# Cited under CVC 22350 for unsafe speed? What it means.

Title: CVC 22350 Unsafe Speed Ticket: Cost, Points, Next Steps
URL: https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/codes/22350-unsafe-speed/
Last reviewed: 2026-10-13

> CVC 22350 makes it an infraction to drive faster than is reasonable or prudent for conditions, even below the posted limit. Expect $226.16, $350.03 or $467.90 depending on speed, and 1 point, unless you contest it or qualify for traffic school.

## Read your ticket

Start with the citation in your hand. Look for four items:

- The code section, written as 22350 or VC 22350.
- The date and place of the stop.
- The speed or conditions the officer noted, if any.
- The due date and the court named on the notice.

If the section number is 22349 or 22348, use the table at the end of this page to find the right code.

## What does the law say?

[Vehicle Code 22350](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=22350) reads: "No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property."

The basic speed law is a two-part rule:

- Your speed must be reasonable or prudent for the weather, visibility, traffic, and the surface and width of the road.
- No speed is allowed that endangers people or property.

The section contains no fine. The penalty comes from the bail schedule, covered next.

## What does it cost, by mph over?

The statewide 2026 schedule groups speeding by miles per hour over the limit. Santa Clara County publishes its own chart.

| Speed over the limit | Base fine | Statewide total | Santa Clara chart total |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 to 15 mph | $35 | $226.16 | $158 |
| 16 to 25 mph | $70 | $350.03 | $287 |
| 26 mph and over | $100 | $467.90 | $410 |

The statewide totals include the $40 court operations and $35 conviction assessments. The Santa Clara chart totals leave out those two flat fees. Your notice shows which row applies to you.

Run your own numbers in the [ticket cost estimator](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tools/ticket-cost/).

## Check your point

A moving-violation conviction under [Vehicle Code 12810](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=12810)(f) adds 1 point. Only one violation per occasion is counted.

Points matter when they add up. Under [Vehicle Code 12810.5](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=12810.5), the DMV can send a notice of intent to suspend at 3 points in 12 months, 5 in 24 or 7 in 36, and can order probation at 4, 6 or 8 in the same windows. See [points and insurance](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/points-and-insurance/) and the [negligent operator hearing](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/negligent-operator-hearing/) page.

## Your next steps

1. Find the due date on your notice.
2. Look up the case in your court's online system. The [courts page](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/courts/) has links.
3. Choose one route: pay, traffic school, or contest.
4. Act before the due date, online, by mail or in person as your court allows.

Paying is not neutral. The Sacramento Superior Court calls paying in full a bail forfeiture: a conviction is reported to the DMV and the option to contest ends. If you have already missed the date, read [failure to appear](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/failure-to-appear/).

## Can you keep it off your record?

Two routes can help, and each has limits.

**Traffic school.** [Vehicle Code 42005](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=42005)(a) covers holders of a noncommercial class C, M1 or M2 license. Under [Vehicle Code 41501](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=41501), only one conviction within 18 months is held confidential. The Sacramento court says that completing school records the conviction but masks the point. Compare both routes in [traffic school vs. contest](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/traffic-school-vs-contest/).

**Contest.** You can contest in court or in writing. [Vehicle Code 40902](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=40902) lets you elect a trial by written declaration for any alleged infraction. The [written declaration guide](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/written-declaration/) walks through it.

## 22350 vs. 22349 vs. 22348: which one is on your ticket?

| Section | What it covers | Statewide total | Points |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [22350](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=22350) | Speed greater than reasonable or prudent for conditions | $226.16 to $467.90 | 1 point |
| [22349](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=22349) | Over 65 mph, or over 55 mph on a two-lane undivided highway unless posted higher | $226.16 to $467.90 | 1 point |
| [22348(b)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=22348) | Over 100 mph | $860.80 | 2 points |

Section 22348(a) bars driving above a limit set under 22349 or 22356. Read more on the [CVC 22349 page](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/codes/22349-max-speed/).

## Our picks for you

These firms list traffic ticket work on their own websites. The picks are not a ranking.

1. **Ticket Crushers, A Law Corporation**. San Francisco: 350 Rhode Island St #240, San Francisco, CA 94103, (628) 203-1868; San Jose: 2033 Gateway Pl Ste 500, San Jose, CA 95110, (628) 210-3807; Sacramento: 980 9th St, Sacramento, CA 95814, (628) 212-7076; Los Angeles: 515 Flower St #1951, Los Angeles, CA 90071, (628) 285-1257. Main line (866) 842-5384.
2. **The Nieves Law Firm**. 1100 11th St., 3rd Fl., Rm 311, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 545-1989. Its Sacramento traffic page says it represents clients with a speeding ticket or a red light violation.
3. **Stephen G. Rodriguez & Partners**. 633 W 5th St, 28th Floor, Suite 2874, Los Angeles, CA 90071, (213) 481-6811. Its speeding-ticket page says it offers a complimentary consultation to drivers facing a speeding ticket in Los Angeles.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I be cited under 22350 if I was under the speed limit?

Yes, it is possible. The section sets no number. It tests whether your speed was reasonable or prudent given weather, visibility, traffic, and the road's surface and width, and it bars any speed that endangers people or property. Compare the officer's stated reason with that wording.

### Is 22350 an infraction or a misdemeanor?

The text of section 22350 names no penalty and does not label the offense. Fines come from the bail schedule. Your citation and court notice show how the court is treating your case, so confirm that with the court. Section 22348(b) labels speeding over 100 mph an infraction.

### Does a 22350 ticket need a court appearance?

Check your notice. It states whether you must appear. Santa Clara County's schedule marks an appearance as mandatory for speeding over 100 mph under 22348(b). For a 22350 citation, check the appearance box on your notice. If the notice is unclear, call the court's traffic clerk.

### What does the officer have to prove?

The statute's own words set the test. The question is whether you drove at a speed greater than reasonable or prudent for the weather, visibility, traffic and road, or at any speed that endangers persons or property. Ask the court how evidence is presented at your hearing.

### Can I ask for traffic school on a 22350 ticket?

You may be eligible. Vehicle Code 42005 covers holders of a noncommercial class C, M1 or M2 license. Only one conviction within 18 months is held confidential. A ticket for more than 25 mph over the limit is not eligible. Each court also sets its own list, so ask yours whether this citation qualifies before you pay.

## Sources

- [Vehicle Code 22350 (leginfo)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=22350)
- [Vehicle Code 22349 (leginfo)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=22349)
- [Vehicle Code 22348 (leginfo)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=22348)
- [Vehicle Code 12810, points (leginfo)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=12810)
- [Vehicle Code 12810.5, negligent operator (leginfo)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=12810.5)
- [Vehicle Code 42005, traffic school (leginfo)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=42005)
- [Vehicle Code 41501 (leginfo)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=41501)
- [Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule, 2026 (Orange County Superior Court edition)](https://www.occourts.org/system/files/criminal/uniform-bail-and-penalty-schedule-orange-county-edition.pdf)
- [Santa Clara Superior Court, 2026 Traffic Bail Schedule](https://santaclara.courts.ca.gov/system/files/traffic/2026-traffic-bail-schedule_rem.pdf)
- [Sacramento Superior Court, Traffic ticket options](https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/divisions/traffic/ticket-options)