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Traffic Ticket Defense

Mile High Legal Resource Center
By Grant Grosgebauer, Mile High Legal · Last reviewed September 29, 2026

Mile High Legal defends traffic tickets throughout Colorado, from speeding and careless driving to more serious charges that carry real license and insurance consequences. A ticket that feels minor can still add points that push you toward a suspension, or raise your insurance rates for years, which is exactly why fighting the right tickets is often worth more than the fine itself.

What to do next

If you’re facing this in Colorado, call Mile High Legal at (720) 853-5779 for a free consultation. The earlier a defense attorney gets involved, the more options are usually still on the table.

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Quick Answers

What is the difference between careless and reckless driving in Colorado?

Both involve driving below a reasonable standard of care, but the mental state required is different. A careless driver should have recognized the risk their driving posed but didn’t. A reckless driver actually recognized the risk and chose to drive that way anyway. Reckless driving generally reflects a more culpable state of mind, even though neither reaches the level of intentional wrongdoing.

How much is a 6-point speeding ticket in Colorado?

A 6-point speeding ticket generally means driving 20 to 24 mph over the posted limit, which carries a base fine of $200 plus a mandatory state surcharge of around $32, before any additional court fees. Six points is a meaningful chunk of the 12-point threshold that can trigger a license suspension for adult drivers within a 12-month period.

How much is a speeding ticket in Colorado?

It scales with how far over the limit you were driving: a base fine of $30 plus surcharges (commonly totaling around $56 with added court and trust fund fees) for 1 to 4 mph over, up to a base fine of $200 plus surcharges for 20 to 24 mph over. Driving 25 mph or more over the limit stops being a civil infraction entirely and becomes a class 2 misdemeanor criminal traffic offense, with its own separate penalty range rather than a simple fine.

How many points before license suspension in Colorado?

Adult drivers 21 and older face suspension at 12 points within 12 months or 18 points within 24 months. Drivers 18 to 20 face a stricter threshold of 9 points within 12 months, and drivers under 18 face the strictest standard of all, 6 points within 12 months. Points stay on your record permanently but only count toward a suspension for 24 months from the violation.

Do red light camera and photo radar tickets add points in Colorado?

No. Colorado law specifically prohibits assessing DMV points for a violation caught by a red light camera or photo radar van. The maximum fine is capped lower than a standard ticket too: $75 for a red light camera violation and $40 for a photo speed van violation ($80 in a school zone), and these systems can only be used where signs notify the public, with speed vans further restricted to school zones, residential areas, construction zones, and streets near municipal parks.

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