Dauphin County
Seat: Harrisburg
I-83, I-81, Route 22/322, and the South Bridge produce most Dauphin speeding cases. State Police Troop H handles radar/lidar; municipalities like Harrisburg, Susquehanna Twp., and Lower Paxton run VASCAR and ENRADD.
Traffic Defense
Speeding ticket lawyer for Central Pennsylvania.
Speeding citations in PA cost you points, insurance surcharges for years, and — at 31+ mph over — a mandatory PennDOT departmental hearing that can add up to 15 days of suspension (automatic in active work zones under § 1535(e)). We defend speeding tickets in Adams, York, Cumberland, and Dauphin Counties.
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- Practicing since 2001
- Member, National College for DUI Defense (NCDD)
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Don't pay that ticket yet.
Send the citation to Sean P. Quinlan, Esq. before you plead. Flat fee starting at $550 per citation. Or call (717) 724-7503.
PennDOT points by violation (§ 1535(a)).
| Speed over the limit | Points |
|---|---|
| 6–10 mph over | 2 |
| 11–15 mph over | 3 |
| 16–25 mph over | 4 |
| 26–30 mph over | 5 |
| 31 mph or more over | 5 plus § 1538(d) hearing |
| Section | Offense | Points |
|---|---|---|
| § 3112(a)(3)(i) or (ii) | Failure to stop for a red light | 3 |
| § 3114(a)(1) | Failure to stop for a flashing red light | 3 |
| § 3303–3305, 3307 | Improper passing | 3 |
| § 3310 | Following too closely | 3 |
| § 3321 | Failure to yield to driver on the right at intersection | 3 |
| § 3322 | Failure to yield to oncoming driver when making left turn | 3 |
| § 3323(b) | Failure to stop for stop sign | 3 |
| § 3323(c) | Failure to yield at yield sign | 3 |
| § 3345(a) | Failure to stop for school bus with flashing red lights | 5 and 60 days' suspension |
| § 3361 | Driving too fast for conditions | 2 |
| § 3365(b) | Exceeding special speed limit in school zone | 3 and 60 days' suspension for a second or subsequent offense |
| § 3542(a) | Failure to yield to pedestrian in crosswalk | 2 |
| § 3702 | Improper backing | 3 |
| § 3714(a) | Careless driving | 3 |
| § 3745 | Leaving scene of accident involving property damage only | 4 |
- At 6 or more points for the first time, PennDOT requires a driver improvement school or a special examination (§ 1538(a)). Completing the school removes 4 points; passing the exam removes 2. Failing to complete either results in suspension until you do. A second or later accumulation of 6 points requires a departmental hearing and driver improvement school, and the hearing examiner may recommend a suspension of up to 15 days (second time) or up to 30 days (third or later) (§ 1538(b)).
- At 11 or more points, PennDOT suspends your license (§ 1539(a)): 5 days per point for a first suspension, 10 days per point for a second, 15 days per point for a third, and one year for any later suspension (§ 1539(b)).
- Points come off at 3 for every 12 consecutive months without a suspension or a point-carrying violation (§ 1537(a)).
- For violations committed before age 18, a conviction for 26 mph or more over the limit, or accumulating 6 or more points, triggers a 90-day suspension for a first such suspension and 120 days for each later one (§ 1538(e)).
Estimate your own total with the PA points calculator, or browse every PA traffic ticket.
What a speeding ticket actually costs.
A $150 speeding fine is the small number. Three points on your PA record means an insurance surcharge for 3 years — often $600–$2,000 total. 31+ mph over triggers a mandatory PennDOT departmental hearing[3] that can add up to 15 days of suspension; an automatic 15-day suspension under § 1535(e)[2] is reserved for active work-zone convictions[4] . For CDL holders, 15+ mph over is a federal "serious traffic violation"[6] — two in 3 years disqualifies your commercial license.
For reckless-driving-level speeds and companion charges, see reckless driving in PA. For citations that led to suspension, see driving on a suspended license.
Challenge radar & lidar calibration
PA law requires station-approved radar/lidar with current calibration certificates. Missing or stale calibration = motion to dismiss.
Attack VASCAR & pacing
VASCAR requires officer certification and a measured course. Pacing needs a documented pacing distance — often not in the citation packet.
Reduce 6-point speeds to non-point
31+ mph over is 5 points; 26–30 is 4 points; 16–25 is 3. We routinely negotiate reductions to §3111 obedience to traffic control (2 points) or a non-point equipment offense.
Protect CDL holders
15+ mph over is a federal 'serious traffic violation' under 49 CFR §383.51. Two in 3 years = 60-day CDL disqualification even in a personal vehicle.
Fight construction & school-zone doublers
Fines double in active work zones (§3365) and school zones. Prosecution must prove the zone was active — that fails more often than you'd expect.
Trial by MDJ, not plea by mail
Officers don't always show. When they do, cross-examination on training records and equipment logs often shifts the negotiation.
Speeding defense by county.
We appear regularly in the four Central PA counties below. Each has its own enforcement patterns, MDJ preferences, and prosecutor practices.
Cumberland County
Seat: Carlisle
I-81 through Carlisle and the Carlisle Pike (Route 11) are the highest-volume corridors. Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, Hampden, and Silver Spring municipal patrols write most of the local speeding tickets.
York County
Seat: York
I-83, Route 30, and I-283 approaches account for the bulk of York County speeding citations. State Police Troop H York and York City / West Manchester enforce heavily during rush hours and events.
Adams County
Seat: Gettysburg
US-15, US-30, and Route 116 are the primary Adams enforcement corridors. Tourism season around Gettysburg drives a spike in out-of-state citations we defend regularly.
Watch · PennDOT points explained
A speeding ticket is really a points problem.
The fine is small — the points behind it are what actually cost you. Attorney Sean Quinlan explains how PennDOT points accumulate, when they trigger the 6-point and 11-point suspension thresholds, and what a speeding conviction really means for your license and insurance.
More detail: PA license points & suspension guide · video page with transcript.
Don't pay that ticket yet.
Send the citation to Sean P. Quinlan, Esq. before you plead. Flat fee starting at $550 per citation. Or call (717) 724-7503.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Pennsylvania speeding ticket FAQ — points, insurance, CDL, and courts.
6–10 mph over = 2 points. 11–15 = 3 points. 16–25 = 4 points. 26–30 = 5 points. 31+ = 5 points plus a mandatory PennDOT departmental hearing under § 1538(a), where the examiner may impose up to a 15-day suspension. An automatic 15-day suspension under § 1535(e) is reserved for speeding convictions in an active work zone (§ 3326.1); school-zone and work-zone speeding also carry doubled fines.
Almost always — even a single 3-point citation typically raises rates for 3 years. That's often more than the ticket itself. Fighting the ticket down to a non-point offense usually prevents the surcharge from ever hitting.
Yes, and often. Pennsylvania only allows radar and lidar operated by the State Police (municipalities are stuck with VASCAR, ENRADD, and pacing). Calibration certificates, officer training records, and the exact equipment used are all discoverable — and mistakes are common.
You can plead not guilty and request a summary trial in front of the magisterial district judge. In many cases we can appear on your behalf, negotiate with the officer before the hearing, or resolve the case entirely by mail.
31+ mph over the posted limit is 5 points and triggers a mandatory PennDOT departmental hearing under § 1538(a), where the examiner may impose up to a 15-day suspension. 26–30 over is 5 points without an automatic suspension but is often paired with a reckless or careless charge. The automatic 15-day suspension under § 1535(e) applies specifically to speeding convictions in an active work zone (§ 3326.1), not to every 31+ mph citation.
Yes — for most speeding citations you can plead not guilty, request a summary trial in front of the magisterial district judge, and have counsel appear on your behalf. Many cases resolve at the officer conference before trial without you being there.
Related pages
Summary appeals — Harrisburg
Appeal an MDJ guilty verdict to Common Pleas. 30-day deadline.
PA points & suspension guide
Point values, 6/11-point thresholds, and how points come off.
Reckless driving (§ 3736)
Automatic 6-month suspension, jail exposure, CDL impact — Adams, York, Cumberland & Dauphin.
DUI defense
When a traffic stop turns into a DUI arrest.
Criminal defense
Reckless driving, fleeing, and related charges.
Areas we serve
Where we appear across Central PA.
Free consultation
Sources & statutory citations
- [1]75 Pa.C.S. § 3362 — Maximum speed limits.
- [2]75 Pa.C.S. § 1535 — Schedule of convictions and points; §1535(e) — automatic 15-day suspension for active work-zone speeding.
- [3]75 Pa.C.S. § 1538 — Departmental hearing and sanctions on accumulation of points.
- [4]75 Pa.C.S. § 3326.1 — Duty of drivers in active work zones; doubled fines.
- [5]75 Pa.C.S. § 3736 — Reckless driving — summary offense, $200 fine; no §1535 points, but §1532(b)(1) imposes a 6-month suspension.
- [6]49 C.F.R. § 383.51 — CDL disqualifications — serious traffic violations; DUI/refusal one-year first-offense disqualification.
Statutes are summarized for public reference. Confirm current text at palegis.us. This page is attorney advertising, not legal advice.
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