Typical lawyer answer: it depends. Realistically, you will pay anywhere from $70 to $250 for a basic speeding ticket, not including court costs and fines.
There are a lot of factors playing into the cost of a traffic citation in North Carolina, including:
-What speed you were stopped at versus the speed limit;
-Whether you have a long history of traffic tickets;
-What county the ticket is in;
-Whether court costs and fines are included in the price; and
-Whether a driving record is needed to plea the ticket.
Attorneys in smaller counties tend to cost less to stay competitive. Some attorneys handle a high volume of citations and therefore can offer a lower price; some attorneys simply have lower overhead costs and do not need to charge as much to stay in business. Lawyers who do not handle many speeding citations may charge more because they have other matters occupying them that are not traffic-related.
Personally, I do not charge the court cost and fine up front because sometimes there are surprises on your driving record or an ADA might be a little more flexible than expected so the fine will be different than anticipated. In NC, the court allows you 39 days to pay your cost and fine, and you can do so online or at the courthouse. Most attorneys are happy to take a money order to the courthouse for you to pay court costs and fines.
Do Traffic Lawyers Accept Credit or Debit Cards?
Yes, most do. Some may charge a small fee to use a credit or debit card. I personally do not at this time — the credit card fee is built into the fee I charge. Additionally, the cost of your driving record is built into my fee.
Which Speeding Ticket Attorney Should I Hire?
It’s a balancing test: choose the one you like and trust the most who still offers a reasonable fee within your budget.
Call me at 919-880-2124 for more information. I am not the lowest cost attorney, but I promise I will be honest and work hard to get you the best result.