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Not every Pennsylvania speeding ticket results in points on your license. But that’s not an invitation for you to speed! 

Treading the fine line between points and no points can still result in hefty fines, insurance increases, and other penalties. 

To make things easier to understand, however, check out this brief breakdown of Pennsylvania’s speeding ticket laws:

When Will I Get Points for Speeding in PA?

You will only get points on your license for speeding when convicted of driving at six or more miles per hour over the posted speed limit. In order for those points to stick, both of the following conditions must be met:

1. You must have been traveling at least six miles per hour over the speed limit.
2. You must have been convicted of point (1) in a court of law.

Driving five miles per hour over the speed limit is still considered speeding and can still result in fines and other penalties. However, you will not receive any points on your driver license when convicted of speeding at five or fewer miles per hour over the posted limit.

The word “convicted” has come up a lot in this section. A conviction is what happens when the court finds you guilty of the allegations against you. In order for you to face any points or penalties of any kind for a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania, you must be found guilty in a court of law.

This means there are two helpful ways to avoid getting any points on your license when driving in the state:

1. Do not speed by any more than five miles per hour over the posted limit.
2. Do not let the court find you guilty.

The best way to satisfy both of these conditions and prevent a ticket from appearing on your record is to hire a lawyer through the WinIt app and have them beat your ticket in court.

Pennsylvania’s Law on Speeding

Pennsylvania uses a graduated speeding law, which is spelled out in section 3362 of the Pennsylvania vehicle code. This is different from most states, which use tiered penalties (e.g. $50 for speeding by 5-9 and $75 for speeding by 10-19). In Pennsylvania, the fines are based on the exact speed at a price of $2 per mile per hour past five over the limit.

Pennsylvania’s speeding ticket point system, however, works similarly to most other states. The points adhere to a tiered structure, much like elsewhere. The table below shows this tiered structure in greater detail:

*If this violation occurs in an active work zone, there will also be a mandatory 15-day suspension. 

Code sections 3365(b) and 3365(c) also regulate speeding in the state of Pennsylvania. Whether exceeding the speed limit in a school zone (3365(b)) or exceeding the speed limit for trucks on downward slopes (3365(c)), you will earn three points on your license.

Can You Plead down a Speeding Ticket to Get No Points

Pennsylvania traffic courts do allow plea bargaining, which is the process of negotiating with the court and/or prosecutor in order to get a more favorable conviction. That said, plea bargaining still requires you to plead guilty to a violation, albeit one that carries lesser penalties than that of which you have been accused.

It is possible to plead down a speeding ticket from a higher speed threshold into the zero-point threshold. However, this takes a serious level of legal knowledge and skill. To maximize your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome for your case, you should consider hiring a lawyer.

With qualified legal experts in your corner, you are much more likely to successfully plead down a speeding ticket to get no points. In fact, doing so also increases your chances of beating the ticket entirely, so that you not only get no points but also face no fines and no insurance increases.

Ways to Get Points Removed

The easiest way to get points removed from your license in Pennsylvania is to drive safely. That is, just don’t get any more points!

Every 12 months, the government will remove three points from your driving record, but only if you’ve met the following conditions:

• You are not under a driver license suspension or revocation.
• You have not committed any violation that results in points within the last 12 months.

If you satisfy both of those conditions, then the government will reduce your point total by three every 12 months. However, if you are convicted (found guilty) of any additional violations that result in points, suspensions, or revocations, then that timer will be reset. Let’s look at an example:

Let’s say you were convicted of speeding 10 miles per hour over the posted limit today. That’s two points. If you drive safely and avoid getting any more tickets or committing any traffic-related offenses for 12 months, those two points will disappear. However, if you are convicted of speeding again 10 months from now, you will have to wait an additional 12 months.

You cannot get negative points on your license.

Fighting a Speeding Ticket in Pennsylvania

Why waste time going to court and money paying for tickets when you could contest them and get off scot free? WinIt opens the door to affordable legal assistance for people from all walks of life. Whether you’re a professional livery or Uber driver, you commute to work, or this was the first time you’ve driven in years, WinIt is there to help.

Take your case to court and win it with WinIt. There are countless local Pennsylvania traffic attorneys just chomping at the bit to fight your ticket. So what are you waiting for? Dodge those fines, fees, and points today and get started fighting your ticket.