Driver’s License Points on Out of State Tickets
Imagine this scenario. You live in Missouri, but you work in Kansas. You’re in a hurry to get home, and you find yourself going a bit too fast – or a lot too fast. Before you can slow down, you see the flashing lights in your rear view mirror. You have a pretty good idea you’re getting an out of state ticket. A question immediately comes to mind: Does a speeding ticket in Kansas affect my driver's license points if I live in Missouri? It’s a fair question, but you might not like the answer.
Key Point:
Insurance increases can be just as dramatic with out of state speeding tickets as if the ticket happened at home!
Yes, You Can Get Driver's License Points with an Out of State Ticket, and Here’s Why
You read that heading right. You can get driver's license points on your Missouri license even if you are cited for speeding in Kansas. This is true not only of Kansas but also of most other states. Why? It’s because of an agreement called the Driver License Compact. Signed by 45 states and Washington, D.C. this agreement may mean serious trouble for you.
The Driver License Compact allows states to share information about traffic violations committed by out of state drivers with the driver’s home state. The home state then assesses points for that violation as if it had been committed in the home state. So, if you’re a Kansas City, Missouri resident who gets an out of state speeding ticket in Kansas (or most other states), you will face the same damage to your driving record as you would if you’d gotten it in Missouri. The driver's license points will be taken off your Missouri license, even if you got the ticket in Kansas.
Aimee Gromowsky
Kansas City Traffic Lawyer
"You always want to keep speeding tickets off your record."
Now for a Free Review of Your Situation
Why Out of State Tickets Are Serious Business
Getting a speeding ticket in a different state can seem a little unreal. It’s likely that the officer doesn’t know you and may never see you again. If you don’t understand that the consequences are just as harsh for an out of state ticket as for a ticket in your own state, you might not worry much about it. You may even throw away the ticket or stuff it in your glovebox and ignore it. Don’t do that!
It’s crucial that you deal with the ticket properly. It's always a good idea to have a traffic ticket lawyer help you. Otherwise, you can end up getting points off your license. Out of state speeding ticket insurance cost increases can be just as dramatic as if the ticket happened at home. This is true especially if you were driving more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. If you get more than one out of state traffic ticket, that's more driver's license points and your driving record can start to sink fast. That is, it can if you don’t do something to fix the speeding ticket.
How Can You Get Out of a Speeding Ticket?
What can you do if you get a ticket in another state? How can you protect your driving record? Talking to a traffic ticket attorney is your best hope if you want to get out of a speeding ticket, wherever it happens.
Because the laws of two states are involved, it’s important to choose a traffic lawyer that knows the laws of both states very well. A knowledgeable attorney can help you make decisions about how to deal with your out of state ticket to avoid driver's license points, state penalties, and higher insurance costs. Call me or text me, I will help you.
Hi Aimee, I live in St. Louis, Missouri and received a speeding ticket in Jasper County, Iowa (I’m guilty). Are you able to ‘fix’ that ticket?
I’m sorry I don’t do Iowa tickets. I would Google a traffic lawyer near Jasper.