What are the UK speed limits?

Been caught speeding?

Guidance and advice on what to expect next…

What are the penalties for speeding?

Speeding fines and penalties

• Code: SP10 Offence: Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits Penalty points: 3 to 6
• Code: SP20 Offence: Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle Penalty points: 3 to 6
• Code: SP30 Offence: Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road Penalty points: 3 to 6
• Code: SP40 Offence: Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit Penalty points: 3 to 6
• Code: SP40 Offence: Exceeding speed limit on a motorway Penalty points: 3 to 6

How long do points stay on your driving licence?

Penalty points stay on your driving record for 4 or 11 years, depending on the level of your offence. If you are travelling at over 

If you’re caught travelling between 45% and 50% over the speed limit, you could be given an instant driving ban.

How much is the fine for speeding?

If you’re caught speeding, you could receive a minimum fixed penalty notice (a speeding fine) of £100 and 3 penalty points on your licence. Within 14 days of the offence, you’ll be sent Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) and a Section 172 notice.

After filling in the Section 172 notice and sending it back, you’ll receive a fixed penalty notice where you can choose to plead guilty or not guilty to the offence. If you plead guilty, you’ll get a £100 fine and 3 points on your licence or potentially the option to attend an in-person or online speed awareness course.

You’ll be given the chance to attend a speeding course if the police decide it’s appropriate for your offence or not been on one in the past three years.

If you plead not guilty, you’ll have to go to court to defend your case. If the court finds you guilty, you could be fined even more (a percentage of your weekly income, up to a maximum of £1,000 or £2,500 if you were on a motorway) and potentially be disqualified from driving or have your licence suspended.

If you’re pulled over by a police officer for speeding, the punishment will depend on the level of their offence and be at their discretion but could be a verbal warning, Fixed Penalty Notice, invitation to speed awareness course of a court summons.

What are the UK speed limits?

Although we learn this in our driving lessons and see the signs on the road pretty much every day, it’s always worth reminding ourselves of the following speed limits. This limit is the maximum you should drive at and it’s not always safe to drive at this speed:

• 30mph – applies to cars, motorcycles, car-derived vans and dual-purpose vehicles on all single and dual carriageways, unless signs state otherwise
• 40mph
• 60mph – applies to cars, motorcycles, car-derived vans and dual-purpose vehicles on all single carriageways, unless signs state otherwise
• 70mph – applies to cars, motorcycles, car-derived vans and dual-purpose vehicles on motorways, unless signs state otherwise

The Welsh government also introduced a 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales in 2023, a scheme that has been adopted by councils in other parts of the United Kingdom e.g. Surbiton and Kingston in England.

According to www.gov.wales, this decision was made to “reduce the number of collisions and severe injuries from them (also reducing the impact on the NHS from treating the people who are injured), encourage more people to walk and cycle in our communities, help to improve our health and well-being and make our streets safer”.

Despite this, a huge 84% of cars were caught exceeding this limit in 2023, 16% by over 10mph. 50% of those drivers caught said they believe that this limit is inappropriate. In July 2024, the Welsh government revised their guidance and some roads will now move back to a 30mph speed limit from September 2024.

What happens on a speed awareness course?

Most people choose to take a speed awareness course as it means avoiding points on a licence and a potential court visit. The courses are run by driving instructors and have a fee of around £100.

The course, which tends to last between three and four hours, aims to give drivers a better understanding of how dangerous speeding can be and promote advice and tips that help improve knowledge and promote responsible driving

Following the course, your details will be kept on the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme’s database. If you’re caught speeding again within three years of taking a course, you are likely to receive a fine and penalty points.

Do I need to let my insurer know I’m attending a speeding course?

There is no legal obligation to declare to inform your insurer you are attending or have attended a speeding course. You have no conviction or endorsements. If, however, points have been added to your licence you need to let your insurer know asap.

The best way to avoid speeding fines and penalties is to drive responsibly. By driving within the speed limit, you will be keeping yourself, your passengers and others safe – and keeping your insurance premium – including quotes for temporary car insurance – down.