A citation for failing to stop at a stop sign NJ results in two points on your driving record and up to a $200 fine. It also may cause your insurance rates to increase, particularly if you already have prior points on your driving record.
If you have six or more points, you also will be surcharged a fine annually by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission until your record drops below six points. You can complete a driving program every five years to help remove points from your New Jersey driving record.
Question: I was given a ticket in New Jersey for failure to stop at a stop sign. How much will it cost and will it affect my premiums?
Answer: In New Jersey, failure to observe a stop sign or yield for a stop sign violates NJSA 39:4-144 and results in 2 points on your license and up to a $200 fine. In some cases, it can come with up to 15 days in jail, but that is most likely in rare instances.
New Jersey statutes clearly state what stopping at a stop sign looks like. According to NJSA 39:4-144, an individual must bring their vehicle to a “complete stop at a point within 5 feet of the nearest crosswalk or stop line marked upon the pavement at the near side of the intersecting street and shall proceed only after yielding the right of way to all traffic on the intersecting street which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.”
That said, you might have received a citation for failing to come to a complete stop, often known as a rolling stop, for ignoring or “blowing” through a stop sign or failing to yield at an intersection when you should have.
Can you have your license suspended for failing to stop at a stop sign in New Jersey?
If these two points are the only ones on your driving record in New Jersey, you will not lose your license or even face surcharges. That’s because it takes 12 points to have your license suspended in the state. If you reach 12 points, you will receive a notice in the mail about your license being suspended.
However, if you have six or more points on your driving record within three years, you will face other consequences, known as surcharges. Six points will result in a surcharge of $150, and you must pay $25 for each additional point over six points. A billing notice will be sent to you by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. These surcharges are annual, so you will need to pay these fines each year until your record shows that you drop below six points.
Assuming you have no prior points, you will not enter the Surcharge Violation System. But if you have six or more points, there are ways to remove some of those points from your driving record. For example, if you drive for one year and have no violations or suspensions within that year, three points will be deducted. Completing a defensive driving program will result in a deduction of two points, but completion of a program can only be used every five years to deduct points.
Having points on your license, even two, may increase your insurance rates, but often that depends on whether you have prior points on your license and what your driving history is like. You can contact your auto insurance provider for more information on your rates. Also, the penalty or fine amount may differ depending on what jurisdiction you received the citation.
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission suggests contacting the Municipal Court where the ticket was issued. You can also look online at the State of New Jersey’s Judiciary site for more information regarding your ticket and the penalties connected to it.
— Michelle Megna contributed to this story.
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