Planning a vacation to North Dakota? Maybe you are even organizing a move to the state or have only just relocated?
There are many things to look forward to when you are in the Peace Garden State, including expansive, beautiful mountain ranges, glorious landscapes spanning across the state, beautiful lush forests, and national parks.
If you are a driver, planning on becoming a driver, or, are preparing to drive whilst visiting the state, knowledge of the different speed limits in North Dakota is especially important, whether in the cities, on the highways, or in any of the rural communities.
That is because speeding in North Dakota, like most places in the US, can attract some hefty penalties and fines, and you don’t want to receive a speeding ticket in North Dakota as it can lead to having your license suspended due to an accumulation of points!
Knowing the correct speed limit to be driving in North Dakota is not only about avoiding punishment – but also about driving safely on the roads to prevent accidents. Driving within the speed limit helps reduce the possibility of crashes and promotes efficient use of the road.
In North Dakota, legislation is put in place to govern the safe use of the roads. Speed limits in North Dakota are established by the North Dakota Department of Transportation. The different limits indicate the fastest speeds you are legally allowed to drive when the conditions are good – that is when driving in fair weather and with good visibility.
However, similar to the majority of other states, North Dakota has two differing speeding laws; the basic speeding law, and the absolute speed limits. The basic speeding law prohibits driving “at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual hazards then existing”. This quote means that motorists must always drive at a safe speed for the conditions and environment they are driving in.
An example would be that if you were driving on a 65 mph road on a dark, and wet evening, you would be required to slow down to a speed significantly less than the signed speed limit of 65 mph. This is because the weather and road conditions would be considered dangerous, and if you were caught driving at the signed limit, you may get a ticket, and even worse, license suspension.
What are the Maximum North Dakota Speed Limits?
The maximum North Dakota speed limit you can drive based on ideal conditions is 75 mph, here are all of the absolute North Dakota speed limits:
- 20 mph is the maximum speed limit for school zones.
- 25 mph in residential and business districts.
- 55 mph on gravel, dirt, or loose surface highways (including paved, two-lane country roads).
- 65 mph is the maximum speed limit for driving on two-lane highways roads.
- 70 mph is the maximum speed limit for traveling paved and divided multi-lane highways.
- 75 mph is the maximum speed limit for driving on urban and rural highways (this includes trucks).
With these different speed limits in North Dakota, it is important to pay attention to road signs. The last thing you want is to be slapped with a huge fine as a result of exceeding the maximum signed speed limit.
This is how the North Dakota speeding ticket system works:
When you surpass the basic speeding laws in North Dakota, here are the fines:
- 1-5 mph over the limit: $5.
- 6-10 mph over the limit: $5 plus $1 for each mph over the original 5 mph over the limit infringement.
- 11-15 mph over the limit: $15 plus $2 for each mph you exceed the original 15 mph infringement.
- 16-20 mph over the limit: $15 plus $2 for each mph you exceed the original 15 mph infringement.
- 21-25 mph over the limit: $25 plus $3 for each mph over the original 20 mph infringement.
- 26-35 mph over the limit: $40 plus $3 for each mph over the original 25 mph infringement.
- 36-45 mph over the limit: $70 plus $3 for each mph over the original 35 mph infringement.
- 46 mph or more over the limit: $100 plus $5 for each mph over the original 45 mph infringement.
Surpassing the North Dakota speed limits will not only result in a fine, jail time, or in some unfortunate instances, both! It also will result in you receiving points on your license and your driving record. Here is how the point system works for traffic offenses in North Dakota.
| North Dakota Speeding Ticket Points | Total Points |
|---|---|
| License plate violation | 1 |
| Permitting unauthorized person to drive | 2 |
| Impeding traffic on highway | 2 |
| Unlawful parking | 1 |
| Equipment violation | 2 |
| Careless driving | 6 |
| Violating license restriction | 4 (3 points for eyeglasses restriction) |
| Racing | 10 |
| Exhibition driving | 3 |
| Failure to yield right-of-way | 2 |
| Traffic control device violation | 2 |
| Wrong side of road | 2 |
| Failure to dim lights | 1 |
| Failure to stop at railroad crossing | 3 |
| Passing violation | 2 |
| Unlawful passing of school bus | 6 |
| Operating without a license | 4 |
| Speeding 6 to 10 mph over the limit | 0 |
| Speeding 11 to 15 mph over the limit | 1 |
| Speeding 16 to 20 mph over the limit | 3 |
| Speeding 21 to 25 mph over the limit | 5 |
| Speeding 26 to 35 mph over the limit | 9 |
| Speeding 36 to 45 mph over the limit | 12 |
| Speeding 46 or more mph over the limit | 15 |
| Open alcohol container violation | 2 |
| Child restraint violation | 1 |
| Driving without insurance | 6 (12 if prior violation in last year) |
| Accident without insurance | 14 |
| Reckless driving | 8 |
| Aggravated reckless driving | 12 |
| Leaving the scene of property damage accident | 14 |
| Leaving the scene of injury accident | 18 |
| Flee and elude police officer | 24 |
| Instruction permit restriction violation | 2 |
When visiting or relocating your family to North Dakota, it is normal to think of all the funs things you can do. Knowledge of the speed limits in North Dakota – and adhering to them – will ensure your time is well spent and minimize the chance of you being fined.
