Traffic Defense · 49 CFR 383.51
CDL Traffic Tickets in Pennsylvania
If you hold a CDL, two serious traffic violations in separate incidents within three years mean a 60-day disqualification from driving a commercial vehicle under 49 CFR 383.51. A third means 120 days. Serious violations include speeding 15 mph or more over the limit, reckless driving, improper lane changes, following too closely, and texting or hand-held phone use in a CMV.
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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.
What the offense actually is.
Federal rules in 49 CFR 383.51 Table 2 list serious traffic violations that trigger commercial-vehicle disqualification for CDL holders and drivers required to have one.
These rules apply on top of Pennsylvania's point system, so a ticket that looks minor for a car driver can threaten a commercial career.
What a conviction costs.
Second serious violation within 3 years: 60-day CMV disqualification. Third or subsequent: 120 days.
Convictions in a personal vehicle count when the conviction results in revocation, cancellation or suspension of the CDL holder's license or non-CMV privileges.
For the full point schedule and suspension thresholds, see the PA license points & suspension guide. If a magisterial district judge has already found you guilty, you have 30 days to file a summary appeal for a new trial at the Court of Common Pleas.
CDL Traffic Tickets at a glance
49 CFR 383.51
- Points
- PennDOT points follow the § 1535 schedule for the underlying violation
- Fine
- Set by the underlying Vehicle Code section
- License suspension
- CMV disqualification: 60 days (second serious violation in 3 years), 120 days (third)
- CDL impact
- Personal-vehicle convictions count when they lead to a license suspension, revocation or cancellation
- Grading
- Usually summary offenses
How these citations get fought
Defenses that actually move the outcome.
Amendment to a non-serious section
Resolving a ticket under a section not listed in Table 2 can protect the CDL; it is never guaranteed.
Speed under 15 mph over
Speeding counts as serious only at 15 mph or more over the limit.
Contest the facts
Radar records, video and the officer's observations can be challenged at a summary trial.
Appeal within 30 days
A conviction can be appealed for a new trial in Common Pleas under Pa.R.Crim.P. 460.
How the case moves.
- Within 10 days: plead guilty or not guilty (Pa.R.Crim.P. 407). Paying the fine and costs is a guilty plea (Rule 409).
- Not-guilty plea: the magisterial district judge sets a summary trial and notifies you and the officer (Rule 408).
- Before trial: counsel can review the evidence and talk with the officer about the citation.
- After a conviction: you have 30 days to file a notice of appeal with the clerk of courts for a new trial in the Court of Common Pleas (Rule 460).
- PennDOT: points are assigned as of the violation date and must be assigned within six months of the conviction (§ 1535(a), (c)).
Likely outcomes.
Every case is different and no result can be promised. Common outcomes include a dismissal when the Commonwealth cannot prove the charge or the officer does not appear, an amendment to a different Vehicle Code section agreed with the officer, a conviction after trial, or a new trial on appeal. Sean P. Quinlan, Esq. reviews your citation and record before advising which path fits.
Other Pennsylvania violations
- Careless Driving
- Following Too Closely
- Improper Passing
- Red Light / Traffic-Control Device Violations
- Aggressive Driving
- Texting While Driving
- Driving Without a License
- School Bus Violation
- Driving Too Fast for Conditions
- Driving Without Insurance
- Stop Sign Violation
- Improper Lane Change
- Work-Zone Speeding
- Speeding
- Reckless Driving
Related traffic defense
Where these tickets get written, and who hears them.
PA traffic tickets hub
Every violation page, the pay-or-fight decision tool, and local traffic courts.
PA points calculator
Add up points by violation and see where the 6- and 11-point thresholds hit.
PA points & suspension guide
Point values by violation, the 6- and 11-point thresholds, and how points come off.
PA Turnpike (I-76) — Cumberland & Dauphin toll plazas citations
Enforcement patterns and courts along PA Turnpike (I-76) — Cumberland & Dauphin toll plazas.
I-81 through Cumberland County citations
Enforcement patterns and courts along I-81 through Cumberland County.
I-83 through Dauphin County citations
Enforcement patterns and courts along I-83 through Dauphin County.
CDL Traffic Tickets ticket in Harrisburg
Local citations, MDJs, and enforcement in Harrisburg.
CDL Traffic Tickets ticket in Camp Hill
Local citations, MDJs, and enforcement in Camp Hill.
CDL Traffic Tickets ticket in Mechanicsburg
Local citations, MDJs, and enforcement in Mechanicsburg.
CDL Traffic Tickets ticket in Carlisle
Local citations, MDJs, and enforcement in Carlisle.
CDL Traffic Tickets ticket in York
Local citations, MDJs, and enforcement in York.
CDL Traffic Tickets ticket in Hershey
Local citations, MDJs, and enforcement in Hershey.
CDL Traffic Tickets ticket in Lower Paxton Township
Local citations, MDJs, and enforcement in Lower Paxton Township.
CDL Traffic Tickets ticket in Hampden Township
Local citations, MDJs, and enforcement in Hampden Township.
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.
Common questions about cdl traffic tickets citations in Pennsylvania — points, suspensions, and what a summary hearing looks like.
Under 49 CFR 383.51 Table 2: speeding 15+ mph over, reckless driving, improper or erratic lane changes, following too closely, a traffic-control violation connected with a fatal accident, certain license violations in a CMV, and texting or hand-held phone use while driving a CMV.
60 days for a second serious violation in a separate incident within 3 years; 120 days for a third or subsequent.
It can, when the conviction results in revocation, cancellation or suspension of your license or non-CMV privileges (49 CFR 383.51 Table 2).
Paying is a guilty plea under Pa.R.Crim.P. 409. A CDL holder should have the ticket reviewed first.
Sometimes. In many Central PA magisterial district courts, the officer and defense counsel can discuss amending a citation to a different Vehicle Code section before the hearing. Whether that is offered depends on the officer, the facts and your record, and it is never guaranteed.
It can. Insurers review driving records, and a conviction for a moving violation may affect your premium at renewal. How much depends on your insurer and your record — no one can promise a specific result.
Paying is pleading guilty. Points attach to your PennDOT record, your insurance can rise for years, and some convictions carry a suspension or a CDL disqualification on their own. Many citations can be reduced to a non-point violation or beaten at the summary trial.
At 6 points PennDOT can require a written exam or a departmental hearing under § 1538, and repeat 6-point accumulations bring escalating suspensions. At 11 points a suspension is automatic under § 1539. Under § 1537, three points come off for every 12 consecutive months without a suspension or a point-carrying violation.
Thirty days from the magisterial district judge's decision. A summary appeal goes to the county Court of Common Pleas for a trial de novo, meaning the case is heard fresh rather than reviewed for error.
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]49 C.F.R. § 383.51 — Federal disqualification table for serious traffic violations, railroad-crossing violations, and out-of-service violations, adopted by reference in Pennsylvania's Chapter 16 CDL disqualification scheme.
- [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. § 3362 — Maximum speed limits.
- [4]75 Pa.C.S. § 3310 — Following too closely — summary offense; 3 points under the §1535 schedule.
- [5]75 Pa.C.S. § 3309 — Driving on roadways laned for traffic (lane usage). Not listed in the § 1535(a) point schedule.
- [6]75 Pa.C.S. § 3316 — Prohibiting text-based communications — summary offense, $50 fine; no §1535 points.
Statutes are summarized for public reference. Confirm current text at palegis.us. This page is attorney advertising, not legal advice.
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