for drivers near point thresholds. A driver sitting at 4 points who gets a PBJ on a new 2-point speeding ticket stays at 4 points, instead of jumping to 6 and landing in mandatory DIP territory. The same driver who simply pays the ticket or pleads guilty lands at 6 points and has to complete the program.
PBJ is not automatic. It is requested by the driver (or counsel), granted by the judge, and may come with conditions — completion of a driver improvement course, a probationary period, a fine. Reckless driving cases are typically harder PBJ candidates than regular speeding, and a driver who already received a PBJ on a traffic matter in the preceding three years generally cannot get another one for an alcohol-related offense. The rules and timing matter.
Work Zone and School Zone Speeding
Speeding in marked work zones and active school zones triggers enhanced penalties. Fines double or triple. In a work zone with workers present, even a low-tier speeding ticket can carry significant added cost — and Maryland has expanded use of automated speed enforcement in these zones.
Speed camera tickets in work zones and school zones operate differently from officer-issued citations. They typically do not carry MVA points because the State cannot prove who was driving — only that the registered vehicle was speeding. The financial penalty still applies, and ignoring a Maryland speed camera ticket can lead to MVA registration holds even if no points attach.
Out-of-State Drivers and Maryland Speeding Tickets
If you’re licensed in another state and get a Maryland speeding ticket, two things happen. First, Maryland still adjudicates the case under its own law — your home-state license doesn’t change the Maryland process. The Maryland conviction goes on your Maryland driving record (a non-resident record), and any fines, points, or court orders are enforced through Maryland’s system.
Second, your home state may apply its own point system to the violation through the Driver License Compact. Most states do, which means a Maryland speeding ticket can hit you twice: once for the Maryland conviction, again when your home state assesses points under its own schedule. A few non-Compact states (notably Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Tennessee, and Wisconsin) may treat the matter differently, but most drivers should assume the home-state points will follow. The broader pillar guide on Maryland speeding and reckless driving covers the out-of-state implications in more depth.
Related Questions
- Will I go to jail for reckless driving in Maryland? — What 30+ mph over now means under the Kepp Act.
- What’s the difference between reckless and aggressive driving in Maryland? — Three separate charges with three different point counts.
- Maryland’s point system in a nutshell — The complete view of how MVA points work across all violations.
- Will I get all the points in Maryland? — When points can be reduced, avoided, or wrapped into a PBJ.
- Why it’s so hard to beat a Maryland speeding ticket — Honest take on what defenses actually work in court.
Talk to a Maryland Speeding Ticket Lawyer
A Maryland speeding ticket isn’t just a fine — it’s points that follow you, an insurance increase that follows you longer, and a step closer to MVA action if you have prior violations. Before you sign or pay the citation, find out what the conviction will actually cost. Contact a Maryland speeding ticket lawyer to evaluate whether a Probation Before Judgment or charge reduction is realistic in your case. For deeper context on speeding and related offenses, see the complete Maryland speeding, reckless, and aggressive driving guide.
Last updated: May 26, 2026.