What an Illinois speeding ticket is

An Illinois speeding ticket written by a police officer is an Illinois Citation and Complaint that charges a section of the Illinois Vehicle Code, such as 625 ILCS 5/11-601 (general speed restrictions), 11-605 (school zones) or 11-605.1 (construction or maintenance speed zones), or a similar local ordinance. Read the section printed on your citation. Confirm what your notice says.

If the paper has photos and names a camera program, see Illinois automated camera notices: red light, Chicago safety-zone speed, school-bus stop-arm, and railroad-crossing cameras, plus state work-zone speed camera citations. Confirm what your paper says.

US overview: What a speeding ticket notice is. Contrast: What an NYC speeding ticket is · What a California speeding ticket is · What a Florida speeding ticket is · What a Pennsylvania speeding ticket is · What a Virginia speeding ticket is · What a Colorado speeding ticket is · What a Maryland speeding ticket is · What a Tennessee speeding ticket is · What a Washington speeding ticket is · What a New Mexico speeding ticket is · What an Arizona speeding ticket is.

Speed rules (625 ILCS 5/11-601)

625 ILCS 5/11-601(a) (ilga.gov, retrieved 9 Oct 2026): “No vehicle may be driven upon any highway of this State at a speed which is greater than is reasonable and proper with regard to traffic conditions and the use of the highway, or endangers the safety of any person or property.” Subsection (b): “No person may drive a vehicle upon any highway of this State at a speed which is greater than the applicable statutory maximum speed limit established by paragraphs (c), (d), (e), (f) or (g) of this Section, by Section 11-605 or by a regulation or ordinance made under this Chapter.” Subsection (c): “Unless some other speed restriction is established under this Chapter, the maximum speed limit in an urban district for all vehicles is:” “30 miles per hour; and” “15 miles per hour in an alley.” That is the statute’s statement.

The in-force text of Section 11-601 (its source note reads “P.A. 104-787, eff. 8-7-26”) prints two subsections on the limit outside an urban district. Subsection (d): “Unless some other speed restriction is established under this Chapter, the maximum speed limit outside an urban district for any vehicle is (1) 65 miles per hour for all or part of highways that are designated by the Department, have at least 4 lanes of traffic, and have a separation between the roadways moving in opposite directions and (2) 55 miles per hour for all other highways, roads, and streets.” Subsection (d-1): “Unless some other speed restriction is established under this Chapter, the maximum speed limit outside an urban district for any vehicle is (1) 70 miles per hour on any interstate highway as defined by Section 1-133.1 of this Code which includes all highways under the jurisdiction of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority; (2) 65 miles per hour for all or part of highways that are designated by the Department, have at least 4 lanes of traffic, and have a separation between the roadways moving in opposite directions; and (3) 55 miles per hour for all other highways, roads, and streets.” Subsection (d-1) adds: “The counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair, and Will may adopt ordinances setting a maximum speed limit on highways, roads, and streets that is lower than the limits established by this Section.”

How subsections (d) and (d-1) fit together is UNKNOWN from the statute text, and this page does not reconcile them. Subsections (e) and (f) set other limits for certain heavier vehicles and for buses. Read the posted limit and the section printed on your citation.

Petty offense or misdemeanor — what the statutes say

625 ILCS 5/11-202: “It is unlawful and, unless otherwise declared in this Chapter with respect to particular offenses, it is a petty offense for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this Chapter.” 625 ILCS 5/16-104: “Every person convicted of a violation of any provision of this Code for which another penalty is not provided shall, for a first or second conviction thereof, be guilty of a petty offense and, for a third or subsequent conviction within one year after the first conviction, be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.” That is the statute’s statement.

625 ILCS 5/11-601.5 lists two misdemeanors. Subsection (a): “A person who drives a vehicle upon any highway of this State at a speed that is 26 miles per hour or more but less than 35 miles per hour in excess of the applicable maximum speed limit established under this Chapter or a local ordinance commits a Class B misdemeanor.” Subsection (b): “A person who drives a vehicle upon any highway of this State at a speed that is 35 miles per hour or more in excess of the applicable maximum speed limit established under this Chapter or a local ordinance commits a Class A misdemeanor.” That is the statute’s statement. This page does not decide which section applies to your ticket.

School zones (625 ILCS 5/11-605)

625 ILCS 5/11-605(a): “On a school day when school children are present and so close thereto that a potential hazard exists because of the close proximity of the motorized traffic, no person shall drive a motor vehicle at a speed in excess of 20 miles per hour while passing a school zone or while traveling on a local, county, or State roadway on public school property or upon any public thoroughfare where children pass going to and from school.” “For the purpose of this Section, a school day begins at 6:30 a.m. and concludes at 4 p.m.” The section “shall not be applicable unless appropriate signs are posted” on the streets and highways where the school zone is located. That is the statute’s statement.

Subsection (e): “Except as provided in subsection (e-5), a person who violates this Section is guilty of a petty offense. Violations of this Section are punishable with a minimum fine of $150 for the first violation, a minimum fine of $300 for the second or subsequent violation”, and the same sentence also provides for community service. Subsection (e-5) lists “aggravated special speed limit while passing schools” as a Class B misdemeanor at “26 miles per hour or more but less than 35 miles per hour in excess of the applicable special speed limit” and as a Class A misdemeanor at “35 miles per hour or more in excess of the applicable special speed limit”. That is the statute’s statement. Confirm what your notice says.

Construction or maintenance speed zones (625 ILCS 5/11-605.1)

625 ILCS 5/11-605.1(a): “A person may not operate a motor vehicle in a construction or maintenance speed zone at a speed in excess of the posted speed limit when workers are present.” Subsection (a-5) applies the same rule “when workers are not present”. Subsection (c): the zone signs “must give proper due warning that a construction or maintenance speed zone is being approached and must indicate the maximum speed limit in effect. The signs also must state the amount of the minimum fine for a violation.” Subsection (d): “Except as provided under subsection (d-5), a person who violates this Section is guilty of a petty offense. Violations of this Section are punishable with a minimum fine of $250 for the first violation and a minimum fine of $750 for the second or subsequent violation.” Subsection (d-5) lists aggravated violations at 26 miles per hour or more over the special limit as Class B or Class A misdemeanors. That is the statute’s statement.

Subsection (g): “For a second or subsequent violation of this Section within 2 years of the date of the previous violation, the Secretary of State shall suspend the driver's license of the violator for a period of 90 days.” “This suspension shall only be imposed if the current violation of this Section and at least one prior violation of this Section occurred during a period when workers were present in the construction or maintenance zone.” That is the statute’s statement. This page describes a citation an officer issues. A work-zone speed camera citation is a different kind of paper, described on the Illinois camera page linked above; this page does not say how Section 11-605.1 applies to it.

Points on the Secretary of State record (92 Ill. Adm. Code 1040.20)

Section 1040.20, “Illinois Offense Table”, of the Secretary of State’s rules (92 Ill. Adm. Code 1040; JCAR, ilga.gov; source note “Amended at 50 Ill. Reg. 4405, effective March 4, 2026”; retrieved 9 Oct 2026), subsection (a): “The conviction report furnished to the Driver Services Department by the court when a person was convicted of a traffic violation will be entered upon the driving record by classification (Type Action) and used as a source of information. Except when superseded by subsequent statutory amendment, this Section must be followed and the number of points assigned to a person's driving record will be determined by using the point table set out in subsections (c) and (d).” The table lists these rows for speeding:

Section	Row in the Illinois Offense Table	Points
11-601(a)	“Speeding too fast for conditions or failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash”	10
11-601(b)	“1-10 MPH above limit”	5
11-601(b)	“11-14 MPH above limit”	15
11-601(b)	“15-25 MPH above limit (a serious traffic violation if committed in a commercial motor vehicle)”	20
11-601(b)	“Over 25 MPH above limit (a serious traffic violation if committed in a commercial motor vehicle)”	50
11-601.5(a)	“26-34 MPH above limit (a serious violation in a commercial motor vehicle) (arrests occurring on or after 1/1/14)”	50
11-601.5(b)	“35 MPH or more above limit (a serious violation in a commercial motor vehicle) (arrests occurring on or after 1-1-14)”	50
11-605(a)	“Exceeding the maximum speed limit in a school zone (a serious violation in a commercial motor vehicle)”	20
11-605(e-5)(1)	“Aggravated speeding in a school zone (26 MPH to 34 MPH)”	55
11-605(e-5)(2)	“Aggravated speeding in a school zone (35 MPH or more)”	55
11-605.1(a)	“Exceeding the maximum speed limit in a construction zone when workers are present (a serious traffic violation if committed in a commercial motor vehicle)”	20
11-605.1(a-5)	“Exceeding the maximum speed limit in a construction zone when workers are not present (a serious traffic violation if committed in a commercial motor vehicle)”	10
11-605.1(d-5)(1)	“Aggravated speeding in a construction zone. Speeding 26-34 mile per hour in excess of special speed limit (1-1-16)”	55
11-605.1(d-5)(2)	“Aggravated speeding in a construction zone 35 miles per hour or more in excess of special speed limit (1-1-16)”	55

The table also prints older speeding rows limited to arrests before 1/1/14 (and earlier dates); this page does not reproduce them. That is the rule’s statement.

625 ILCS 5/6-206(a): “The Secretary of State is authorized to suspend or revoke the driving privileges of any person without preliminary hearing upon a showing of the person's records or other sufficient evidence that the person:” (2) “Has been convicted of not less than 3 offenses against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles committed within any 12-month period.” ilga.gov prints three versions of Section 6-206 (from P.A. 104-480, 104-577 and 104-852); this text is the same in all three. That is the statute’s statement. We do not tell you how a ticket will affect your license or insurance. Confirm your driving record with the Secretary of State.

Court appearance or written plea — what the Supreme Court Rules say

The Illinois citation form approved by the Conference of Chief Circuit Judges (“Electronic Citation and Complaint Form”, Illinois Courts, filed 12/19/2024) states that a ticket is marked “Court Appearance Required” or “No Court Appearance Required”. Read which applies to your citation.

Illinois Supreme Court Rule 551, “Traffic and Conservation Offenses for Which a Court Appearance is Required”, lists, among others, (a) “All alleged major traffic offenses of the Illinois Vehicle Code” and (h) “Any minor traffic offense where the statutory minimum fine is greater than $95”, with an exception for certain truck violations. Rule 501(f)(1) defines a “Major Traffic Offense” as an offense under the listed Acts “other than a petty offense or business offense that is punishable by a term of imprisonment of less than one year” and a “Minor Traffic Offense” as “a petty offense or business offense” under the listed Acts. That is the Rule’s statement. This page does not decide whether your citation requires a court appearance.

Rule 529(a): “All minor traffic offenses, except those requiring a court appearance under Rule 551 and those that may be satisfied under Rule 531, may be satisfied without a court appearance by a written plea of guilty, including electronic pleas as authorized by the Supreme Court, and payment of an amount equal to the Schedule 12 assessment, as provided in section 15-60 of the Criminal and Traffic Assessment Act (705 ILCS 135/15-60).” 705 ILCS 135/15-60: “SCHEDULE 12: For a disposition under paragraph (a)(1) or (c) of Supreme Court Rule 529, the Clerk of the Circuit Court shall collect $164” and remits that money to the funds the section lists. Those are the Rule’s and the statute’s statements.

Section 15-60 refers to “paragraph (a)(1) or (c)” of Rule 529. The current Rule 529 (last amended Oct. 27, 2022, effective Sept. 18, 2023) has no paragraph (a)(1). How the two texts fit together is UNKNOWN, and this page does not reconcile them. Amounts on the court-appearance path, including any fine and any other assessment, are UNKNOWN on this page. This page does not compute a total. Confirm what your notice says.

Paths the citation describes (not which to choose)

We do not tell you whether to plead, pay, appear, or take any other step.

Violation.com does not collect Illinois fines or assessments. If you upload a speeding notice, we summarize what the notice shows. It is not legal advice.

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Sources retrieved 9 Oct 2026:

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