How do speeding tickets impact auto insurance in Ontario?

This article was originally published on May 10, 2019 and was updated on August 22, 2025. 

Those of us who have been on the unfortunate end of the radar gun understand there is a big difference between getting a speeding ticket for driving 15 km over the posted limit compared to 50 km over the limit. 

However, regardless of how fast you were going, most speeding tickets will have some impact on your auto insurance rates. How much depends on the severity of the ticket, among other factors. 

Let’s explore how speeding tickets can affect your auto insurance premiums in Ontario.

How much does a speeding ticket increase your car insurance in Ontario?

The amount your insurance will increase depends on several factors, including how you received the speeding ticket. Speed camera tickets will not impact your insurance premiums because they are issued based on the vehicle’s license plate, not the driver. 

However, if you’re pulled over by a police officer for speeding, this ticket will impact your rates. The amount depends on your age, license class, driving history, and the number of kilometres you were driving over the speed limit. This will determine the type of traffic ticket, which will ultimately impact how much your insurance goes up.

^{*Typically, speeding 1-49km/hr over the speed limit will result in a minor traffic violation. But there are scenarios where it may be considered a major violation, depending on the posted speed limit and location of the offence.} 

The impact on your premium will also depend on your insurance provider. Some providers in Ontario will not increase your premiums for a first-time minor violation. However, other providers will, regardless of whether it’s a first-time offence. This is why shopping the market for car insurance quotes and comparing providers against one another is essential. For instance, some insurers offer ticket forgiveness for your first conviction, which is an optional policy endorsement to protect against premium increases. Note that ticket forgiveness usually only applies to minor violations and first-time offences. 

The number of active speeding ticket convictions you have on your record will also impact how much your auto insurance premiums are affected. A single minor ticket might not have an impact on your policy, but repeated minor speeding tickets or a major speeding offence, such as stunt driving, could put your premiums and coverage at risk.

In fact, repeated speeding tickets could result in you entering the non-standard insurance market and cause you to be labelled as a high-risk driver by your insurance company. Regardless of the number or type of tickets you receive, it is ultimately up to your insurer and their policies to define what constitutes a ‘high-risk driver.’

Also read: What is the total cost of getting a traffic ticket in Ontario?

Sample scenarios

The tables below show how speeding tickets could impact auto insurance. We compared quotes for two driver profiles, each with a clean driving record, against the same profiles with multiple speeding convictions. Premiums were calculated over three years (the period insurers consider convictions) and include total costs and percentage increases to highlight the financial impact drivers may face. 

The data reveals just how expensive insurance becomes for high-risk drivers, especially those with multiple convictions. 

For example, both Driver A and Driver B saw significant increases in their premiums once they reached three speeding tickets. Driver B’s rates jumped approximately 264%, demonstrating how drastic the increase can be when drivers no longer qualify for standard insurance and are quoted with non-standard carriers. 

Driver A also experienced a major increase with three tickets, about 154%. While steep, the price hike wasn’t as significant as Driver B, which can be due to factors such as age, insurer, location and vehicle model. 

It’s also worth noting that drivers with lower base premiums may feel insurance increases more severely. For instance, Driver B, who was quoted a lower initial price, saw the steepest relative jump.

According to Ratehub data, a single speeding ticket can add thousands of dollars to your insurance costs, while multiple speeding convictions can more than double your rates over three years. 

The table also includes quotes for stunt driving to highlight how more serious driving offences can affect premiums. A single stunting conviction pushed both drivers into the non-standard market, driving up their annual rates by over 150%.

^{Note: The quotes are samples based on G-licensed drivers over the age of 25. They do not account for inflation increases or rate changes due to license suspension. Actual costs will depend on your age, driving history, insurer and vehicle.}

Driver A

Driver B

How long does a speeding ticket stay on your record in Ontario?

Any traffic ticket, including speeding tickets, will remain on your Ontario driver’s abstract, also known as your driving record, for three years from the conviction date (the day you pay the ticket). Criminal-related driving offences, such as impaired driving, will also appear on a criminal record and heavily impact your ability to drive in the future.

If you get a speeding ticket in the City of Toronto, you can expect to be issued one of the following types of speeding tickets:

Ticket with a fine (Part I – Offence Notice): Also called a green ticket, this is the most common type of speeding ticket. It is issued to an individual and includes the fine and associated demerit points. You must appear in court only if you choose to dispute the ticket. 

Summons to appear (Part III – Provincial Offence Summons): Also called a pale yellow ticket, it is generally issued for more serious offences, such as speeding over 50 km/h. It will include a court date that the driver must attend

Ontario Highway Traffic Act speeding fines

According to the Highway Traffic Act, speeding ticket fines are based on the kilometres per hour you have exceeded the speed limit. The set fine amount increases as your speed increases. In Ontario, you will be charged as follows: 

• 1–19 km/h over: $3.00 per km
• 20–29 km/h over: $4.50 per km
• 30–49 km/h over: $7.00 per km
• 50+ km/h over: $9.75 per km

Speeding tickets and fines are also subject to an increase for: 

• Speeding in a school zone or community safety zone
• Speeding in a construction zone
• Speeding in a construction zone with workers present
• Speeding in combination with other traffic violations (causing an accident, impaired driving, careless driving, stunt driving)

Demerit points for speeding tickets in Ontario

The number of demerit points assigned for speeding is pre-determined according to the speed at which you were driving when your ticket was issued. Demerit points for speeding are as follows, according to Ontario’s speeding and aggressive driving info:

• 16-29 km/h over: 3 points
• 30-49 km/h over: 4 points
• 50 km/h or more: 6 points

Demerit points have no impact on your insurance rates. However, receiving enough points can result in your license being suspended. License suspensions will impact insurance premiums for up to six years. 

Do speeding tickets in other provinces affect insurance in Ontario?

Yes, regardless of where you are issued your speeding ticket in Canada, it will show up on your Ontario driving abstract as an out-of-province speeding ticket. You are required to pay the fine, or it will eventually go into collections.

So, will an out-of-province speeding ticket impact your car insurance? 

It could. Just like any other traffic ticket that appears on your driving record, it may cause your insurance rates to increase, pending your insurer’s policies on out-of-province tickets.

Can you fight a speeding ticket and protect your auto insurance rate?

The simple answer is yes; by fighting a speeding ticket, you could have the conviction overturned or reduced to a lesser offence. You typically have 15 days to decide what you want to do when you are issued a ticket. If you choose to dispute the ticket in court, there are three possible outcomes that can happen:

1. You win your appeal, and your ticket conviction is overturned, which means no conviction will appear on your record.
   
   
2. The judge decides that the penalty was too harsh and lowers the fine. In this instance, a speeding conviction would still appear on your record, but your fine and demerit penalty would be smaller. This change in fines could be important for auto insurance, as dropping from a major conviction to a minor conviction would have a substantial impact on your insurance premium. Price increases for major convictions are much higher than for minor convictions.
   
   
3. The judge rules to uphold the conviction as is, and the speeding ticket you were issued would appear on your driving record. As a result, your insurance rates will likely go up at renewal.

The added benefit of choosing to fight a ticket is that it can delay a ticket conviction from appearing on your record, as it will only be officially added to your record once you have reached your date of conviction. This is the date you either pay the ticket, admit guilt, or are found guilty in court.

Additional considerations 

It is also important to know that speeding tickets will only affect your insurance if your insurance provider is alerted. In most cases, your insurer will not find out about your speeding ticket until you pay it or are convicted in court, at which point it’s reflected on your driving abstract.

More often than not, insurance providers become aware of a speeding ticket when it comes time to renew your insurance policy. The other way insurance providers can find out about your speeding ticket (and driving history) is if you inform them of any accrued driving infractions. Being honest with your insurance provider is always the smart move.

The bottom line

Speeding is a serious offence in Ontario that comes with real consequences. Beyond the initial fine, speeding tickets can also cause your insurance premiums to increase for up to three years. The size of the increase will depend on many factors, including conviction type (minor, major, or criminal), as well as the number of active convictions on your record. 

Ultimately, convictions on your driving record increase your risk factor and depending on how bad your record gets, you may find yourself struggling to maintain affordable car insurance. So watch out for your lead foot and keep the speed within the posted limits to avoid any financial penalties. But if you do fall victim to a radar gun, shopping your car insurance policy around might be your best defence against a rising insurance premium.

Also read 

• What is the total cost of getting a traffic ticket in Ontario?
• Types of traffic tickets in Ontario (and how they impact car insurance) 
• Can you get affordable insurance after a DUI?