Speeding tickets cost drivers. That might sound obvious, given that speeding tickets come with fines in Alberta. When you factor in the total speeding ticket cost, though, it often goes way further and is much more expensive than the fine that’s listed on your ticket.
A speeding conviction can appear on a driving record and may affect insurance premiums, depending on the conviction, driving history and insurer. Any insurance effect can outlast the initial fine, but it is not identical for every driver.
Before responding, compare the fine, possible demerits, available evidence, deadline and your circumstances. A review may identify different options, but no particular result or total saving is guaranteed.
The High Cost of Speeding Tickets
Fines for Speeding
There’s a common misconception that drivers won’t be given speeding tickets unless they’re driving more than 10 kilometres over the speed limit, but that’s actually not true. In Alberta, you can be issued a speeding ticket for going even 1 kilometre over the posted limit, and the speeding ticket cost isn’t cheap, either.
Fines start at $81 and increase from there. By the time you’re going 20 kilometres over the speed limit, your speeding ticket cost could be $175, and that’s before you factor in the amount that increased insurance premiums will set you back.
- 1 km/hour over the speed limit: $81
- 15 km/hour over the speed limit: $126
- 30 km/hour over the speed limit: $249
- 45 km/hour over the speed limit: $432
Excessive Speeding Ticket Cost
If you get issued a ticket for driving more than 50 km/hour above the speed limit, it qualifies as an excessive speeding ticket, and the costs are severe.
There are thousands of high speed tickets issued in Alberta each year and a ticket comes with a mandatory court appearance where a judge can impose a fine or even a license suspension. While it’s not guaranteed, the fine can be up to $2,000 and the license suspension can be up to three months, so the excessive speeding ticket cost is substantial.
Demerit Points
Demerit points themselves don’t technically cost you money. Still, they affect your driving record, and if you receive 15 demerit points in a two-year period, it can lead to a suspended license.
A suspended license can be expensive and should be accounted for when considering the cost of a speeding ticket. You’ll need to find other ways of getting to work, making appointments, and doing basic daily tasks like going to the grocery store. If your job requires that you drive, a suspended license can even lead to the loss of employment.
How Speeding Tickets Affect Insurance
One possible speeding-ticket cost is an insurance effect. Whether to dispute the ticket depends on the allegation, evidence, deadline and the driver’s circumstances.
A speeding conviction may appear on the driving record information available to an insurer. The effect on premiums depends on the conviction, driving history and insurer.
Alberta’s Auto Insurance Rate Board has a useful calculator for how much more you’ll pay in insurance when you get a speeding ticket. Still, you need to know that the more tickets you get, the more you’ll pay, even for minor convictions like driving less than 50 km/hour above the speed limit.
For major convictions like speeding in a school or playground zone or going 50 km/hour above the speed limit, the increases in insurance rates are even higher.
Important note: It is worth noting that while the speeding ticket costs of tickets issued by photo radar can be steep, they do not affect insurance.
Fight Your Speeding Ticket with We Defend
A speeding ticket can involve a fine, demerits and possible insurance effects. Before paying or requesting a trial, review the allegation, deadline and available evidence so you can compare the realistic options.
We Defend has assisted Alberta drivers with speeding matters for decades. The team reviews each ticket individually and cannot guarantee a withdrawal, reduction, demerit result or insurance outcome.
To start fighting your speeding ticket, call us at 403-200-8208 or contact us online.
FAQs About Speeding Tickets
How Much Is a Speeding Ticket in Canada?
Speeding ticket costs range from province to province, but the cost in Alberta starts at $81 for a ticket for driving 1 km/hour above the speed limit and goes up the faster you were found to have been going. There are hidden costs, too, and speeding tickets can often impact how much you pay for insurance.
What Is the Fine for Speeding in Alberta?
The fine for speeding in Alberta starts at $81 and can go up to $2,000 if you’re convicted of driving more than 50 km/hour above the speed limit. Demerit points come with speeding tickets, too, and insurance is often expensive.
Is It Worth Fighting a Speeding Ticket in Alberta?
Whether it is worth disputing a speeding ticket in Alberta depends on the fine, demerits, evidence, deadline and the driver’s circumstances. A free initial review can help identify the available process and proposed fee, but no result is guaranteed.
Reviewed by Stewart Dixon, Head of We Defend Tickets · Last reviewed August 7, 2026
This article provides general information, not legal advice. Outcomes and insurance treatment depend on the facts, evidence, applicable law, driving history and insurer.