Quick answer: A Catonsville speeding ticket is usually a payable citation, but paying it is a guilty plea — the points land on your Maryland record, your insurance climbs, and the conviction stays. You can instead request a waiver hearing or a trial in the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore County and ask for probation before judgment (PBJ) so no conviction goes on your record. Points run from 1 (1–9 mph over) to 6 (30+ over), and as of October 1, 2025 driving 30 mph or more over the limit is charged as reckless driving.
I’m David Waranch, and I’ve handled thousands of Maryland traffic cases in courts across Baltimore County and the rest of the state. If you were stopped on I-695, I-95, US-40, or Frederick Road near UMBC, here is exactly what your ticket means and what your options are before you do anything with it.
How Many Points Does a Speeding Ticket Add in Catonsville?
The point count depends entirely on how far over the limit you were clocked. Maryland sets these figures in Md. Code, Transp. § 16-402, and they are the same in Catonsville as anywhere else in the state. The exact speed on the citation drives everything that follows.
| Speed over the limit | Points |
|---|---|
| 1–9 mph over | 1 point |
| 10 mph or more over | 2 points |
| 20 mph or more over a 65-mph limit | 5 points |
| 30 mph or more over | 6 points (also reckless driving) |
| Aggressive driving (§ 21-901.2) | 5 points |
| Reckless driving (§ 21-901.1) | 6 points |
Those numbers matter because the MVA acts on totals, not on a single ticket. Reach 8 points and the MVA can suspend your license; hit 12 and it can revoke it. A driver who already carries a few points from an earlier stop can tip into a suspension with one more Catonsville speeding conviction, which is why the point value on a “minor” ticket is worth taking seriously. For the full breakdown by mile-per-hour band, see our guide to Maryland speeding penalties by speed range, and for how totals turn into suspensions read Maryland’s point system in a nutshell.
What Are the Preset Fines for a Maryland Speeding Ticket?
Most speeding citations carry a preset fine you can pay by mail. The amounts below come from the District Court’s preset fine schedule (DC-CR-090, Rev. 10/2025) for speeding under Md. Code, Transp. § 21-801.1. If your speeding contributed to a crash, each fine is higher.
| Speed over the limit | Preset fine | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1–9 mph over | $80 | 1 |
| 10–19 mph over | $90 | 2 |
| 20–29 mph over | $160 | 2 |
| 20–29 mph over a 65 or 70-mph limit | $290 | 5 |
| 30–39 mph over | $290 | 6 |
| 40 mph or more over | $530 | 6 |
Paying that preset fine is a guilty plea. It is not “just a fine.” When you pay, you are convicted, the points go on your record, and probation before judgment under Crim. Proc. § 6-220 is gone for good. Requesting a waiver hearing or a trial keeps a non-conviction on the table — but be clear-eyed: at either hearing the judge can raise your fine up to $500, so treat it as a trade-off you get to make, not a free reset.
Is 30 MPH Over the Limit Now Reckless Driving?
Yes. Effective October 1, 2025, the Kepp Act added driving at least 30 mph over the posted limit to Maryland’s reckless-driving statute. That changes everything about a high-speed stop on I-695 or I-95.
“A person is guilty of reckless driving if the person drives a motor vehicle … at a speed at least 30 miles per hour above the posted speed limit.” — Md. Code, Transp. § 21-901.1(a)(3)
Reckless driving is a criminal misdemeanor, not a payable ticket. It is a must-appear charge — you cannot mail in a fine — and a conviction carries up to 60 days in jail, a fine up to $1,000, and 6 points. On the Baltimore Beltway, where a 55-mph zone plus a busy commute makes triple-digit readings possible, that threshold is easier to cross than drivers expect. If you were charged this way, do not treat it like an ordinary speeding ticket; read whether you can go to jail for reckless driving in Maryland and call before your court date.
Should I Just Pay the Ticket or Fight It?
Fight it, or at least ask a lawyer before you pay. On a payable citation you have four choices within 30 days: pay the fine (a guilty plea), ask for a payment plan, request a waiver hearing to plead “guilty with an explanation,” or request a trial to plead “not guilty.” Only the last two keep a non-conviction disposition open. Understanding the difference between payable and must-appear tickets is the first step in deciding.
The disposition worth aiming for is probation before judgment. Under § 6-220 a Baltimore County judge can accept a plea, stay the entry of judgment, and place you on probation instead of convicting you. Complete the probation and no conviction — and no points — go on your record. The catch is timing: once you pay the preset fine, the conviction is entered and PBJ is off the table. That single fact is why paying quietly is so often the most expensive thing a driver can do.
How We Defend Speeding Tickets in Catonsville and Baltimore County
Catonsville tickets are heard in the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore County, and we appear there regularly. A speeding case is not automatic just because the officer wrote a number on the citation — the state still has to prove how your speed was measured and that the equipment and operator were reliable.
Most Baltimore County stops rely on radar or pacing, and each has weak points. Radar readings depend on proper calibration, a clear target, and an operator trained on that unit; you can read how those cases come apart in our explainer on radar speeding tickets. Pacing — where an officer follows and matches your speed — depends on a calibrated speedometer and a steady, long-enough follow, which we probe using the approach in our guide to pacing speeding tickets. Where the evidence is solid, the goal shifts to a reduction, an amendment to a non-point offense, or a PBJ.
You usually do not have to take a day off to fight a Catonsville ticket — in most payable cases we can appear for you. Whether your stop happened on US-40, the Beltway, or a side street off Frederick Road, we handle it as your Baltimore County traffic lawyer and keep the focus on protecting your record and your insurance rate. For the bigger picture on how these charges connect, see our speeding, reckless, and aggressive driving knowledge hub.
What a Speeding Conviction Costs Beyond the Fine
The preset fine is the smallest part of the bill. A conviction with points is visible to your insurer at renewal, and even a single speeding conviction can push a premium up for years — often far more than the ticket itself. Points also stack: a second or third conviction inside a short window is what triggers MVA action, so keeping this one off your record protects you against the next stop too.
The stakes climb for commercial drivers. If you hold a CDL, a speeding conviction follows the license under federal rules no matter where you were driving, serious speeding can count toward a disqualification, and some convictions must be reported to your employer. Rideshare and delivery drivers face the same record-based scrutiny. That is why a disposition that avoids a conviction — a reduction, an amendment, or a PBJ — is often worth far more to a working driver than the few hundred dollars on the citation.
Catonsville Speeding Ticket FAQ
Not usually. If your citation is payable, in most cases we can appear in the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore County on your behalf so you do not have to take a day off. A must-appear charge, such as reckless driving for 30 mph or more over the limit, requires a court date, and you should have a lawyer with you.
Twenty to 29 mph over a regular limit is 2 points. But if the posted limit is 65 mph or higher and you are 20 mph or more over it, that jumps to 5 points under Transp. Section 16-402. The preset fine for 20 to 29 over rises from $160 to $290 in that higher-speed zone.
No. Paying the preset fine is a guilty plea, so the conviction and its points go on your Maryland record and can raise your insurance. It also forecloses probation before judgment under Crim. Proc. Section 6-220. Requesting a waiver hearing or trial keeps a non-conviction disposition open, though the judge can raise your fine up to $500.
Law Offices of David R. Waranch — 301-563-9575 · toll-free 1-877-566-2408. Hablamos Español.
Last updated: August 2026. Statutory references: Md. Code, Transp. § 16-402 (points), § 21-801.1 (maximum speed limits), § 21-901.1 (reckless driving); Crim. Proc. § 6-220 (probation before judgment). This page is general information about Maryland law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.