Surcharge On A Traffic Ticket In New York

Surcharge on a traffic ticket in New York

By Feifer & Greenberg LLP
2:55 pm

Drivers who violate traffic laws and are convicted of traffic violations will be subjected to certain direct monetary penalties as a result. These include:

Penalties can also include license suspensions and/or employment issues if too many points are accumulated and of course, insurance increases but these aren’t direct government fines/fees that will be incurred in every case where there’s a conviction.

What is a surcharge on a traffic ticket?

If you are convicted of a criminal or quasi-criminal matter in NYS, a surcharge will be due on top of any fine assessed. Felonies and misdemeanors will have slightly higher surcharges whereas traffic violations currently come with a mandatory surcharge of either $88 or $93 depending on where the violation occurred and which court is handling the matter.

Surcharges will generally be directed towards crime victim assistance funds, funds that pay for court-appointed attorneys (public defenders), and the state’s general fund.

Traffic ticket cost

When you receive a traffic ticket, it’s always important to make sure you have a good handle on what the overall potential cost of the ticket might be prior to making any decision to just plead guilty and pay the ticket.

If you’ve been issued a traffic ticket for an NYS traffic violation, most times there will be very little information regarding the potential overall costs. Unfortunately, it’s not in the court’s interest to advertise all the potential expenses and issues on the ticket as this would likely lead to more and more people contesting the charges. In all fairness, there can be different “costs” to different people based on the violation, the driving record, their age or employment status, etc.– the face of the ticket itself could never cover all that information.

Just keep in mind when considering what the ticket may cost that it’s not only a “fine” in play. Surcharges, insurance, assessments, employment issues..all are possible “costs” of a conviction.

Recent changes in the law allow for payment plans on the fines and surcharges due.

The important takeaway is to make sure you have a handle on all the potential costs involved before ever pleading guilty to the charge when a not-guilty plea is a viable option.

Feifer & Greenberg can help you understand your options and represent you in court if that is ultimately in your best interests.

Hiring an attorney to fight a New York speeding ticket

If you’re issued a traffic ticket in New York, sometimes it’s worth hiring an attorney to help you fight it. NYC traffic violation lawyers Feifer & Greenberg may be able to help if you’ve received a ticket anywhere in New York. We cover every county in the state and are happy to discuss your case and answer any questions you may have about a traffic violation.

FREE CASE EVALUATION

FAQ

Your office is in NYC. How do you handle cases statewide?

We have organized a statewide network of attorneys. In our network are both attorneys who work for Feifer & Greenberg and attorneys who work for other firms that regularly provide of-counsel representation to our clients. This statewide network allows us to match clients in a particular county or court with local attorneys who regularly appear on similar matters in the same county or court. It enables us to help clients anywhere in New York State and in our opinion provide particularly effective and affordable representation for our clients. Local attorneys can draw on their particular local experiences and, with travel time and expense removed from the equation, help us keep our legal fees low.

Do you guarantee results?

We can only guarantee that we will provide the best possible client service and legal representation. We can’t guarantee results. These are legal proceedings and we can’t promise you that every case will end in our favor. We will always honestly assess your case (both good and bad) and set realistic expectations during your consultation. We’ll discuss our goals and objectives but no attorney can ever guarantee how a case will conclude.

Should I just pay my ticket or should I fight?

We recommend fighting almost all tickets. Even if the current NY traffic tickets aren’t particularly harmful, you have an incentive to keep your record clean for the future. Convictions quickly lead to surcharges, insurance increases and other complications. You should strongly consider any decision to pay a ticket without fighting.

How can our traffic ticket lawyers help you?

Our lawyers are experienced, prepared attorneys who understand the nuances of fighting traffic tickets. Experience, preparation and good decision making help us to help our clients avoid points, surcharges, insurance increases and the other negatives that can easily result from a traffic ticket.

Surcharge On A Traffic Ticket In New York