Speeding ticket in Ontario: fines, demerit points, and when it becomes stunt driving

Fines and points by km/h over

Speeding fines are set per km/h over the limit by the Ontario Court of Justice’s set fine schedule. Points come from the Ministry of Transportation’s demerit system.

• 1–15 km/h over: $2.50 per km/h. No demerit points.
• 16–19 km/h over: $2.50 per km/h. 3 points.
• 20–29 km/h over: $3.75 per km/h. 3 points.
• 30–49 km/h over: $6.00 per km/h. 4 points — but 40 or more over on a road with a limit under 80 km/h is 6 points and counts as stunt driving.
• 50 km/h or more over: no set fine. You can’t just pay it; it goes to court. 6 points, and it also meets the stunt driving threshold.

The total on your ticket is higher than the set fine. Every ticket adds a victim fine surcharge, set by regulation according to the size of the fine, plus $5 in court costs. A few worked examples on a normal road:

• 15 over: $37.50 fine + $10 surcharge + $5 costs = $52.50, no points.
• 25 over: $93.75 + $20 + $5 = $118.75, 3 points.
• 35 over: $210 + $50 + $5 = $265, 4 points.

For 50 km/h or more over, a court can also suspend your licence — up to 30 days on a first conviction, longer for repeat convictions.

Tip: check that the speed, the posted limit and the set fine written on the ticket all add up. If they don’t, mention it to whoever reviews your case.

Community safety and construction zones

Fines double in two places:

• Community safety zones — signed stretches, often near schools: $5.00, $7.50 and $12.00 per km/h for the three bands.
• Construction zones when a worker is present: the same doubled rates.

Points don’t double. A 25 over in a community safety zone is still 3 points, but the set fine is $187.50 instead of $93.75.

When speeding becomes stunt driving

Under Ontario’s stunt driving regulation, driving at these speeds counts as stunt driving:

• 40 km/h or more over the limit where the limit is under 80 km/h — for example, 90 in a 50 zone;
• 50 km/h or more over where the limit is 80 km/h or more — for example, 150 in a 100 zone;
• 150 km/h or more anywhere, including the 110 km/h highway sections.

At the roadside

An immediate 30-day licence suspension and 14-day vehicle impoundment, whether or not the car is yours. These happen before any court date.

On conviction

• a fine of $2,000 to $10,000,
• up to 6 months in jail,
• a licence suspension of 1 to 3 years for a first conviction, and much longer for repeat convictions,
• 6 demerit points.

How demerit points add up

Points stay on your record for two years from the offence date. What happens depends on your licence:

Full licence (G)

• 6–8 points: a warning letter.
• 9–14 points: a second warning letter.
• 15 or more: a 30-day suspension.

Novice licence (G1, G2, M1, M2)

• 2–5 points: a warning letter.
• 6–8 points: a second warning letter.
• 9 or more: a 60-day suspension.

Novice drivers also face escalating penalties for any conviction worth 4 or more points — which includes speeding 30 km/h or more over. A first such conviction means a 30-day suspension, a second means 90 days, and a third cancels the novice licence.

Tip: add up any points from the last two years before you decide what to do with a new ticket. A 3-point ticket is very different for a driver who already has 12.

What it does to your insurance

The fine is often the smaller cost. Ontario’s insurance regulator lists speeding tickets and other driving convictions among the factors insurers use to set your rate, and an insurance application asks about traffic violations in the past three years.

How much a single ticket costs you depends on your insurer, your record and how fast you were going. A minor ticket may make little difference on its own; several convictions, or a serious one like stunt driving, can raise premiums sharply. The number of convictions on your record can also affect whether an insurer will offer or renew a policy.

Tip: even a 1–15 over with no points is still a conviction. If you’re near renewal, call your broker and ask how your insurer treats it before you pay.

Your options (you have 15 days)

The back of the ticket lists your options. If you don’t respond within 15 days, you can be convicted without a hearing.

1. Pay the fine. A voluntary guilty plea. You get the conviction and the points. Not available for 50 km/h or more over.
2. Early resolution, where your court offers it. You meet a prosecutor before any trial. Prosecutors sometimes agree to resolve a ticket at a lower speed, with fewer points. Nothing is guaranteed.
3. Request a trial. The prosecution has to prove the charge. You can ask for disclosure — the officer’s notes and how the speed was measured — before the trial date.

When a paralegal is worth it

Licensed paralegals in Ontario can represent drivers on speeding tickets and other Highway Traffic Act charges. For a 10-over with no points, hiring one rarely makes sense. It is worth a conversation if:

• the ticket is 30 km/h or more over, or a stunt driving charge,
• you hold a G1 or G2, or the new points would bring you close to a suspension,
• you drive for a living, or
• you’re worried about what a conviction does to your insurance.

Many paralegals offer a free consultation. Ask what outcome they think is realistic and what it will cost, and compare that against the points and the insurance increase you’re trying to avoid.

Common questions

How many demerit points is a speeding ticket in Ontario?

None for up to 15 km/h over. 3 points for 16 to 29 km/h over, 4 points for 30 to 49 km/h over, and 6 points for 50 km/h or more over, or for 40 km/h or more over on a road with a limit under 80 km/h.

How much is a speeding ticket in Ontario?

The set fine is $2.50 per km/h over for 1 to 19 km/h over, $3.75 per km/h for 20 to 29, and $6.00 per km/h for 30 to 49. The total on the ticket adds a victim fine surcharge and $5 in court costs. At 50 km/h or more over there is no set fine and the case goes to court. Fines double in community safety zones and in construction zones when workers are present.

How fast is stunt driving in Ontario?

40 km/h or more over the limit where the limit is under 80 km/h, 50 km/h or more over where the limit is 80 km/h or more, or 150 km/h or more anywhere. It brings an immediate 30-day licence suspension and a 14-day vehicle impoundment at the roadside.

How long do demerit points stay on your record in Ontario?

Two years from the date of the offence.

Is paying a speeding ticket an admission of guilt?

Yes. Paying the total on the ticket is a voluntary guilty plea, which leads to a conviction and any demerit points that go with it.

Sources

• Set fines, Schedule 43 (Highway Traffic Act) — Ontario Court of Justice
• Provincial Offences (total payable, costs) — Ontario Court of Justice
• O. Reg. 161/00, Victim Fine Surcharges — e-Laws
• Understanding demerit points — ontario.ca
• Speeding and aggressive driving — ontario.ca
• O. Reg. 455/07, Races, Contests and Stunts — e-Laws
• Highway Traffic Act, ss. 128 and 172 — e-Laws
• Check the status of traffic tickets and fines — ontario.ca
• Automated Speed Enforcement Penalties — City of Toronto
• What determines your auto insurance rate — FSRA
• About paralegals — Law Society of Ontario

Last checked: October 2026.