Methodology
Every figure this site prints comes from one file of North Carolina law and rate rules. This page is that file, read out: each rule in its source's own words, the primary source it came from, the date it was verified, the formula where one exists, and an explicit statement of what the number does not claim.
Rules file version 2026.1. Every value carries its authority in statutes[]. Fields marked unverified:true MUST be confirmed against the cited source before launch. Re-verify entire file each December (AOC) and July (NCRB).
Fines and the violation register
A fine is set by the offence, not by the driver. Waivable offences can be paid off without a court appearance at the amount on the AOC waiver list; the rest carry no set fine because a judge sets it, and this site shows the fine as unknown rather than guessing at one.
Fine, DMV point, and SDIP point values below are the register the engine looks up. Where the fine column reads —, the offence has no waivable fine amount and the sum a judge imposes is not something this site predicts.
Source. AOC Traffic Offense Waiver List, offenses on/after 2024-12-01; AOC mandatory-appearance list; ncleg.gov G.S. 20-16 (DMV points, suspension ladders); ncdoi.gov SDIP consumer page (surcharge factors, point schedule). Verified .
Formula. Amount payable at the courthouse = fine + court costs. The insurance surcharge is separate and is computed in the SDIP section below.
| Violation | Fine | DMV pts | SDIP pts | Waivable | PJC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding 6–10 over (limit under 55, speed ≤55) | $15 | 2 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Speeding 6–10 over (actual speed over 55) | $15 | 3 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Speeding 11–15 over (speed ≤55) | $30 | 2 | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Speeding 11–15 over (actual speed over 55) | $30 | 3 | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Speeding 16–25 over (speed ≤55) | $50 | 2 | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Speeding 16–25 over (actual speed over 55) | $50 | 3 | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Speeding more than 25 over | — | 3 | 2 | No | No |
| Speeding over 75 where limit is under 70 | — | 3 | 4 | No | Yes |
| Speeding in excess of 80 mph | — | 3 | 4 | No | Yes |
| Speeding in a school zone | $250 | 3 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Running a red light | $50 | 3 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Running a stop sign | $50 | 3 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Following too closely | $35 | 4 | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Illegal passing | $50 | 4 | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Driving on wrong side of road | — | 4 | 2 | No | Yes |
| Failure to yield right-of-way | $35 | 3 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Failure to yield to pedestrian | $35 | 4 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Failure to yield to bicycle/motorcycle/scooter | $35 | 4 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Failure to stop for siren | — | 3 | 1 | No | Yes |
| Driving through safety zone | — | 3 | 1 | No | Yes |
| Unsafe movement / other moving violation | $35 | 2 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| No operator's license | $50 | 3 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Expired registration | $25 | 0 | 0 | Yes | Yes |
| Expired inspection | $25 | 0 | 0 | Yes | Yes |
| Seat belt (adult, front seat) | $26 | 0 | 0 | Yes | Yes |
| Child restraint violation | $25 | 2 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Littering from vehicle (unintentional) | $50 | 1 | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Operating without liability insurance | — | 3 | 3 | No | Yes |
| Reckless driving | — | 4 | 4 | No | Yes |
| Aggressive driving | — | 5 | 8 | No | Yes |
| Passing a stopped school bus | — | 5 | 4 | No | No |
| Hit and run (property damage only) | — | 4 | 4 | No | Yes |
| Failure to report accident | — | 3 | 1 | No | Yes |
| Driving while license suspended/revoked | — | — | 8 | No | Yes |
| Highway racing / lending vehicle for racing | — | — | 10 | No | Yes |
| Speeding to elude arrest | — | — | 10 | No | Yes |
| DWI / impaired driving | — | — | 12 | No | No |
| At-fault accident (BI ≤$1,800 and PD ≤$2,300) | — | — | 1 | — | Yes |
| At-fault accident (PD $2,301–$3,849) | — | — | 2 | — | Yes |
| At-fault accident (death, BI >$1,800, or PD ≥$3,850) | — | — | 3 | — | Yes |
Speed-based rows are selected by actual speed and posted limit, not by the officer's wording. G.S. 20-16 AOC waiver list 12/2024
What we do not claim. We do not claim what a district court judge will impose where no waivable fine exists, that a charge will be reduced or dismissed, or that the row a citation is written under is the row it will be convicted under. The register is the statutory schedule, not a prediction about your case.
Court costs
Court costs are fixed by statute and do not scale with the offence. An infraction total of $191 is the sum of seven separate fees set by G.S. 7A-304.
AOC chart eff. 2025-01-01 — VERIFIED 2026-08-02: infraction total $191.00 exact
Source. AOC Criminal Court Costs Chart, eff. 2025-01-01. Verified .
Formula. Court costs = $191 (infraction) or $193 (misdemeanor); seat belt is a flat $180 instead; a reduction to improper equipment adds $50; failing to appear adds $200.
| Component | Authority | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| General Court of Justice fee (district) | G.S. 7A-304(a)(4) | $147.50 |
| Facilities fee | G.S. 7A-304(a)(2) | $12.00 |
| Telecom/data connectivity fee | G.S. 7A-304(a)(2a) | $4.00 |
| LEO retirement/insurance | G.S. 7A-304(a)(3),(3a) | $7.50 |
| Indigent defense fee | G.S. 7A-304(a)(3c) | $5.00 |
| Service of process (citation) | G.S. 7A-304(a)(1) | $5.00 |
| Chapter 20 (motor vehicle) add-on | G.S. 7A-304(a)(4a) | $10.00 |
| Infraction total | AOC chart eff. 1/1/2025 | $191.00 |
What we do not claim. We do not claim these totals cover restitution, civil judgments, licence restoration fees, towing, or any local administrative charge, and we do not model instalment or collection fees where costs are not paid on the day.
The SDIP surcharge ladder
North Carolina does not leave the insurance consequence of a conviction to the carrier. The Safe Driver Incentive Plan sets a percentage surcharge by total SDIP points, and it applies to the base premium of the highest-rated vehicle on the policy for the length of the experience period.
NCRB A-25-4 verbatim (verified 2026-08-02)
Source. ncdoi.gov SDIP consumer page (surcharge factors, point schedule); NCRB Circular A-25-4, SDIP Rule 5 revisions eff. 2025-07-01. Verified .
Formula. True cost = fine + court costs + (SDIP factor × base premium × window years).
| SDIP points | Surcharge | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | +40% | Verified 2026-08-02 |
| 2 | +55% | Verified 2026-08-02 |
| 3 | +70% | Verified 2026-08-02 |
| 4 | +90% | Verified 2026-08-02 |
| 5 | +110% | Unverified — pre-revision figure |
| 6 | +135% | Unverified — pre-revision figure |
| 7 | +165% | Unverified — pre-revision figure |
| 8 | +200% | Verified 2026-08-02 |
| 9 | +225% | Unverified — pre-revision figure |
| 10 | +260% | Verified 2026-08-02 |
| 11 | +300% | Unverified — pre-revision figure |
| 12 | +340% | Verified 2026-08-02 |
Five rows on this ladder are not verified
The factors for 5, 6, 7, 9, 11 points — printed above as +110%, +135%, +165%, +225%, +300% — are flagged unverified: true in our rules file. They are the pre-revision ladder that still circulates on attorney websites. Every row we could confirm against the current schedule moved in the 2025 revision (one to four points each rose ten points; eight points went from 195% to 200%), so these five very likely moved too. They stay on the page, flagged, until they are confirmed against the current NCRB Personal Auto Manual Rule 5.
A driver only lands on one of these rows when SDIP points sum across more than one violation — no single offence in the register carries 5, 6, 7, 9 or 11 points on its own. A one-ticket calculation is never affected. Where a total does land on a flagged row, the calculator says so beside the number.
Rows 1,2,3,4,8,10,12 verified on ncdoi.gov 2026-08-02. Rows 5,6,7,9,11 are the pre-revision ladder still on attorney sites (110/135/165/225/300) — the verified rows moved (+10 on 1-4, 195→200 on 8), so these likely moved too. CONFIRM against the current NCRB Personal Auto Manual Rule 5 before launch. Engine must show a data-caveat when a total lands on an unverified row (only happens when points sum across multiple violations).
What we do not claim. We do not claim to know your base premium. The surcharge applies to the base premium of the highest-rated vehicle on the policy, which is not the same as the total you pay — your policy includes vehicles, coverages, and discounts we cannot see. Nothing on this site is a quote, and we do not name carriers or model how any one carrier applies the plan.
Experience windows: three years or five
The surcharge runs for an experience period. Which period applies turns on the date of conviction, the SDIP points, and whether the offence was speeding over the posted limit.
long applies iff conviction on/after cutover AND sdip_pts >= 4 AND violation is not speeding-over-posted-limit; accidents always short
Source. NCRB A-25-4 — verbatim rule verified 2026-08-02; NCRB Circular A-25-4, SDIP Rule 5 revisions eff. 2025-07-01. Verified .
Formula. Window = 5 years if conviction on or after 2025-07-01 AND SDIP points ≥ 4 AND the offence is not speeding over the posted limit; otherwise 3 years. At-fault accidents always use 3 years.
What we do not claim. We do not claim to know your conviction date in advance. The window is driven by the date judgment is entered, not the date of the stop, and a continuance can move a case across the 2025-07-01 line.
Forgiveness rules
Two situations produce a surcharge of zero even though a conviction or an accident exists.
Speeding ten or under over the limit
One conviction of speeding 10 or under over the limit is not surcharged if it is the only moving violation in the experience period; companion-violation check window is 5 years for convictions on/after 2025-07-01
Source. NCDOI SDIP page; NCRB A-25-4. Verified .
One-point at-fault accidents
one-point accident not surcharged if (a) no moving-violation conviction from the accident AND (b) no other convictions or at-fault accidents in the 3-year period
Source. NCRB A-25-4 — verified 2026-08-02. Verified .
| Tier | Test |
|---|---|
| 1 point | BI <= $1,800 AND PD <= $2,300 |
| 2 points | PD $2,301–$3,849 |
| 3 points | death, or BI > $1,800, or PD >= $3,850 |
What we do not claim. We do not claim to know every conviction or at-fault accident in your household's experience period, and forgiveness turns on exactly that. One forgotten ticket on any driver on the policy removes it.
Suspension triggers
A suspension is a statutory consequence, not a discretionary one. Where the trigger is met and the driver is convicted as charged, the Division of Motor Vehicles must revoke.
conviction of (a) exceeding the limit by MORE THAN 15 mph while driving at an ACTUAL SPEED greater than 55 mph, or (b) driving in excess of 80 mph. NOTE: actual speed, not zone; and strictly more than 15 over — 72-in-a-55 triggers, 70-in-a-55 does not.
Sixty days: second offense within one year, or speeding plus reckless driving on the same occasion
Source. ncleg.gov G.S. 20-16.1 (mandatory speed suspensions); G.S. 20-16.1 — quoted language verified 2026-08-02. Verified .
Formula. Mandatory 30-day flag = (actual speed − posted limit > 15 AND actual speed > 55) OR actual speed > 80.
The DMV points ladder
12 points within 3 years (8 within 3 years after a reinstatement); 1st suspension up to 60 days, 2nd up to 6 months, later up to 1 year
Source. ncleg.gov G.S. 20-16 (DMV points, suspension ladders); G.S. 20-16(c),(e). Verified .
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 12 points within 3 years | Suspension may be imposed |
| 8 points within 3 years after a reinstatement | Suspension may be imposed |
| First suspension | Up to 60 days |
| Second suspension | Up to 6 months |
| Third or later suspension | Up to 1 year |
The driver improvement clinic
Completing a driver improvement clinic removes 3 DMV points, once every 5 years. It does not touch SDIP insurance points.
G.S. 20-16(e) — points/frequency verified on ncdot.gov 2026-08-02; the $83.50 fee is from an attorney source (NCDMV page fee section did not render) — CONFIRM with DMV
Source. ncleg.gov G.S. 20-16 (DMV points, suspension ladders). Verified .
The clinic fee of $84 is flagged unverified in our rules file: it comes from a secondary source because the DMV fee page did not render at verification. Treat it as indicative until confirmed.
What we do not claim. We do not claim a clinic prevents a suspension, changes an insurance surcharge, or is available in your case. It reduces licence points only, and only once in 5 years.
What we do not claim. We do not claim the speed on your citation is the speed a court will find. The trigger reads on actual speed and on a margin strictly greater than fifteen — 72 in a 55 triggers it, 70 in a 55 does not — so a single mile per hour decides it.
Prayer for judgment continued
A prayer for judgment continued is North Carolina's mercy rule: the court finds the facts but declines to enter judgment. For insurance and for licence points, if granted, that absence of judgment is the whole point — but the two systems count PJCs differently, and the counting is what this section sets out.
ncleg.gov G.S. 20-4.01(4a) (PJC as conviction)
Source. NCRB A-25-4 verbatim (verified 2026-08-02); G.S. 20-4.01(4a). Verified .
PJC and insurance
No surcharge and no SDIP points for a PJC UNLESS anyone in the household has another PJC for a moving violation within 5 years (if that other PJC was granted on/after 2025-07-01) or within 3 years (if granted before). Net: one PJC per household per 5 years going forward.
Source. NCRB A-25-4 verbatim (verified 2026-08-02); NCRB Circular A-25-4, SDIP Rule 5 revisions eff. 2025-07-01. Verified .
Formula. Household PJC look-back = 5 years where the other PJC was granted on or after 2025-07-01, otherwise 3 years. Value of a PJC, if granted = the surcharge it avoids over the applicable window.
What we do not claim. We do not claim a PJC will be granted. Granting one is discretionary with the court, and every figure this site prints for a PJC path is conditional on it being granted.
PJC and licence points
Third or subsequent PJC within any 5-year period counts as a conviction for license points; every PJC counts for CDL holders / CMV offenses
Source. ncleg.gov G.S. 20-4.01(4a) (PJC as conviction); ncleg.gov G.S. 20-16 (DMV points, suspension ladders). Verified .
Formula. The first 2 PJCs per driver in any 5-year period are ignored for licence points; the third and later count as convictions. For commercial licence holders, every PJC counts.
Where a PJC is barred
| Offence | Authority |
|---|---|
| Speeding more than 25 over | G.S. 20-141(p) |
| Passing a stopped school bus | G.S. 20-217(e) |
| DWI / impaired driving | G.S. 20-179 case law |
Commercial licence holders are treated separately: a PJC does not shield a CDL. G.S. 20-4.01(4a)
What we do not claim. We do not claim this is the complete set of bars in every district. It is the set our rules file carries with a statutory citation beside each entry.
Out-of-state licences
Most states likely treat an NC PJC as a plain conviction on their own license — widely asserted, no primary source. DISCLAIM, never assert.
Source. ncleg.gov G.S. 20-4.01(4a) (PJC as conviction). Verified .
What we do not claim. We do not assert how another state will treat an NC prayer for judgment continued. It is widely reported that most states record it as a plain conviction, and we found no primary source confirming that. If your licence is not a North Carolina licence, treat the PJC figures on this site as unreliable for your home state.
The reduction path
Where a case is reduced, the common outcome our figures model is a reduction to improper equipment — a non-moving offence.
reduction to improper equipment (non-moving): no DMV points, no SDIP points
Source. Market language only — iTicket advertises from $99; NEVER name firms. Verified .
Formula. costs.infraction_total + costs.ie_addon + reduced/waived fine + attorney fee
The attorney fee range we use is $99–$400, a commonly quoted range for North Carolina traffic matters.
What we do not claim. We do not name, rate, rank, or refer attorneys, we do not claim a reduction is available in your case, and we do not advise you how to plead. The reduction row is arithmetic on a common outcome, not a forecast of yours.
Teen driver factors
NCRB Personal Auto Manual Rule 4.F — Inexperienced Operator. Factors are ADDITIVE rating factors applied per coverage to the base premium (2.50 = +250% of the base liability premium). Effective for policies on/after 2025-10-01. The 8-year period applies ONLY to drivers FIRST LICENSED on/after 2025-07-01; drivers licensed before that date keep the 3-year period (rows <1, <2, <3 only). Enacted by S.L. 2024-29.
Source. NCRB Circular A-25-3 (6 Jun 2025), Exhibit D; ncleg.gov G.S. 20-11 (GDL). Verified .
Formula. Annual teen surcharge = (liability factor × liability share of premium) + (collision factor × collision share) + (comprehensive factor × comprehensive share), applied to the entered annual premium. The assumed premium mix is 55/30/15 liability / collision / comprehensive — assumes a typical premium mix; your carrier's split will differ.
| Single car · principal operator — year | Liability | Collision | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.50 | 2.10 | 0.20 |
| 2 | 1.40 | 1.20 | 0.20 |
| 3 | 1.05 | 0.90 | 0.20 |
| 4 | 0.85 | 0.70 | 0.15 |
| 5 | 0.65 | 0.50 | 0.15 |
| 6 | 0.50 | 0.30 | 0.10 |
| 7 | 0.30 | 0.20 | 0.10 |
| 8 | 0.20 | 0.10 | 0.00 |
| Single car · occasional operator — year | Liability | Collision | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.00 | 0.10 | 0.10 |
| 2 | 0.60 | 0.00 | -0.10 |
| 3 | 0.40 | 0.00 | -0.10 |
| 4 | 0.30 | 0.00 | -0.10 |
| 5 | 0.20 | 0.00 | -0.10 |
| 6 | 0.10 | 0.00 | -0.10 |
| 7 | 0.00 | 0.00 | -0.10 |
| 8 | 0.00 | 0.00 | -0.10 |
| Multi car · principal operator — year | Liability | Collision | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.15 | 1.75 | 0.10 |
| 2 | 1.05 | 0.85 | 0.10 |
| 3 | 0.70 | 0.55 | 0.10 |
| 4 | 0.50 | 0.35 | 0.05 |
| 5 | 0.30 | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| 6 | 0.15 | -0.05 | 0.00 |
| 7 | -0.05 | -0.15 | 0.00 |
| 8 | -0.15 | -0.25 | -0.10 |
| Multi car · occasional operator — year | Liability | Collision | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.15 | 0.65 | 0.00 |
| 2 | 0.40 | 0.25 | -0.10 |
| 3 | 0.25 | 0.05 | -0.10 |
| 4 | 0.15 | -0.05 | -0.10 |
| 5 | 0.05 | -0.15 | -0.10 |
| 6 | -0.05 | -0.25 | -0.10 |
| 7 | -0.15 | -0.35 | -0.10 |
| 8 | -0.25 | -0.35 | -0.10 |
Transcribed from the Exhibit D PDF via automated extraction 2026-08-02. EYEBALL-VERIFY the four tables against the exhibit before launch (5 minutes). Watch A-26-2 (2026 rate review, pending) for factor revisions.
MODELING ASSUMPTION, not law: the factors apply per-coverage to base premiums, but the tool only knows the entered total premium. This split approximates a typical NC full-coverage policy. Disclose beneath the curve: 'assumes a typical premium mix; your carrier's split will differ.' Make configurable.
Graduated licensing stages
| Stage | Rule |
|---|---|
| L1 — limited learner permit | Limited learner permit: age 15–17; hold 9 months; 60-hour log (≥10 night, max 10 hrs/wk creditable); supervised only; first 6 months 5:00am–9:00pm; no mobile phone |
| L2 — limited provisional | Limited provisional: age 16+; unsupervised 5am–9pm plus direct to/from work or volunteering; max 1 passenger under 21 (family exceptions); hold 6 months + 12 more logged hours (6 night) |
| L3 — full provisional | Full provisional: time/passenger limits removed |
HB 584 (2025) — would have cut L1 hold to 6 months and dropped logs — DID NOT PASS (stalled in House Judiciary 1 since 2025-04-30). Recheck each session.
What we do not claim. We do not claim to know how your policy splits between liability, collision and comprehensive; the split above is a modelling assumption and not law. The eight-year period applies only to drivers first licensed on or after 2025-07-01 — everyone else keeps the three-year period. Nothing here is a quote.
Source register
- mandatory_list
- AOC mandatory-appearance list
- gs_20_16
- ncleg.gov G.S. 20-16 (DMV points, suspension ladders)
- gs_20_16_1
- ncleg.gov G.S. 20-16.1 (mandatory speed suspensions)
- gs_20_4_01
- ncleg.gov G.S. 20-4.01(4a) (PJC as conviction)
- gs_20_11
- ncleg.gov G.S. 20-11 (GDL)
- ncrb_a25_4
- NCRB Circular A-25-4, SDIP Rule 5 revisions eff. 2025-07-01
- ncdoi_sdip
- ncdoi.gov SDIP consumer page (surcharge factors, point schedule)
Corrections are welcome and are published: /corrections.
Rules verified