California’s New “FAST” Program Targets 100mph+ Speeders

What Is California’s FAST Program?

The FAST Program — short for Forwarded Actions for Speeding Tickets is California’s new enforcement tool aimed squarely at drivers cited for speeding over 100 mph. It was introduced quietly but has massive implications. Whenever the California Highway Patrol writes a ticket for 100+ mph speeding, the citation is instantly forwarded to the DMV’s Driver Safety Branch. From there, the DMV can launch a review of your entire driving record and potentially suspend your license even before you’ve set foot in a courtroom.

How the DMV Can Suspend Your License Without a Conviction

Here’s where things get controversial. Under the FAST Program, the DMV doesn’t need a conviction to take action. Just being cited is enough. The administrative side of the DMV has the power to pull your license for 30 days or more based on the citation and your driving history. You don’t get a trial. There’s no need for the state to prove you were actually speeding. It’s an internal review process handled by DMV employees, and it’s separate from the legal proceedings in traffic court.

That means you could be facing license suspension before you even have a chance to defend yourself in front of a judge. And unless you respond to the DMV’s notice fast enough, the suspension becomes automatic.

The Law Behind FAST Has Existed for Years

This isn’t brand new legal territory. The DMV has had administrative authority under California’s Vehicle Code for decades. Through programs like the Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS), the DMV can review a person’s driving record and take action if they’re deemed unsafe. But FAST is applying that power in a targeted and aggressive way.

Instead of waiting for drivers to accumulate multiple violations, FAST triggers a full DMV review after just one offense of going over 100 mph. And they aren’t just looking at your current ticket. They’re digging up your entire record, going back 10 years or more. That old speeding ticket from college? It’s back on the radar (or LIDAR.)

How FAST Is Already Impacting Drivers in California

At The Ticket Clinic, we’ve already talked to drivers who’ve had their licenses suspended through this new program. Some lost driving privileges for a month. Others for three. A few didn’t even know the DMV had the authority to do this until they got the letter in the mail. By then, it was too late.

The worst part? Many of these drivers reached out after the deadline to request a hearing had passed. That short window is critical. Once it’s gone, the suspension takes hold, and your options vanish.

Why the FAST Program Feels Like an Overreach

To many drivers and legal professionals, FAST is more than just a crackdown. It’s an abuse of administrative power. Instead of relying on courts to prove someone’s guilt, the DMV is acting based on an unproven accusation. That undermines due process. You could lose your ability to drive even though you haven’t been convicted of a crime.

It’s like being punished before the trial begins.

How a Traffic Lawyer Can Defend You Under the FAST Program

Getting cited for driving over 100 mph is bad — no question. But if it happens, your best chance of staying on the road is calling a traffic lawyer immediately.

Here’s how an experienced traffic attorney can help:

• Fight the speeding charge in court, potentially getting it reduced or dismissed
• File for a DMV hearing before your license is suspended
• Present a compelling argument to the DMV’s hearing officer about why your license should not be suspended
• Highlight clean driving history or legal flaws in the ticket itself
• Help protect your record from further damage, keeping you from being flagged again later

This is especially critical now. The DMV is taking a hard look at your past. One blemish can be enough to trigger suspension. A good attorney knows how to keep your record clean, which is more important than ever.

Keep Your Record Clean to Avoid FAST-Triggered Suspensions

If you think one ticket doesn’t matter, think again. Under FAST, the DMV is scanning your entire driving history. Prior violations, points, and even dismissed cases can show up in a DMV review. Every ticket matters now. That means it’s not just about the big violations like 100+ speeding. Even smaller infractions can stack up and push you into the danger zone.

Keeping your record clean isn’t just good advice anymore. It’s a form of self-preservation.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

If you’re cited for 100 mph or more in California, the FAST Program starts the clock immediately. The DMV doesn’t give you much time to respond. If you don’t act, you lose your license.

Waiting means giving up your right to a hearing. It means accepting a penalty without a fight. And it means weeks or months of relying on rideshares or missing work entirely.

The second you get that citation, or even suspect you’re being targeted under FAST, call a traffic lawyer. You need someone who understands both sides of the process: the court case and the DMV’s internal review. That’s how you stay in the driver’s seat.

FAST is real, it’s active, and it’s changing how California deals with extreme speeders. The law may have existed in the background for years, but in 2026, it’s front and center.