Speeding Tickets in Houston & Harris County, Texas: What the Law Actually Says

Most people assume a speeding ticket is simply "you went over the number on the sign." Texas law is actually built on two separate rules:

• Texas Transportation Code § 545.351 (the "reasonable and prudent" rule): You may not drive faster than is reasonable and prudent for the existing conditions, and you must slow down further near intersections, curves, hill crests, narrow bridges, and other hazards — regardless of the posted limit. This means you can technically be cited for speeding even while driving at or below a posted limit, if conditions (rain, traffic, construction) made that speed unsafe.
• Texas Transportation Code § 545.352 (prima facie speed limits): This section sets the default numeric limits presumed reasonable in the absence of a posted sign saying otherwise — generally 30 mph in urban districts (15 mph in alleys) and 70 mph on most numbered highways outside urban areas (60 mph on other highways), subject to whatever limit is actually posted for a given road.

In practice, the officer will cite the specific posted limit for the road you were on, but these two statutes are what give the citation its legal force.

No. This is one of the most common misconceptions, and it matters because getting it wrong leads people to misjudge how serious a ticket is. Texas's prior points-and-surcharge system was part of the Driver Responsibility Program, which was repealed effective September 1, 2019 under House Bill 2048. There is currently no statewide point system that adds points to your license for a speeding conviction.

That does not mean a conviction is harmless: it still becomes part of your permanent driving record, it can raise your insurance premiums for three years, and a pattern of multiple convictions in a short period can still contribute to a license suspension through other mechanisms. But there is no "points" ledger adding up in the background the way there is in many other states.

School zone speed limits are not set by a single statewide number in the Transportation Code. Instead, cities and counties establish reduced limits near specific schools, typically following a public hearing process under Texas Transportation Code § 545.357, and then post the resulting limit on signs at the zone. Once posted, that lower limit is enforceable under the same general speeding statutes described above.

In practice, Houston and Harris County courts tend to treat school zone citations more seriously than ordinary speeding tickets, particularly for violations during active drop-off and pick-up hours or where the speed was significantly over the posted school zone limit. Some courts are more reluctant to approve deferred disposition or a driving safety course for these citations — this varies by court, so it's worth asking specifically about the court handling your case.

Under Texas Transportation Code § 542.404, the minimum and maximum fine for a traffic offense is doubled when the offense occurs in a construction or maintenance work zone with workers present — provided the zone is properly marked with a speed limit sign and the citation documents that workers were present. Many courts are also more restrictive about offering deferred disposition or a driving safety course for work zone speeding, especially at higher speeds over the posted limit.

Often, yes — but speeding tickets have their own specific exclusions that many drivers don't know about until it's too late to plan around them. A Texas driving safety (defensive driving) course generally cannot be used to dismiss a citation if:

• You were cited for speeding 25 miles per hour or more over the posted limit
• You were cited for any speed of 95 miles per hour or higher, regardless of the posted limit
• You hold, or held at the time of the offense, a commercial driver's license
• You completed a dismissal course for a different ticket within the past 12 months
• The citation involves passing a stopped school bus or a violation in an active construction/maintenance work zone

If a ticket doesn't qualify for the driving safety course because of these exclusions, that doesn't mean you're out of options. Deferred disposition (Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Art. 45.051) is handled separately and may still be available at the judge's discretion, even for some tickets that are excluded from the driving safety course. An attorney familiar with the specific court can tell you which of your remaining options is realistic.

Sources: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation driving safety course guidelines; Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts, Driving Safety Course Dismissal guidelines.

Yes, if it results in a conviction. Texas insurers generally review the prior three years of your driving record when calculating premiums, and a speeding conviction is typically treated as evidence of higher risk — which can raise your premium for that entire three-year window, not just a single renewal cycle. Resolving the ticket through dismissal, deferred disposition, or a completed driving safety course, before it becomes a conviction, is the most direct way to avoid this increase.

Does Texas have a point system for speeding tickets?

No. The points-and-surcharge system was repealed in 2019. A conviction still affects your record and insurance, but no points are added to your license.

What's the fastest I can go over the limit and still use a defensive driving course?

Generally, you must be cited for less than 25 mph over the posted limit, and under 95 mph outright, to remain eligible — see the section above for the full list of exclusions.

Are school zone and work zone speeding tickets treated differently than regular speeding tickets?

Yes. Courts tend to scrutinize both more closely, work zone fines can be legally doubled when workers are present, and some courts limit dismissal options for these citations — confirm the specific court's policy.

Can a lawyer help with a speeding ticket that doesn't qualify for defensive driving?

Yes. Deferred disposition, negotiating with the prosecutor, or contesting the ticket in court may still be available even when the driving safety course is excluded. An attorney familiar with the specific court can advise which path gives you the best realistic outcome.