What a North Carolina speeding ticket is

The North Carolina General Statutes (ncleg.gov, retrieved 29 Oct 2026) set speed rules in G.S. 20-141, headed “Speed restrictions”, and school-zone limits in G.S. 20-141.1, headed “Speed limits in school zones”. This page quotes those sections, G.S. 20-176, G.S. 20-16, G.S. 20-16.1, Session Law 2026-46, and a 2024 list adopted by the Conference of Chief District Court Judges. It does not apply them to any notice. Read any court, charge, speed limit, alleged speed, section number, and amount shown on your notice. Confirm what your notice says.

If the paper is a camera notice from a red light camera or a school-zone speed camera, see North Carolina camera citations: what G.S. 160A-300.1, 160A-300.4 and 153A-246.1 say about red light cameras and school-zone speed cameras. Confirm what your paper says.

The General Statutes and session law text below is quoted from the North Carolina General Assembly’s site as shown when retrieved on 29 Oct 2026. The 2024 list and the Judicial Branch renewal sentence are quoted from the North Carolina Judicial Branch site (nccourts.gov) as retrieved on the same day.

What G.S. 20-141 says about speed restrictions

G.S. 20-141(a): “No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway or in a public vehicular area at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing.” G.S. 20-141(b): “Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, it shall be unlawful to operate a vehicle in excess of the following speeds:”

(1) “Thirty-five miles per hour inside municipal corporate limits for all vehicles.”
(2) “Fifty-five miles per hour outside municipal corporate limits for all vehicles except for school buses and school activity buses.”

That is the statute’s statement, as compiled on the General Assembly’s site when retrieved on 29 Oct 2026. The section has other subsections that let the Department of Transportation and local authorities set other speed limits, which this page does not cover. This page does not list the speed limits posted on particular roads.

What Session Law 2026-46 says about G.S. 20-141(b)

Session Law 2026-46 (House Bill 1094) rewrites G.S. 20-141(b). In section 17(a) of the act, subdivisions (1) and (2) each gain the words “except as provided in subdivision (3) of this subsection,” and a new subdivision (3) reads: “Twenty‑five miles per hour on any roadway that is unpaved or not marked with a centerline.” Section 17(b): “This section becomes effective December 1, 2026, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.” That is the statute’s statement. The compiled G.S. 20-141 retrieved on 29 Oct 2026 does not include subdivision (3). This page does not say how section 17 applies to a particular road or notice.

What G.S. 20-141(j1) says about speeds that are a Class 3 misdemeanor

G.S. 20-141(j1): “A person who drives a vehicle on a highway at a speed that is either more than 15 miles per hour more than the speed limit established by law for the highway where the offense occurred or over 80 miles per hour is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.” That is the statute’s statement. This page does not quote the punishment limits for a Class 3 misdemeanor.

What G.S. 20-141(j2) says about highway work zones

G.S. 20-141(j2): “A person who drives a motor vehicle in a highway work zone at a speed greater than the speed limit set and posted under this section shall be required to pay a penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00). This penalty shall be imposed in addition to those penalties established in this Chapter. A "highway work zone" is the area between the first sign that informs motorists of the existence of a work zone on a highway and the last sign that informs motorists of the end of the work zone. The additional penalty imposed by this subsection applies only if signs are posted at the beginning and end of any segment of the highway work zone stating the penalty for speeding in that segment of the work zone.” It continues: “A law enforcement officer issuing a citation for a violation of this section while in a highway work zone shall indicate the vehicle speed and speed limit posted in the segment of the work zone, and determine whether the individual committed a violation of G.S. 20-141(j1).” That is the statute’s statement. The subsection has other sentences that this page does not cover.

What G.S. 20-141(p) says about prayer for judgment continued

G.S. 20-141(p): “A driver charged with speeding in excess of 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit shall be ineligible for a disposition of prayer for judgment continued.” That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say what other rules apply to a prayer for judgment continued.

What G.S. 20-141.1 says about school zones

G.S. 20-141.1: “The Board of Transportation or local authorities within their respective jurisdictions may, by ordinance, set speed limits lower than those designated in G.S. 20-141 for areas adjacent to or near a public, private or parochial school.” It continues: “Limits set pursuant to this section shall become effective when signs are erected giving notice of the school zone, the authorized speed limit, and the days and hours when the lower limit is effective, or by erecting signs giving notice of the school zone, the authorized speed limit and which indicate the days and hours the lower limit is effective by an electronic flasher operated with a time clock. Limits set pursuant to this section may be enforced only on days when school is in session, and no speed limit below 20 miles per hour may be set under the authority of this section. A person who drives a motor vehicle in a school zone at a speed greater than the speed limit set and posted under this section is responsible for an infraction and is required to pay a penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).” That is the statute’s statement.

What G.S. 20-141(e1) says about school property

G.S. 20-141(e1): “Local authorities within their respective jurisdictions may authorize, by ordinance, lower speed limits than those set in subsection (b) of this section on school property.” It continues: “Speed limits established pursuant to this subsection shall become effective when appropriate signs giving notice of the speed limit are erected upon affected property. A person who drives a motor vehicle on school property at a speed greater than the speed limit set and posted under this subsection is responsible for an infraction and is required to pay a penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00).” That is the statute’s statement. The subsection has sentences about school consent that this page does not cover.

What G.S. 20-176 says about infractions

G.S. 20-176(a): “Violation of a provision of Part 9, 10, 10A, or 11 of this Article is an infraction unless the violation is specifically declared by law to be a misdemeanor or felony.” G.S. 20-176(b): “Unless a specific penalty is otherwise provided by law, a person found responsible for an infraction contained in this Article may be ordered to pay a penalty of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00).” That is the statute’s statement. Subsection (a) has another sentence, and the section has other subsections, that this page does not cover. This page does not say which Part of the Article a section is in, or which penalty applies to a particular notice.

What the 2024 list of the Conference of Chief District Court Judges says about speeding

A list on nccourts.gov marked “© 2024 Administrative Office of the Courts” is headed “TRAFFIC OFFENSES FOR WHICH COURT APPEARANCE MAY BE WAIVED” and “(on execution of written waiver of appearance and trial, and plea of guilty/responsible)”. It states that it was “Adopted by the Conference of Chief District Court Judges, October 9, 2024, pursuant to G.S. 7A-148” and that it “Applies To Offenses Committed On Or After December 1, 2024”. A North Carolina Judicial Branch help page on nccourts.gov states: “Each year the chief district court judges review and publish the list of offenses that may be waived.” This page does not say whether a newer list exists. The Conference of Chief District Court Judges list’s part headed “Speeding Violations” has seven numbered lines, quoted here as printed:

1. “Speed over the applicable limit (including a limit imposed by permit on a commercial vehicle) and over 55 mph but not over 80 mph”, printed with the column headings “0-5”, “6-10” and “11-15”, and below them “Costs plus fine of” with “$10”, “$15” and “$30”
2. “Speed over the applicable limit (including a limit imposed by permit on a commercial vehicle) but 55 mph or under”, printed with the column headings “0-5”, “6-10”, “11-15” and “16 & over”, and below them “Costs plus fine of” with “$10”, “$15”, “$30” and “$50”
3. “Exceeding a safe speed or exceeding posted speed (where actual speed not specified), except as in No. 22 and No. 23 of mandatory appearances. [G.S. 20-141]”, printed beside “$ 25 and Costs”
4. “Speeding in school zone or on school property. [G.S. 20-141(e1); G.S. 20-141.1]”, printed beside “$250 and Costs”
5. “Driving too slowly. [G.S. 20-141(h)]”, printed beside “$ 25 and Costs”
6. “Speeding in a work zone, except as in No. 22 and No. 23 of mandatory appearances. [G.S. 20-141(j2)]”, printed beside “$250 and Costs”
7. “Failure to reduce speed to avoid accident. [G.S. 20-141(m)]”, printed beside “$ 50 and Costs”

That is the list as printed. The list does not label the column headings in lines 1 and 2 further, and it does not state the amount of costs. This page does not state an amount of costs, does not quote the mandatory-appearance items that lines 3 and 6 refer to, and does not say which line applies to a particular notice.

What G.S. 20-16 says about license points and suspension

G.S. 20-16(c): “The Division shall maintain a record of convictions of every person licensed or required to be licensed under the provisions of this Article as an operator and shall enter therein records of all convictions of such persons for any violation of the motor vehicle laws of this State and shall assign to the record of such person, as of the date of commission of the offense, a number of points for every such conviction in accordance with the following schedule of convictions and points, except that points shall not be assessed for convictions resulting in suspensions or revocations under other provisions of laws: Further, any points heretofore charged for violation of the motor vehicle inspection laws shall not be considered by the Division of Motor Vehicles as a basis for suspension or revocation of driver's license:”

The schedule headed “Schedule of Point Values” has other lines that this page does not cover. Its two speeding lines are “Speeding in excess of 55 miles per hour”, printed beside “3”, and “Speeding in a school zone in excess of the posted school zone speed limit”, printed beside “3”. The separate schedule headed “Schedule of Point Values for Violations While Operating a Commercial Motor Vehicle” prints the same two lines beside “4”; its other lines are not covered here.

G.S. 20-16(c) also states: “In case of the conviction of a licensee of two or more traffic offenses committed on a single occasion, such licensee shall be assessed points for one offense only and if the offenses involved have a different point value, such licensee shall be assessed for the offense having the greater point value.” and “When a license is suspended under the point system provided for herein, the first such suspension shall be for not more than 60 days; the second such suspension shall not exceed six months and any subsequent suspension shall not exceed one year.”

G.S. 20-16(a): “The Division shall have authority to suspend the license of any operator with or without a preliminary hearing upon a showing by its records or other satisfactory evidence that the licensee:” Subsection (a) has other paragraphs that this page does not cover. Its speed and point paragraphs read:

(5) “Has, under the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, within a three-year period, accumulated 12 or more points, or eight or more points in the three-year period immediately following the reinstatement of a license which has been suspended or revoked because of a conviction for one or more traffic offenses;”
(9) “Has, within a period of 12 months, been convicted of (i) two or more charges of speeding in excess of 55 and not more than 80 miles per hour, (ii) one or more charges of reckless driving and one or more charges of speeding in excess of 55 and not more than 80 miles per hour, or (iii) one or more charges of aggressive driving and one or more charges of speeding in excess of 55 and not more than 80 miles per hour;”
(10) “Has been convicted of operating a motor vehicle at a speed in excess of 75 miles per hour on a public road or highway where the maximum speed is less than 70 miles per hour;”
(10a) “Has been convicted of operating a motor vehicle at a speed in excess of 80 miles per hour on a public highway where the maximum speed is 70 miles per hour; or”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. The section has other subsections and sentences that this page does not cover.

What G.S. 20-16.1 says about suspension for excessive speeding

G.S. 20-16.1(a): “Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article, the Division shall suspend for a period of 30 days the license of any driver without preliminary hearing on receiving a record of the driver's conviction of either (i) exceeding by more than 15 miles per hour the speed limit, either within or outside the corporate limits of a municipality, if the person was also driving at a speed in excess of 55 miles per hour at the time of the offense, or (ii) driving at a speed in excess of 80 miles per hour at the time of the offense.”

G.S. 20-16.1(b)(1): “Upon a first conviction only of violating subsection (a), the trial judge may when feasible allow a limited driving privilege or license to the person convicted for proper purposes reasonably connected with the health, education and welfare of the person convicted and his family.” G.S. 20-16.1(c): “Upon conviction of a similar second or subsequent offense which offense occurs within one year of the first or prior offense, the license of such operator shall be suspended for 60 days, provided such first or prior offense occurs subsequent to July 1, 1953.” G.S. 20-16.1(d): “Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article, the Division shall suspend for a period of 60 days the license of any driver without preliminary hearing on receiving a record of such driver's conviction of having violated the laws against speeding described in subsection (a) and of having violated the laws against reckless driving on the same occasion as the speeding offense occurred.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. Subsection (b) has other sentences and paragraphs, and the section has other subsections, that this page does not cover.

Paths the notice describes (not which to choose)

Read which law enforcement officer or agency issued your notice, the court named on it, the charge, the date, any amount, and the response instructions printed on it. We do not tell you which path to choose or what step to take.

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

Upload the notice

Sources retrieved 29 Oct 2026:

Not legal advice. Not a law firm. Not affiliated with a government agency. Information Only.

Information on this page was last checked against official sources on November 8, 2026.