Minot Monday is made possible through a partnership with BeLOCAL Minot. A guide to living like a local. You should totally check them out for tips/tricks on loving life in Minot. All thoughts, opinions and anecdotes below are mine alone.
Several years ago when we lived in Minot the first time around, I remember watching a story on the local news about speeding fines. The point was that the state of North Dakota was collecting far less income from speeding tickets than other states. At that point, Derek and I both laughed out loud and commented on the fact that North Dakota speeding tickets are basically just “pretend-toy-tickets” anyway. In this edition of Minot Monday, we are talking about the silly, unbelievable world of the North Dakota speeding ticket.
I’ll preface everything else I’m going to say by reiterating the fact that I love life in North Dakota. However, my love for the state only stems from the truth that this place is totally unique among the rest of our nation. North Dakota moves at a different speed. Trends hit us late (sometimes years late), things are slow to change, and good-golly there are just so many odd nuances about life in North Dakota that make it utterly fascinating.
It’s just a weird, wonderful place. I often describe it as life inside a mashup of a mockumentary and Hallmark movie. But I’m getting off topic.
The point of today’s Minot Monday is North Dakota speeding tickets. (I should take a second and give another warning. I do not condone breaking the law. Not even speeding. This article is not an endorsement to break the law in any manner.)
Our North Dakota Speeding Ticket
I’ve never been issued a North Dakota speeding ticket. I do, however vividly remember the day Derek came home with a speeding ticket after work. When he told me he’d gotten a ticket, my heart sank. Tickets are expensive. This would suck the “fun money” right out of that month’s budget.
But wait! This isn’t a speeding ticket in Florida, Oklahoma, Indiana or Louisiana (the other places we’ve lived.) This was a North Dakota speeding ticket. No need to cancel plans! No need to fret!
Why?
Because at that time tickets amounted to $1 per mph you were exceeding the speed limit. Derek’s infraction didn’t even cost us $15!
Yes, you’re reading that right. If you aren’t living in North Dakota, you can just add this to the list of things you envy about us. It’s just one more reason life in the Legendary North is so sweet.
Remember where this article started? The news story about low revenue from speeding tickets–now can you see why it was so silly?
North Dakota Speeding Ticket Changes
Before you throw all caution to the wind (and remember, this is not an article encouraging you to speed), let’s look at how the speeding ticket fines have changed since we’ve lived out of state and moved back.
Like my search for landfill/waste management answers in last week’s post, this proved to be trickier than it should have been. As of publishing this post, I still don’t have a link to a 2020 list of speeding fines. While fines have increased, they are still laughably low. Derek’s same infraction would have cost us nearly $160 back in our home state of Indiana.
Something else that makes North Dakota so great is how genuinely shocked locals are when they realize a $10 speeding ticket isn’t the norm. I love everything about living here. (Well…not the wind chill. But the summers and the people make up for it.)
Absolute Speed Limits
Speed limits are posted, but here is a group of “absolute speed limits” in North Dakota in case you’re wondering. It’s good information to have tucked away in your brain.
North Dakota Speeding Ticket Costs
The most recent information I can find indicates that North Dakota has added a $30 fine for breaking the speeding law. Drivers will pay that plus a fine for their speed. Fines for speed look like this:
- 1-5mph over the limit=$5
- 5-15mph over the limit=$1/mph exceeding the limit
- 16-20mph over the limit=Fine of $15 plus $2 for each mile per hour in excess of 15 miles per hour that the driver exceeds the limit.
- 21 -25 miles per hour over the limit=Fine of $25 plus $3 for each mile per hour in excess of 20 miles per hour that the driver exceeds the limit.
- Beyond that, rates continue to go up. See the full scale here.
In this case going 10mph over the limit would result in a $40 fine.
Highway Speeding Ticket Costs
For offenses on highways where the speed limit is above 55mph things are a little different. I believe the most recent fine scale to be $5 for every mph exceeding the limit. For example:
- 5mph over=$25
- 15 mph over=$75
- 25 mph over=$125
It’s all very weird and quaint, right? For the most accurate information check with local law enforcement or the clerk’s office. Or you can ask a local with a heavy foot. For more on North Dakota speeding tickets see the funny story here, the Bismarck Trib article comparing our rates to surrounding states, or this OpEd piece from the Grand Forks Herald calling for a raise in speeding fines.
And now that you are fully armed with a little extra knowledge of North Dakota roads this just might be the perfect time to take a road trip. BeLOCAL has a list of day/weekend trip ideas right here. Happy driving!
