What an Ohio speeding ticket is

The Ohio Revised Code (codes.ohio.gov, retrieved 29 Oct 2026) sets speed rules in R.C. 4511.21, headed “Speed limits - assured clear distance.” This page quotes that section, R.C. 4510.036, 4510.037 and 4510.02 on the driving record and license suspension, R.C. 2929.28 and 2935.26 on misdemeanor fines and fine schedules, and Traffic Rule 13 of the Ohio Traffic Rules. 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.

The Revised Code text below is quoted from codes.ohio.gov as shown when retrieved on 29 Oct 2026. The Traffic Rules text is quoted from the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Traffic Rules document as retrieved on the same day.

What R.C. 4511.21 says about reasonable speed and the assured clear distance

R.C. 4511.21(A): “No person shall operate a motor vehicle, trackless trolley, or streetcar at a speed greater or less than is reasonable or proper, having due regard to the traffic, surface, and width of the street or highway and any other conditions, and no person shall drive any motor vehicle, trackless trolley, or streetcar in and upon any street or highway at a greater speed than will permit the person to bring it to a stop within the assured clear distance ahead.” That is the statute’s statement.

What R.C. 4511.21 says about prima-facie speeds

R.C. 4511.21(B): “It is prima-facie lawful, in the absence of a lower limit declared or established pursuant to this section by the director of transportation or local authorities, for the operator of a motor vehicle, trackless trolley, or streetcar to operate the same at a speed not exceeding the following:” Division (B) has many paragraphs, and this page does not cover most of them. Three of them read:

(1)(a) “Twenty miles per hour in school zones during school recess and while children are going to or leaving school during the opening or closing hours, and when twenty miles per hour school speed limit signs are erected; except that, on controlled-access highways and expressways, if the right-of-way line fence has been erected without pedestrian opening, the speed shall be governed by division (B)(4) of this section and on freeways, if the right-of-way line fence has been erected without pedestrian opening, the speed shall be governed by divisions (B)(10) and (11) of this section.”
(2) “Twenty-five miles per hour in all other portions of a municipal corporation, except on state routes outside business districts, through highways outside business districts, and alleys;”
(5) “Fifty-five miles per hour on highways outside municipal corporations, other than highways within island jurisdictions as provided in division (B)(8) of this section, highways as provided in divisions (B)(9) and (10) of this section, and highways, expressways, and freeways as provided in divisions (B)(12), (13), (14), and (16) of this section;”

That is the statute’s statement. Paragraph (1)(a) has other sentences, and the section has other divisions that let the director of transportation and local authorities alter these speeds, that this page does not cover. This page does not list the speed limits posted on particular roads.

What R.C. 4511.21 says about the level of the offense

R.C. 4511.21(P)(1): “A violation of any provision of this section is one of the following:”

(a) “Except as otherwise provided in divisions (P)(1)(b), (1)(c), (2), and (3) of this section, a minor misdemeanor;”
(b) “If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to two violations of any provision of this section or of any provision of a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar to any provision of this section, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree;”
(c) “If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to three or more violations of any provision of this section or of any provision of a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar to any provision of this section, a misdemeanor of the third degree.”

R.C. 4511.21(P)(2): “If the offender operated a motor vehicle faster than thirty-five miles an hour in a business district of a municipal corporation, faster than fifty miles an hour in other portions of a municipal corporation, or faster than thirty-five miles an hour in a school zone during recess or while children are going to or leaving school during the school's opening or closing hours, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Division (P)(2) of this section does not apply if penalties may be imposed under division (P)(1)(b) or (c) of this section.”

R.C. 4511.21(P)(3): “Notwithstanding division (P)(1) of this section, if the offender operated a motor vehicle in a construction zone where a sign was then posted in accordance with section 4511.98 of the Revised Code, the court, in addition to all other penalties provided by law, shall impose upon the offender a fine of two times the usual amount imposed for the violation. No court shall impose a fine of two times the usual amount imposed for the violation upon an offender if the offender alleges, in an affidavit filed with the court prior to the offender's sentencing, that the offender is indigent and is unable to pay the fine imposed pursuant to this division and if the court determines that the offender is an indigent person and unable to pay the fine.”

That is the statute’s statement. Division (P) has a paragraph (4) that this page does not cover. This page does not say which level applies to a particular notice, and it does not calculate a doubled amount.

What R.C. 2929.28 says about misdemeanor fines

R.C. 2929.28(A): “In addition to imposing court costs pursuant to section 2947.23 of the Revised Code, the court imposing a sentence upon an offender for a misdemeanor, including a minor misdemeanor, may sentence the offender to any financial sanction or combination of financial sanctions authorized under this section and, if the offender is being sentenced for a criminal offense as defined in section 2930.01 of the Revised Code, shall sentence the offender to make restitution pursuant to this section and section 2929.281 of the Revised Code.” Division (A)(2)(a) reads: “A fine in the following amount:”

(i) “For a misdemeanor of the first degree, not more than one thousand dollars;”
(ii) “For a misdemeanor of the second degree, not more than seven hundred fifty dollars;”
(iii) “For a misdemeanor of the third degree, not more than five hundred dollars;”
(iv) “For a misdemeanor of the fourth degree, not more than two hundred fifty dollars;”
(v) “For a minor misdemeanor, not more than one hundred fifty dollars.”

That is the statute’s statement. The section lists other financial sanctions, and division (A)(2) has a paragraph (b), that this page does not cover. This page does not state any amount of court costs.

What R.C. 2935.26 and Traffic Rule 13 say about fine schedules

R.C. 2935.26(E): “Each court shall establish a fine schedule that shall list the fine for each minor misdemeanor, and state the court costs. The fine schedule shall be prominently posted in the place where minor misdemeanor fines are paid.” That is the statute’s statement. R.C. 2935.26 has other divisions that this page does not cover.

Traffic Rule 13(A): “Each court shall establish a traffic violations bureau.” Traffic Rule 13(C), headed “Schedule of fines”, states: “The court shall establish and publish a schedule of fines and costs for all offenses. The schedule shall be distributed to all law enforcement agencies operating within the jurisdiction of the court and shall be prominently displayed at the place in the violations bureau where fines are paid.”

Traffic Rule 13(B): “All traffic offenses except those listed in this division may be disposed of by a traffic violations bureau.” It continues: “The following traffic offenses shall not be processed by a traffic violations bureau:”

(1) “Indictable offenses;”
(2) “Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or any drug of abuse;”
(3) “Having physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or any drug of abuse;”
(4) “Operating a vehicle on roadway covered by water;”
(5) “Leaving the scene of an accident;”
(6) “Driving while under suspension or revocation of a driver's or commercial driver’s license when jail is a possible penalty;”
(7) “Driving without being licensed to drive when jail is a possible penalty;”
(8) “A third moving traffic offense within a twelve-month period when jail is a possible penalty;”
(9) “Failure to stop and remain standing upon meeting or overtaking a school bus stopped on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging a school child;”
(10) “Willfully eluding or fleeing a police officer;”
(11) “Drag racing.”

That is the rule’s statement. Traffic Rule 13 has other sentences and divisions that this page does not cover. The sources quoted on this page do not state a statewide fine for speeding, and this page does not state one. This page does not quote any court’s schedule. Read any amount shown on your notice.

What R.C. 4510.036 says about points for speed violations

R.C. 4510.036(C) lists the points a court assesses for offenses. Its paragraph (12) reads: “A violation of any law or ordinance pertaining to speed:”

(a) “Notwithstanding divisions (C)(12)(b) and (c) of this section, when the speed exceeds the lawful speed limit by thirty miles per hour or more __________ 4 points”
(b) “When the speed exceeds the lawful speed limit of fifty-five miles per hour or more by more than ten miles per hour __________ 2 points”
(c) “When the speed exceeds the lawful speed limit of less than fifty-five miles per hour by more than five miles per hour __________ 2 points”
(d) “When the speed does not exceed the amounts set forth in divisions (C)(12)(a), (b), or (c) of this section __________ 0 points”

R.C. 4510.036(E): “If a person is convicted of or forfeits bail for two or more offenses arising out of the same facts and points are chargeable for each of the offenses, points shall be charged for only the conviction or bond forfeiture for which the greater number of points is chargeable, and, if the number of points chargeable for each offense is equal, only one offense shall be recorded, and points shall be charged only for that offense.” That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. Division (C) has other paragraphs, and the section has other divisions, that this page does not cover.

What R.C. 4510.037 and R.C. 4510.02 say about a twelve-point suspension

R.C. 4510.037(A): “When the registrar of motor vehicles determines that the total points charged against any person under section 4510.036 of the Revised Code exceed five, the registrar shall send a warning letter to the person at the person's last known address by regular mail.”

R.C. 4510.037(B): “When the registrar determines that the total points charged against any person under section 4510.036 of the Revised Code within any two-year period beginning on the date of the first conviction within the two-year period is equal to twelve or more, the registrar shall send a written notice to the person at the person's last known address by regular mail. The notice shall list the reported violations that are the basis of the points charged, list the number of points charged for each violation, and state that, because the total number of points charged against the person within the applicable two-year period is equal to twelve or more, the registrar is imposing a class D suspension of the person's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit or nonresident operating privileges for the period of time specified in division (B)(4) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code. The notice also shall state that the suspension is effective on the twentieth day after the mailing of the notice, unless the person files a petition appealing the determination and suspension in the municipal court, county court, or, if the person is under the age of eighteen, the juvenile division of the court of common pleas in whose jurisdiction the person resides or, if the person is not a resident of this state, in the Franklin county municipal court or juvenile division of the Franklin county court of common pleas. By filing the appeal of the determination and suspension, the person agrees to pay the cost of the proceedings in the appeal of the determination and suspension and alleges that the person can show cause why the person's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit or nonresident operating privileges should not be suspended.”

R.C. 4510.02(B): “When the bureau of motor vehicles elects or is required to suspend the driver's license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege of any person from a specified suspension class, for each of the following suspension classes, the period of suspension shall be as follows:”

(1) “For a class A suspension, three years;”
(2) “For a class B suspension, two years;”
(3) “For a class C suspension, one year;”
(4) “For a class D suspension, six months;”
(5) “For a class E suspension, three months;”
(6) “For a class F suspension, until conditions are met.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. R.C. 4510.037 and R.C. 4510.02 have other divisions 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.

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Sources retrieved 29 Oct 2026:

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