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Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte The answer to what is considered criminal speeding in Arizona is in ARS 28-701.02: driving more than 20 mph over a posted limit, over 35 mph approaching a school crossing, or over 45 mph in a business or residential district with no posted limit. Crossing any of those lines is a class 3 misdemeanor. Speeding that stays under them is handled under civil speeding laws instead. Key Facts The Statute in Plain Words ARS 28-701.02 is short. It has three subsections, and each one does a single job. Subsection A lists what

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte A first criminal speeding ticket Arizona drivers receive opens a misdemeanor case under ARS 28-701.02, not a civil traffic case, so expect a court date you may have to attend in person. The law allows up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine plus surcharges, ADOT MVD assesses 3 points, and a defensive driving class is possible only with the judge’s permission. Nothing here is legal advice, so talk to the court on your citation or an Arizona attorney about your own case. Key Facts What a First Criminal Speeding

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte The core difference in criminal speeding vs civil speeding Arizona law is the type of case: civil speeding is a traffic violation with a money penalty, while criminal speeding under ARS 28-701.02 is a class 3 misdemeanor that can carry jail. A civil speeding penalty is capped at $250 plus surcharges, and the lowest civil tier, waste of a finite resource, is capped at $15 plus surcharges. Criminal speeding allows up to a $500 fine plus surcharges and 30 days in jail, and defensive driving needs the judge’s permission. Key Facts Criminal

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte Criminal speeding Arizona law, found in ARS 28-701.02, turns some speeding into a class 3 misdemeanor instead of a civil traffic ticket. It applies when a driver goes more than 20 mph over the posted limit, over 35 mph approaching a school crossing, or over 45 mph in a business or residential district with no posted limit. Because it is a crime, the case can bring a court date, a fine, possible jail and 3 points, so talk to the court or an attorney about your own case. Key Facts How Criminal

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte Arizona speeding ticket cost depends on the law you were charged under and on your court: a civil speeding penalty is capped at $250, a waste of a finite resource ticket at $15, and a criminal speeding fine at $500. Surcharges equal to 78% of the base amount are added to each, and courts can add their own fees. For an eligible civil ticket, defensive driving school lets you pay the class costs instead of the fine. Key Facts What Sets the Arizona Speeding Ticket Cost A speeding ticket total is built

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte The basic Arizona speed limit rule is that you may never drive faster than is reasonable and prudent for the conditions, under ARS 28-701. Unless signs say otherwise, the default limits are 15 mph approaching a school crossing, 25 mph in a business or residential district and 65 mph in other places, and interstates outside urbanized areas start at 65 mph and can be raised to 75 mph. Going over a limit is a civil violation until you cross the criminal lines in ARS 28-701.02. Key Facts The Reasonable and Prudent Rule

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte Defensive driving can dismiss an Arizona speeding ticket when the citation is a civil speeding code on the state’s eligible list and you meet the program’s other rules. Criminal speeding under ARS 28-701.02 is different, because it is a class 3 misdemeanor and the class is allowed only with the presiding judge’s express permission. No outcome is promised, so check your code before you choose a path. Key Facts When Can Defensive Driving Dismiss an Arizona Speeding Ticket? The answer starts with state law. ARS 28-3392 says a court shall allow defensive

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte Your Arizona traffic ticket options for a civil ticket are to pay the fine, deny responsibility and request a hearing, or take a defensive driving class to have one eligible ticket dismissed. Paying is the simplest, but MVD assesses points for moving violations, while the class keeps points off if you qualify and finish on time. Criminal tickets work differently, so the first step is to find out which kind you have. Key Facts Civil or Criminal? Check Your Ticket First The court’s Traffic Law page says moving violations are either civil

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte Arizona online traffic school is the online form of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Defensive Driving Program, and finishing it can get one eligible civil ticket dismissed with no points added. You register with a school the court has certified, finish at least 7 days before your court date, and the school reports your completion to the court. You can use the program once every 12 months. Key Facts What Is Arizona Online Traffic School? “Traffic school” is the name people search for. In Arizona, the official name is the Defensive Driving Program.

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte Arizona defensive driving out of state works the same way it does for Arizona residents: if you got an eligible Arizona ticket, a license from another state does not stop you from taking the class. The court FAQ tells out-of-state drivers to contact an Arizona-certified school right away, then take the class online or return to Arizona for a classroom class. The reverse case is different, because an Arizona resident with a ticket from another state must ask that state’s court what it allows. Key Facts Arizona Defensive Driving Out of State: