Common Speeding Questions Answered

In 2024 alone, 3.3 million speeding fines were issued to UK drivers, which makes speeding one of the most common motoring offences on UK roads. When caught speeding, the potential penalties range from a verbal warning to a fine and penalty points added to your licence, or even harsher consequences for more serious speeding offences.
If you have never received a speeding ticket before, you might have questions about what to expect, whether you are a seasoned driver or have just passed your test. In this guide, the expert motoring offences solicitors at JMW explain what happens when you exceed the speed limit; from receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice (‘FPN’), to whether or not you have to plead guilty, to your options if you are given a court summons or accused of dangerous driving.

What Is a Speeding Offence in the UK?

A speeding offence is committed any time you drive above the speed limit on a UK road, including driving at just 1 mph above the posted limit. In practice, most local police forces apply the National Police Chiefs' Council's recommendation of only issuing speeding fines and other penalties when a driver exceeds the speed limit by 10% plus 2 mph. However, you may be charged with an offence if you are caught driving at any speed above the limit.

Do All Speed Cameras Flash When They Catch You?

There are several types of speed camera used on UK roads, and not all of them are visible - they may not be indicated by road signs and they will not necessarily flash when they take a photograph of your vehicle.

Fixed cameras are permanent installations on the road, and the most common types are Gatso and Truvelo. Gatso cameras are what many people think of as traditional speed cameras: they are usually yellow boxes on poles and flash as they take a photo of your rear number plate. Truvelo cameras do not flash, as they are forward-facing to capture an image of the driver's face, and a flash could cause a distraction.

Mobile cameras are temporary installations that may be operated by police officers from vehicles parked on the side of the road, or capture data automatically along the roadside. These cameras use lasers to track your speed and do not flash.

How Long Does it Take to Receive a Speeding Ticket?

If you’ve been caught by a speed camera, you (or the registered keeper of the vehicle) should receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution (‘NIP’) and a Section 172 Notice within 14 days of the offence. This paperwork details the offence that was allegedly committed and asks for details of who was driving the vehicle at the time. You must respond to the NIP within 28 days to identify the driver, after which the driver will receive either a Fixed Penalty Notice (‘FPN’) or a Single Justice Procedure Notice (‘SJPN’), depending on the severity of the offence.
If a speeding ticket does not arrive within 14 days, this can sometimes be used as a defence. The police must send a Notice of Intended Prosecution in time for the registered keeper to receive it within 14 days. However, if the police could reasonably have expected the NIP to arrive on time, but it did not for reasons outside their control, this will not be a suitable defence. The ‘14 day rule’ defence is a very difficult one to run, and is only successful in a very limited number of circumstances.

What Is a Fixed Penalty Notice?

A Fixed Penalty Notice (‘FPN’) is the most common way that speeding offences are dealt with in the UK. An FPN typically offers you the option to pay a £100 fine and have three penalty points added to your driving licence, or to dispute the penalty and attend court. For a first speeding offence, you may be offered the option to take a speed awareness course as an alternative to receiving points on your licence. While you will not have to pay a fine in these cases either, you will need to pay the relevant course fee, which is often equivalent. The course is offered at the discretion of the local police and will not be available if you have attended a speed awareness course in the last three-year period or for severe offences.

If you choose to accept points and a fine or attend a speed awareness course, the matter is treated as settled and does not usually result in a criminal conviction. Taking your case to court is not advisable unless a solicitor confirms that you have a strong defence - if you are found guilty at a court hearing, more often than not, a higher penalty may be imposed than the minimum penalty offered by the FPN.

How Are Speeding Fines Calculated?

If you are summoned to court for speeding - for example, because your recorded speed was much higher than the limit or because aggravating factors were involved - you will receive a higher fine than is imposed by an FPN. In these cases, fines are not issued at a flat rate, but are categorised into three bands according to the extent by which you exceeded the speed limit, and then calculated based on your relevant weekly income, up to a legal maximum.

• Band A offences occur when your speed is up to 10 mph over the limit in lower limit zones. You can expect to be fined 25%-75% of your weekly income and receive three penalty points on your licence. The minimum fine you can expect to pay is £100.
• Band B offences means being caught speeding at 11-20 mph over the limit in lower zones. A band B speeding fine will be 75%-125% of your weekly income and come with four to six penalty points or a driving ban of up to 28 days.
• Band C offences are the most serious and usually involve driving at 21 mph or more above the speed limit. These come with a fine of 125%-175% of your weekly income, and either six penalty points or a longer driving ban.

While these fines can represent a significant expense if you have a high weekly income, they are capped at a maximum penalty of £1,000 for speeding on regular roads, and £2,500 for speeding on a motorway. Use JMW's speeding fine calculator to estimate how much you may be asked to pay based on the specifics of your situation.

You must also be mindful that if you attend Court for your speeding offence, this will likely incur Prosecution Costs (usually between £85-£120) and a Victim Surcharge (40% of your fine) if you are convicted. Whilst there may have been no ‘victim’ per se, all offences of this nature attract a victim surcharge which is pooled and distributed through the Victim and Witness General Fund.

What Is the Maximum Fine for Speeding on a Motorway?

The maximum fine for being caught speeding on the motorway is £2,500. However, this does not mean that this is the maximum penalty you will receive. You may face charges for dangerous or careless driving, depending on the circumstances, which can lead to fines or other more severe penalties.

How Many Points Will Be Added to My Licence for Speeding?

Alongside a fine, the long-term impact of points on your driving licence can be equally consequential. Points can affect your insurance premiums and, if you receive more than 12 points in a three-year period (or six points if you are within your first two years of driving) you can receive a driving disqualification.

An FPN comes with three penalty points, but more severe offences can result in more.

• For a band A offence, you will typically receive three points on your licence.
• For a band B offence, you could receive between four and six points (or a disqualification)
• For a band C offence, you could receive six points (or a longer period of disqualification)

You are more likely to have more penalty points added to your licence if you plead not guilty to a speeding offence and go to court, but are found guilty. As such, it is best to speak to a speeding offence solicitor and weigh your options carefully if you are concerned about a driving ban due to the totting-up of penalty points.

What Is a High Speed Offence?

A high speed offence is when a driver is caught going far above the legal speed limit, beyond the levels normally dealt with by a fixed penalty notice. These cases fall into the category of band C offences and are usually taken straight to court.

Is a Speed Awareness Course a Cheaper Option?

If you have been caught speeding for the first time and it is considered a minor offence, you might be offered the option to attend a Speed Awareness Course. This is an alternative to a fine and points on your licence, and many people choose this option to minimise the risk of a totting-up driving disqualification.

The cost of a speed awareness course generally ranges between £80 and £100, which can make it roughly equivalent to the minimum fine of £100 issued by an FPN. However, the potential increase in insurance premiums that accompany receiving points on your licence means that the course may be a more cost-effective option.

What Happens if a New Driver Is Caught Speeding?

For new drivers, the consequences of speeding can be particularly severe. The rules are stricter, and the penalties can have a lasting impact on your early driving career.

If you accumulate six or more penalty points within the first two years of passing your driving test, your driving licence will be revokedand you will have to reapply for a provisional licence and retake both the theory and practical tests before you will be allowed to drive again.

Having your licence revoked can also have long-term implications, including higher insurance premiums when you do get back on the road. It may affect employment opportunities, especially for jobs that require a clean driving record. However, it is possible to defend yourself in court and avoid the risk of penalty points with the support of an experienced solicitor.

How Can I Check the Number of Points on My Licence?

The UK government provides a dedicated online service that allows you to check the number of points on your licence. By entering your personal details, you can access your driving record and check the number of points you have, along with any endorsements or restrictions that have been imposed, the type of licence you hold and its expiry date.

Use the government's driving record service to check your licence regularly, especially if you have been accused of a driving offence or received multiple penalty points in recent years.

How Can I Defend a Speeding Offence in Court?

If you receive a court summons for a driving offence, or decide not to plead guilty and to attend court, you will need to be prepared to defend yourself. There are several grounds on which you can do this successfully:

• Faulty or inaccurate speed measurement: speed cameras, radar guns and other devices must be properly calibrated and maintained, and if they are incorrect or the equipment was not used correctly, this can be used in your defence.
• Incorrect signage or unclear limits: if speed limit signs were missing, obscured or not compliant with regulations, you may be able to argue that the driver could not have known the correct limit.
• Procedural errors: Notices of Intended Prosecution must usually be served within 14 days of the alleged offence and if the notice was late or issued incorrectly, the case may be challenged.

Another option is to present mitigating circumstances, where you argue that your speeding was justified or that you do not deserve the maximum penalty for a conviction. Your solicitor can review mitigating factors or make an exceptional hardship argument by showing that you were speeding due to a genuine emergency, or that a driving ban would cause disproportionate and exceptional hardship. This can include a loss of employment, or an detrimental impact on dependants who rely on you for transport.