In California, the truck speed limit is 55 mph on every highway in the state, even where passenger cars are allowed to drive 65 or 70. The rule comes from Vehicle Code Section 22406, and it applies to more than just big rigs.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22406 There are no exceptions for light traffic, good weather, or the speed of surrounding cars. The cap is absolute.
That creates a 10-to-15 mph gap between trucks and cars on the same stretch of road.2Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Maximum Posted Speed Limits It’s a gap California has kept in place for decades, and legislative attempts to close it have not succeeded.
Which Vehicles Are Capped at 55
Vehicle Code 22406 targets six categories, defined by how the vehicle is configured rather than by who is driving it:
- Motortrucks or truck tractors with three or more axles, or any motortruck or truck tractor pulling another vehicle
- Any passenger vehicle or bus towing another vehicle
- School buses carrying students
- Farm labor vehicles carrying passengers
- Any vehicle transporting explosives
- Trailer buses
The towing category surprises people. If you hitch a boat, camper, or rental trailer to your personal car, you are subject to the same 55 mph limit as a fully loaded semi.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22406 A commercial license has nothing to do with it. The law looks at the vehicle-and-trailer combination.
What a Ticket Costs
Under 15 MPH Over
Driving between 56 and 69 mph in a covered vehicle is an infraction. Base fines look small on paper, but California layers penalty assessments, surcharges, and court fees on top, roughly quadrupling or quintupling the base. A $35 base fine works out to about $233 once everything is added.3Judicial Council of California. Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule Effective January 1, 2026 Miss the 20-day payment window and a 50 percent late charge is added.
The conviction also puts a point on your driving record. For violations committed in a commercial vehicle, that count is multiplied by 1.5, so a single ticket adds 1.5 points instead of one. California’s negligent operator thresholds are four points in 12 months, six in 24 months, or eight in 36 months, which commercial drivers reach faster because of the multiplier.
15 MPH or More Over
At 70 mph or higher in a truck capped at 55, the citation stops being an infraction. Under Vehicle Code Section 22406.1, driving a commercial vehicle at 15 mph or more above any posted speed limit is a misdemeanor.4California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22406.1 Minimum suggested bail for a traffic misdemeanor in 2026 is about $392 after assessments, and actual fines for excessive speeding run higher.3Judicial Council of California. Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule Effective January 1, 2026
The same statute labels the violation a “serious traffic violation” under California’s commercial licensing rules.4California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22406.1 For a CDL holder, that label is where the real damage starts. When a CDL holder speeds 15 or more over in a non-commercial vehicle, the charge is an infraction rather than a misdemeanor, but the serious-violation designation still applies.
What It Does to a CDL
The fine is the smaller problem. Federal rules disqualify a CDL for 60 days after a second serious traffic violation within three years, and for 120 days after a third within three years.5eCFR. 49 CFR 383.51 – Disqualification of Drivers Convictions count whether they happen in the truck or in a personal vehicle. A driver who picks up one serious violation on the job and another in a pickup on a weekend is still looking at the 60-day suspension.
Carriers watch these convictions too. Speeding feeds into the FMCSA Safety Measurement System under the Unsafe Driving category, and excessive speeding (15 or more over) carries the maximum severity weight. High scores can trigger federal investigations and threaten a carrier’s operating authority, which is why employers treat truck speeding convictions as hiring and retention issues, not paperwork.
Is the Limit Going to Change
Not so far. Assembly Bill 471 proposed raising the commercial vehicle limit to 65 mph on designated rural freeways, aiming to eliminate the speed gap in low-density areas. The bill stalled in committee and did not advance.
The proposal would have brought California closer to most other states, which either match truck and car limits or keep a smaller gap. Supporters argued that a uniform speed flow reduces lane-changing conflicts and improves freight movement. Opponents relied on stopping-distance data and crash severity research. The legislature sided with the current rule.
As of 2026, Vehicle Code 22406 has not been amended. The 55 mph cap is the enforceable standard on every California highway, and it applies whether or not a “Trucks 55” sign is visible where you were stopped. The statute itself carries the limit statewide.1California Legislative Information. California Code VEH 22406