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Fight Speeding Ticket In Ontario: What You Need to Know

Received a speeding ticket in Ontario? Do not just pay it yet as that means pleading guilty. Traffic Ticket Chopper assists drivers with speeding charges issued in Ontario and serving Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo, Mississauga, Hamilton, London, Woodstock, Cambridge, Guelph and across Ontario. Our lawyers and licensed paralegals often reduce or withdraw speeding charges through legal strategy. Paying means accepting fines, demerit points, license suspensions, and insurance increases. Let us help you understand your options and make an informed decision about your ticket. 

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Understanding Speeding Tickets in Ontario

If you have been pulled over for speeding in Ontario, you are probably wondering what happens next. As licensed paralegals who represent drivers every day in Ontario courts, we have helped countless drivers navigate these tickets and we want you to understand what you are actually facing.

 

Under Section 128 of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA), speeding means driving faster than the posted limit or traveling at a speed that IS unsafe given the road or weather conditions. Penalties for this offence can increase significantly based on the extent of the violation. Higher the excess speed over the posted limit, higher the penalty, which includes monetary fines and demerit points. 

What is the real cost of paying a speeding ticket?

Many drivers do not realize that when you pay a speeding ticket, you are pleading guilty. Fine could be just a one time payment and many drivers pay without thinking the ramifications that comes after you have paid the fine. It is the conviction that follows you for years to come. 

We see clients every week who paid a ticket years ago, thinking it was easier than fighting it. Now they are dealing with consequences they never expected. A speeding conviction stays on your driving record for three years from your conviction date, but insurance companies may look back even further when setting your rates.

What does paying the speeding ticket actually includes

  • The fine itself (which increases with how much you exceeded the limit)
  • Demerit points added to your driving license
  • Higher insurance premiums for years to come
  • Potential license suspension if you accumulate too many points
  • Possible impact on your employment if you drive for work particularly, if you are a commercial driver

When You Should Fight a Speeding Ticket

After representing drivers in Ontario traffic court for many years, we have learned that under certain situations it is highly advantageous to fight speeding ticket:

You should seriously consider fighting if:

  • You were barely over the limit (the margin of error matters)
  • Weather or traffic conditions made the speed reading questionable
  • You have a clean driving record worth protecting
  • You cannot afford to lose your driving license for example, you rely on your vehicle to go to work
  • The ticket will push you toward a license suspension
  • You believe the officer made an error in the circumstances

Many drivers assume fighting a ticket means going to trial alone and cross-examining a police officer. That’s not how it works when you have experienced representation. We handle the court process, negotiate with prosecutors, and often resolve cases without you even attending court.

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Definition of Speeding as per Section 128 of the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario (HTA)

According to section 128 of the Highway Traffic Act:

  1. No person shall drive a motor vehicle at a rate of speed greater than,
  2. 50 kilometres per hour on a highway within a local municipality or within a built-up area;
    despite clause (a), 80 kilometres per hour on a highway, not within a built-up area ;
  3. 80 kilometres per hour on a highway designated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council as a controlled-access highway under the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act, whether or not the highway is within a local municipality or built-up area;
  4. the rate of speed prescribed for motor vehicles on a highway in accordance with subsection (2), (5), (6), (6.1) or (7);
  5. the maximum rate of speed set under subsection (10) and posted in a construction zone designated under subsection (8) or (8.1); or
    the maximum rate of speed posted on a highway or portion of a highway pursuant to section 128

 

Definition of Speeding Means
The definition of speeding above means:

  1. You cannot drive a motor vehicle as defined in the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario faster than what the speed limit is for that area.
  2. The speed limit in a town, city or municipality is always 50 km/h unless it is otherwise posted.
  3. The speed limit for outside of a municipality or built-up area is 80km/h.

Within a municipality the speed limit is always 50 kilometres per hour, although the municipality may designate the speed limits within their borders.

Consequences of Speeding - Fines and Demerit Points

The fines for speeding in Ontario are calculated based on how much a driver exceeds the posted speed limit. Here is what you could face if charged.

Standard Speeding Fine

  • Less than 20 km/h over the speed limit: $3 per km/h over the limit
  • 20 to 29 km/h over the speed limit: $4.50 per km/h over the limit
  • 30 to 49 km/h over the speed limit: $7 per km/h over the limit
  • 50 km/h or more over the speed limit: $9.75 per km/h over the limit

Fines in Construction Zones that is when Workers Are Present

  • Less than 20 km/h over the speed limit: Double the standard fine
  • 20 to 29 km/h over the speed limit: Double the standard fine
  • 30 to 49 km/h over the speed limit: Double the standard fine
  • 50 km/h or more over the speed limit: Double the standard fine

Other Consequences

  • License Suspension: Potential temporary suspension of your driver’s license, especially for repeat offences or high demerit point totals.
  • Increased Insurance Premiums: A speeding conviction typically results in higher insurance rates due to the elevated risk profile.
  • Escalating Consequences: Accumulating multiple speeding convictions within a short period can lead to higher penalties, license suspensions, or even the loss of insurance coverage.

Additionally, drivers convicted of exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h or more may face severe penalties. Speeding violations in Ontario can quickly escalate into careless driving, stunt driving, or racing offences, leading to severe consequences such as heavy fines, license suspensions, vehicle impoundment, and even jail time. If you are facing any of these charges, it is highly advisable to seek legal advice to understand your options and potential defenses.

If You are a Novice Driver, the Stakes Are Even Higher - Novice Drivers can face following Consequences

Have a G1, G2, M1, or M2 license? It is important that you know that the Ministry of Transportation comes down much harder on novice drivers. If you’re convicted of any Highway Traffic Act offence that carries 4 or more demerit points, you face automatic sanctions from the MTO. For speeding, that means going 30 km/h or more over the limit triggers these penalties.

What happens depends on your record? 

First Offence: Your license gets suspended for 30 days.
Second Offence: Now you are looking at a 90-day suspension.
Third Offence: This is where it really hurts. You lose your novice license completely. You have to start from scratch, which means, you retake all tests, pay all the fees again, and lose any time credits you had earned toward your full license. Everything resets to zero.
We have seen young drivers devastated by this. One speeding ticket that seemed minor ended up costing them months of progress and hundreds of dollars in fees. That’s why fighting the ticket often makes sense for novice drivers you are not just avoiding a fine, you are protecting your entire licensing journey.

Speeding Ticket Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions on your Speeding Ticket? Here we answer the most frequently asked questions. 

Demerit points stay on your record for two years from the offense date, not the conviction date. However, the conviction itself remains on your driver’s abstract for three years, which insurance companies review when setting your premiums.

A speeding conviction stays on your driver’s abstract for three years from the conviction date. Insurance companies review this record when setting premiums, so you may be subject to increased rates for the three years even after demerit points are purged from your driving record.

G2 drivers face automatic license suspension at just 6 demerit points, compared to 15 points for fully licensed drivers. A single speeding ticket of 30 km/h over the limit carries 4 points, putting novice drivers at serious risk.

Paying your ticket means pleading guilty, resulting in an immediate conviction on your driving record, demerit points on your license, and insurance premium increases that typically can last three years or more. It is easy to understand the math that the insurance costs alone often exceed thousands of dollars far more than the original fine.

Technically yes, but it rarely happens in practice. Prosecutors generally don’t increase charges simply because you exercised your right to defend yourself.

No, speeding tickets are provincial offenses under the Highway Traffic Act, not criminal offenses. However, extreme speeding (50+ km/h over) can lead to stunt driving charges with potential criminal implications.

You must answer truthfully if your insurance company asks directly about tickets during application or renewal. If you drive for work as a commercial driver or in sales, check your employment contract for mandatory reporting requirements of traffic violations.

No, speed camera tickets do not add demerit points to your license. Since cameras can’t identify the driver, only the vehicle owner receives a fine. However, you still must pay the fine, and it can affect vehicle registration renewal.

Minor errors like wrong vehicle color or misspelled names typically would not dismiss your ticket, as courts allow amendments. However, fatal errors affecting essential elements like wrong date, incorrect location, or misidentified driver may result in dismissal when properly challenged in court by experienced representation.

Get the help you need To defend against your speeding ticket

Meet our Traffic Ticket Paralegal for a 100% Free Consultation today

At Traffic Ticket Chopper, we’ve successfully helped countless Ontario drivers deal with careless driving, stunt driving, distracted driving, speeding tickets and other driving violations. We’ve consistently achieved positive results for drivers – reducing hefty penalties, getting charges withdrawn, and saving them from licence suspensions and significant fines. We know how stressful a traffic ticket can feel, so we take the time to explain your rights, answer your questions, and guide you through each step.  Don’t rush to pay your ticket – paying means pleading guilty. Before you decide, get a 100% FREE NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION from our experienced traffic ticket paralegal.