In Nevada, speeding tickets carry up to five demerit points, depending on how much you exceed the speed limit. And those points can increase your car insurance by a few hundred bucks for three consecutive years.
Fortunately, there are ways to dismiss your ticket – or at least minimize its impact on your driving record and insurance premiums.
Here’s what you should know about Nevada speeding ticket dismissal so you can plan your next steps.
Read: Demerit Points in Nevada: Key Things to Know
3 Ways to Get a Speeding Ticket Dismissed in Nevada
There’s no single best way to deal with a speeding ticket. The right course of action depends on your driving history and the circumstances of the offense.
Below are three options to consider if you want to get your ticket dismissed.
Contest It
If you believe you have a strong case, then it may be worth fighting the ticket in court. This can also be a good option if you’re about to have your driving license suspended. Either way, consider reaching out to a lawyer before taking action.
That said, here’s how to contest a speeding ticket in Nevada:
- Check the deadline: Your traffic ticket, or citation, will list a court date to respond to the charge. Request a hearing prior to this deadline, or you may face additional charges, such as failure to appear. If you can’t do it by the due date, contact the court to request a deadline extension.
- Plead not guilty: Enter your plea by mail, online, or in person. Check the court’s website to see your options and schedule a date for the trial.
- Gather evidence: Prepare any supporting documents that may help your case. For instance, you could bring GPS data, dashcam footage, or radar gun calibration records to dispute the officer’s claims. Also, try to obtain testimony from drivers, pedestrians, or other traffic participants who witnessed the incident.
- Go to court: Attend the trial and present your case, or ask your attorney to represent you in court. If the police officer doesn’t show up, the judge may choose to dismiss your ticket.
- Wait for the verdict: The charge will be dropped if you’re not found not guilty. If convicted, pay the fine and do what the judge tells you. For example, you may need to perform community service or attend a Nevada traffic school.
Generally, you have a good chance of winning in court if you can prove you were falsely accused or that the police made a mistake (e.g., their speed radar malfunctioned).
Also, the court may dismiss the charges if you had to speed due to an emergency, such as diabetic seizures or a reckless driver threatening your safety.
Go to Traffic School
Another option is to attend Nevada traffic school online or in person. When you’re done, the court will remove three demerit points from your driving record or, in some cases, dismiss your ticket.
Simply follow these steps:
- Confirm Nevada traffic school eligibility: Check your citation to see if you qualify for traffic school. Also, contact the court to confirm you’re eligible. Make sure you meet the following requirements:
- Hold a valid non-commercial Nevada driver’s license
- Haven’t taken traffic school for point reduction over the past 12 months
- Have three to 11 points on your record
- Were not involved in an accident due to speeding (or other causes)
- Got caught speeding outside of a school zone
- Exceeded the speed limit by no more than 40 mph
- Get court approval: Depending on the court, you may need a judge’s permission to attend traffic school.
- Plead guilty or no contest: Once approved for traffic school, plead guilty or no contest to the ticket. Enter your plea online, in person, or by mail.
- Choose a state-approved traffic school: Review the DMV’s traffic school list and select one that meets your needs. The course must be approved by the DMV, or the court won’t recognize it. Our Nevada traffic school meets this requirement, meaning it can help you keep points off your record or dismiss your ticket.
- Complete the course: Go through all the course modules, take a short quiz after each lesson, and pass the final exam with a score of 70% or higher. With Traffic Safety Institute, you can study from any device and complete the course at your own pace.
- Submit a notarized affidavit: Once the course is over, submit a notarized affidavit to the traffic school you’re enrolled in. At Traffic Safety Institute, we’ll guide you through this process and provide the necessary forms.
- Submit your certificate of completion: The school will issue an electronic certificate of completion as soon as you submit your affidavit. Send the certificate to the court and DMV to remove three points from your license or have your ticket dismissed. If you sign up with Traffic Safety Institute, we’ll submit these forms on your behalf to report course completion.
Lastly, follow up with the court to ensure your driving record is up-to-date. Note that if you take the course for point reduction, the conviction will stay on your record. However, you’ll have fewer points, which may help prevent license suspension.
Read: How Nevada Traffic School Works
Negotiate the Charge
A third option is to request a plea bargain. If you go this route, you may be able to negotiate the charge down or have it dismissed.
For example, some courts may dismiss your ticket if you agree to complete traffic school. Even if the court doesn’t dismiss the charge, it may lower the fine or impose less severe penalties.
Admit your fault, show remorse, and mention any factors that may justify leniency. These could be a clean driving record, an emergency, unclear signage, or willingness to attend traffic school.
What Happens When You Get a Speeding Ticket in Nevada?
A speeding ticket may not seem like a big deal, but it can have long-term implications. It could impact your driving record, insurance premiums, career prospects, and other aspects of daily life. And of course, you’ll have to pay Nevada speeding fines.
These consequences are tied to Nevada’s demerit point system – and they’re why addressing the points on your license is so crucial. Let’s see how it works.
The Demerit Point System in Nevada
The Nevada DMV uses a point system to track traffic violations. Each offense carries one to six demerit points, depending on its severity. These rules also apply to speeding, as shown below:
- 1-10 mph over the speed limit: 1 point
- 11-20 mph over the speed limit: 2 points
- 21-30 mph over the speed limit: 3 points
- 31-40 mph over the speed limit: 4 points
- 41+ mph over the speed limit: 5 points
- Driving too fast for the conditions: 2 points
The points remain on your driving record for 12 months from the date of conviction. During this time, you’ll pay higher insurance premiums.
If you accumulate 12 points in one year, the DMV will suspend your driver’s license for six months. You may apply for a restricted license after three months, but your driving privileges will be limited.
Let’s assume your license has been suspended and reinstated, but you accrue 12 points for the second time in three years. This scenario can lead to a one-year license suspension, and you must wait six months to apply for a restricted license.
If it happens again within a five-year period, you’ll have your license suspended for 12 months – but without the possibility to get a restricted license.
Completing traffic school erases three points from your record, but only if you exceed the speed limit by 40 mph or less. The reason is that you cannot attend traffic school for violations of five or more points. In some counties, you may also be able to pay a demerit point reduction fee to take points off your license.
The Impact of Speeding Tickets Goes Beyond Fines
Speeding tickets have other impacts on your life beyond just fines. They can:
- Cause your car insurance premiums to increase by 13% to 33%.
- Affect your professional life, making it harder to find work. Some employers may impose disciplinary action, especially if your job requires driving.
- Point to a higher likelihood of a crash. According to recent evidence, repeat speeding offenses are associated with a higher risk of accidents in the long run.
How Our Nevada Traffic School Works
Reduce the impact of your next speeding ticket by attending traffic school. Our Nevada traffic school is accepted by all courts and has the DMV’s approval, offering an easy way to remove three points from your license. The course takes only five hours and consists of 12 modules, 12 short quizzes, and an open-book exam.
At Traffic Safety Institute, you can study online and retake the course or the final test as many times as needed. Our system will save your progress across multiple devices, so you can pause and resume learning at any time.
Wondering how much Nevada traffic school will cost you? We charge a flat fee of only $19.99, which you’ll pay after passing the course. This fee covers the training materials plus:
✅ Unlimited retakes
✅ Free audio read-along|
✅ Instant electronic certificate
✅ DMV reporting within 30 days
✅ Multi-device compatibility
✅ Save-and-resume feature
✅ 24/7 live chat
Over the years, we’ve helped thousands of drivers complete traffic school. Their reviews speak volumes about our commitment to providing a seamless learning experience.
Let us help you clean your driving record. Start traffic safety school for FREE today.
FAQs about How to Get a Speeding Ticket Dismissed in Nevada
Is there anything else you want to know about speeding ticket dismissal in Nevada? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.
How often are speeding tickets dismissed?
According to LegalZoom, only 3-5% of all traffic tickets are contested in court. About half of those cases are dismissed, while the other half benefit from reduced fines or plea bargains.
What this tells us is that getting a dismissal is difficult but not impossible. A clean driving record or mitigating factors – such as speeding to get to the ER – can increase your chances of success. Also, it’s possible to have your ticket dismissed if the police officer doesn’t appear in court.
What is the best excuse to appeal a speeding ticket?
From a legal standpoint, there’s no excuse for speeding, but you may be able to prove you did it for a good reason. If, say, you had to speed to avoid a hazard or save a life, the court may show leniency.
Generally, it makes sense to appeal a speeding ticket if you suspect the police officer made a mistake. You can also contest the charge if you have evidence in your favor, such as dashcam footage contradicting the officer’s claims.
How do I ask a judge to dismiss a ticket?
If you want to get your ticket dismissed, you must plead not guilty and request a court hearing. Present your case and any supporting evidence, then politely ask the judge to drop the charges against you.
The court may or may not accept your request, but you might be offered a reduced charge if you have a clean driving record and there are no aggravating factors.
Alternatively, you could ask for a plea bargain. The judge may agree to dismiss your ticket if you fulfill the court’s orders, such as completing traffic school.
What is the best defense against a speeding ticket?
The best defense against a speeding ticket depends on your circumstances. For example, you likely have a strong case if:
• The ticket was based on the officer’s observations rather than a radar reading.
• The police officer clocked the wrong vehicle.
• You were speeding to avoid an accident.
In any of these cases, it’s essential to provide evidence like dashcam or traffic camera footage, GPS data, radar gun calibration records, or witness statements.
