Speeding ticket lawyers in San Jose

A San Jose speeding ticket costs $158 to $410 in Santa Clara County, depending on how fast you were going. The totals are the 1 to 15, 16 to 25, and 26 mph or more over bands on the speed chart in the Santa Clara County Superior Court's 2026 Traffic Bail Schedule. The schedule took effect on January 1, 2026.

The table shows the speed chart for standard zones. The base fine is only part of what you pay.

Why is the total so much higher than the base fine?

The court adds assessments and fees to the base fine. The county schedule lists them by name: a state penalty, a county penalty, a DNA fund charge, a court facility charge, a surcharge, and an emergency medical services charge. Each one has its own line in the chart. For 1 to 15 mph over, the $35 base fine becomes $158 once the chart adds a $40 state penalty, a $28 county penalty, a $20 DNA fund charge, a $20 court facility charge, a $7 surcharge and an $8 emergency medical services charge.

If you qualify for traffic school, the court also adds a $49 fee for monitoring traffic violator schools (see Vehicle Code 42007.1), so your total is higher than the base figure. Under Vehicle Code 42007, the traffic school fee equals the total bail for the offense, and a court may set a lesser fee if you cannot pay the full amount.

Does a construction zone cost more?

Yes. Highway construction areas have their own chart under Vehicle Code 42009. In the county schedule, totals there run from $287 to $568.

What if you were going over 100 mph?

Over 100 mph is a separate charge under Vehicle Code 22348(b). The county speed chart stops at "26 and over," so it gives no total for this charge, and this site does not publish one. The county schedule lists a base bail of $200 for it and marks it as not eligible for traffic school. Ask the court clerk what applies to your citation. A speed this high can also mean a required court appearance.

Does paying by card cost extra?

Yes. The payment service the court uses adds a 5% convenience fee to card payments, according to the Santa Clara County traffic FAQ. The court lists other ways to pay below.

Will a speeding ticket raise your insurance?

It can. A point on your DMV record can lead an insurer to raise your premium. How much depends on your insurer and your history, so this page gives no figure. Ask your insurer before you decide.

What happens if you pay the ticket?

Paying is a conviction. A conviction for a typical speeding ticket adds 1 point to your driving record under Vehicle Code 12810. You close the case fast. You also accept the fine, the point, and whatever your insurer does with it.

What is traffic school, and who can attend?

Traffic school is a course at a licensed traffic violator school. Vehicle Code 41501 lets a court continue your case while you finish the course. The statute also says the court must tell you that only one conviction in 18 months is held confidential.

Here is what the Santa Clara County court says:

• You can attend any California DMV approved school.
• The court will not accept proof from a school that is not approved.
• You can register only after your citation is in the court's system. That usually takes 4 to 8 weeks after you receive it.

Eligibility has limits. Under California Rules of Court, rule 4.104, a court clerk cannot approve traffic school for a speeding violation more than 25 mph over the limit, for a violation worth more than one DMV point, for a violation within 18 months after you attended or elected traffic school before, or for a commercial-vehicle violation. A case where you failed to appear is also barred unless any civil assessment has been paid. Confirm the rule that applies to you with the Santa Clara County clerk before you plan around it.

How do you contest a speeding ticket?

You can ask for a trial. There are two kinds.

1. Court trial. You appear before a judge or commissioner and present your side.
2. Trial by written declaration. Vehicle Code 40902 lets you elect this for most infractions. You submit your statement and evidence on paper. You do not visit a courtroom. Use the court's written-declaration form.

The statute excludes infractions cited under the drunk driving article of the code. A speeding ticket is not one of them.

Can a lawyer handle it for you?

A lawyer can take over the process. That can mean reviewing your citation, choosing among the options above and dealing with the court. Ask any firm what its fee covers, who appears at your court date, and whether you need to attend. The lawyer list below shows firms that publish San Jose traffic ticket services.

Vehicle Code 40508(a) makes it a misdemeanor to willfully break a written promise to appear. The court may also treat a failure to appear as consent to a trial by written declaration without you, under Vehicle Code 40903.

Does the court add a civil assessment?

In Santa Clara County, a missed date does not currently lead to a civil assessment. A standing order filed June 15, 2026 says that after June 1, 2026 the court indefinitely suspends imposing civil assessments in criminal and traffic cases, until further order of the court. Cases not yet decided on that date also do not get one. State law, Penal Code 1214.1, allows a civil assessment of up to $100 in general, but the court's order controls in this county while it stays in effect. The suspension can change, so confirm with the clerk.

CVC 22350 is the basic speed law. It bars driving faster than is reasonable or prudent given weather, visibility, traffic, and the surface and width of the road. It also bars any speed that endangers people or property. The section is a single sentence and sets no fixed speed number.

CVC 22349 is the maximum speed law. Subdivision (a) sets 65 mph. Subdivision (b) sets 55 mph on two-lane undivided highways unless the road is posted for more.

CVC 22356 is the 70 mph rule. It applies only on highways designated for that limit.

CVC 22348(b) is the over-100 mph rule. It is an infraction that carries 2 points.

Points matter because they add up. The DMV sends a notice of intent to suspend (Level II) or puts you on probation with a suspension (Level III) when your points reach these totals, under Vehicle Code 12810.5 and the DMV's negligent operator actions page:

The DMV says a Level III suspension takes effect 34 days after the order is mailed.

The DMV says traffic convictions and collisions stay on your record for 36 months or longer, depending on the type of conviction, according to its Driver Handbook. Check your own record with the DMV before you decide how to handle the ticket.

1. License. Confirm the attorney is licensed in California. Search the name on the State Bar of California site.
2. Fee in writing. Ask for the fee in writing and what it covers. Ask whether court costs, fines and traffic school fees are separate.
3. Who appears. Ask which attorney will handle your case and who appears in court for you.
4. Your attendance. Ask whether you must attend any hearing, and how a hearing could be handled without you.
5. Updates. Ask how the firm will send updates: phone, text, email or mail.
6. A conviction. Ask what happens if the result is still a conviction, including the point and the fine.
7. Language. If you prefer Spanish or another language, ask whether intake and updates are offered in it.

Fees, fines and rules change. Confirm every number with the court or the firm before you rely on it.