A speeding ticket in Indiana adds 2, 4, or 6 points to your driving record, depending on how far over the limit you were going. It is 2 points for 1 to 15 mph over, 4 points for 16 to 25 mph over, and 6 points for 26 mph or more over the posted limit. Speeding in a school zone can climb to 8 points. Those points land on your record when you are convicted, not when you are stopped, and they stay there for two years. Because Indiana can take action against your license as your total climbs, the number of points a single ticket carries is worth understanding before you decide how to handle it.
Indiana Speeding Points by How Fast You Were Going
|
Speed over the limit |
Points |
|
1 to 15 mph over |
2 |
|
16 to 25 mph over |
4 |
|
26 mph or more over |
6 |
|
25+ mph over in a school zone |
8 |
The values scale with severity, which is the logic behind Indiana's whole system: the greater the risk, the higher the points. Your citation should state the exact number of points your specific violation carries, so it is worth checking rather than assuming.
Two things are worth knowing about how these points behave. They are assessed only on conviction, so points do not attach at the moment you are pulled over. And they remain on your record for two years, after which they expire, though the underlying conviction stays on your record.
Why the Points Matter More Than the Fine
The fine for a speeding ticket is a one-time cost. The points are what follow you.
As your point total climbs, the BMV can act. A warning letter typically arrives around 14 points, and accumulation into the high teens and beyond can trigger a required Driver Safety Program, administrative probation, or a license suspension that begins at 20 points. On top of that, insurers can see the points, and a single speeding conviction commonly raises premiums for years, an increase that usually costs far more than the ticket itself.
That is why the smarter question after a ticket is not just what you owe today, but what the points will cost you over the next couple of years.
How to Reduce the Points
Here is the part that matters most if you already have a ticket. Indiana lets you offset points by completing a BMV-approved Driver Safety Program.
Completing an approved course applies a 4-point credit to your record. For a 2-point or 4-point speeding ticket, that credit can cancel out the ticket's points entirely, and for a 6-point ticket it takes most of them off. Two rules govern it: the credit is available once every three years, and it does not erase the conviction, only the points the BMV uses when calculating penalties.
Because a single course credit can wipe out a typical speeding ticket's points, taking it is often the best-value move available after a citation, especially if you are anywhere near a warning letter or a suspension threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many points is a speeding ticket in Indiana?
It depends on your speed: 2 points for 1 to 15 mph over the limit, 4 points for 16 to 25 mph over, and 6 points for 26 mph or more over. School zone speeding can reach 8 points.
When do the points hit my record?
Only when you are convicted, not when you receive the ticket. Once the BMV records the conviction, the points are added.
How long do the points last?
Two years from the date they are assessed, after which they expire. The conviction itself remains on your record.
Can I remove the points from a speeding ticket?
You can offset them. Completing a BMV-approved Driver Safety Program applies a 4-point credit, which can cancel out a typical speeding ticket's points, though the conviction stays on your record.
How often can I use the point credit?
Once every three years. If you have already used it within that window, you cannot earn another credit until three years have passed.
The Bottom Line
A speeding ticket in Indiana is 2, 4, or 6 points depending on your speed, those points last two years, and they matter far more than the fine because of what they do to your suspension risk and your insurance. If you already have a ticket, a BMV-approved course can offset most or all of a typical speeding ticket's points.
ABetterDriver offers the BMV-approved Indiana Driver Safety Program fully online for $28.95, self-paced, with your completion reported directly to the BMV for a 4-point credit. Check your point total through MyBMV, confirm you are eligible for the credit, and you can start today.
