Speeding fines - how much you have to pay

Speeding fines - how much you have to pay

Hundreds of thousands of drivers are issued penalty notices for speeding each year in the UK. And if you are facing a fine after a speed camera incident then it is important to be aware of your legal rights and and potential ways to dispute your penalty notice, as receiving a Notice of Intending Prosecution (NIP) may result in at least three penalties points and, in some cases, a driving disqualification or ban.

Our guide will walk you through the entire process – from how much you will pay for a speeding fine to the varying degrees of punishments for different road offences.

How do speeding fines work in the UK?

If you exceed the UK speed limit, you will break the law and put the safety of yourself and other motorists at risk. That is why the UK has strict speed limits, which are enforced by the police or speed cameras.

If you’ve been caught driving at excessive speed, you will be sent a Section 172 notice and a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP). If you ignore these notices you may have to go to court.

After the Section 172 has been returned, informing the police who was driving the vehicle, you will be given a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) or a letter instructing you to attend court. If you get a FPN, you can plead guilty and pay the fine or take the matter to court by pleading not guilty.

Can you check if you've been caught speeding?

You can’t check if you’ve been caught speeding unless you’ve been stopped at the roadside by the police. The only way to be 100% sure if you’ve been caught speeding is to wait for a notice of intended prosecution (NIP) to arrive in the post.

Digital speed cameras do not flash when you drive past them at excessive speed and this has made it difficult to understand if you’ve been caught.

A fine or NIP should arrive within 14 days but may take longer if the vehicle you were driving is not registered to your home address.

In these cases, the fine or NIP will be sent to the address of the registered keeper of the vehicle and then forwarded on to you. As a result, you may wait longer than the stipulated 14 days. 

Speeding fines - what's the punishment?

The majority of people speeding will be classed as committing a 'minor offence' and will still receive a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of a £100 fine and three points on their licence.

However, you can avoid the points and opt for a speed awareness course if it is offered to you. Whether you're eligible for an awareness course varies depending on which police force is handling your offence.

According to the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme, the body that manages speed awareness courses in the UK (with the exception of Scotland), you will only be offered to take the course if: "you haven’t been convicted of any other speeding offences in the past three years."

In some instances, however, the punishment can be more severe and you may be prosecuted in court leading to a significantly higher fine, more points on your licence or even a driving suspension or disqualification.

Whether or not you're prosecutedor just given a speeding fine is down to the police officer's discretion.

The police will usually only opt to prosecute if you are considered a 'serious offender' and have either severely exceeded the speed limit or have repeatedly committed the offence.

However, the fact remains that it is illegal to drive at 31mph in a 30mph zone. 

So, while it's unlikely you would ever get penalised for this - and even if you did you would most likely be offered an FPN - it is still technically possible to be prosecuted for this offence and sent to court, where you could face the fines, outlined in the table below.

You will also find yourself in court to be sentenced if you are issued a speeding fine and ignore it, or if you choose to dispute the charge. 

If you are then found guilty in court, your sentence will follow these guidelines: 

How much is a speeding fine?

Legal speed limit (mph)Recorded speed (mph)Recorded speed (mph)Recorded speed (mph)
Band ABand BBand C
2021-3031-4041 and above
3031-4041-5051 and above
4041-5556-6566 and above
5051-6566-7576 and above
6061-8081-9091 and above
7071-9091-100101 and above
Points/ disqualification3 pointsDisqualify 7-28 days OR 4-6 pointsDisqualify 7-56 days OR 6 points
Fine50% of relevant weekly income*100% of relevant weekly income*150% of relevant weekly income*
*This is what you can expect but the magistrate can fine you anywhere within a range of 25% on either side of that figure, meaning serious offenders could face a fine of 175% their weekly income.
This fine, however, is capped at £1,000, rising to £2,500 if you are caught on a motorway.
 

The speeding fines are calculated as a percentage of weekly income after tax and National Insurance deductions are applied.

For lower income offenders or those on state benefit (such as Universal Credit) the Sentencing Council bases the speeding fine calculation on "an amount that is deemed to represent the offender’s relevant weekly income" currently this is calculated as a weekly income of £120.

For unemployed offenders, the speeding fine calculation will depend on a range of factors including current financial circumstances, amount of outgoings, earning potential, and savings.

How much is a speeding fine for doing 40 in a 30?

If you are caught driving 40mph in a 30mph zone then you will be prosecuted under the Band A rules, which means three penalty points will be added to your licence. You will also incur a fine, calculated against your weekly income.

For example. Based on an annual income of £30,000:

  • If you’re caught driving 40mph in a 30mph zone (10mph over the speed limit) you could receive a fine of £288 (50% of your weekly wage) and 3 points on your licence
  • If you’re caught driving 45mph in a 30mph zone (15mph over the speed limit) you could receive a fine of £577 (100% of your weekly wage) and 4 - 6 points on your licence
  • Finally, if you’re caught driving 51mph in a 30mph zone (21mph over the speed limit) you could receive a fine of £865 (150% of your weekly wage) and 6 points on your licence
RAC Breakdown Cover

RAC Breakdown Cover

Complete peace of mind for just £7 a month.

*£7 a month for new, single vehicle Basic cover. Comparison based on theAA.com closest equivalent cover as of 05/03/24.

RAC Breakdown Cover

Am I allowed a 10% leeway of the speed limit?

In the eyes of the law, you’re liable for a speeding fine as soon as you exceed the limit. So if you’re doing 31mph in a 30 limit or 71mph on a motorway, you’re breaking the law.

Guidance from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) does recommend giving drivers a so-called ‘10% plus 2’ leeway, to aid police officers in using 'discretion', however, it is well worth remembering this is only a recommendation, not the law.

Most speed cameras have to be manually set to trigger at a speed, however, it is unconfirmed whether they are in fact set 10% above the limit. It's not worth gambling and assuming they give you 10% - never exceed the speed limit.

When you are caught speeding by a mobile camera, it is up to the police officer's discretion to penalise you if you are over the speed limit in any way, they can choose to take the NPCC's guidance, but do not have to, because - as stated above - 1 mile an hour over is still breaking the law. 

The best advice is to not speed full stop

Caught speeding, what happens next?

Caught speeding

This really depends on the severity of the speeding offence you've committed. The following sections outline what happens when you commit either a minor or a serious offence. 

Minor speeding offences

If you think you have been flashed by a speed camera, you have to wait 14 days for it to be confirmed or not: that’s how long the police have to issue a ‘notice of intended prosecution’, or NIP.

It is sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle – worth bearing in mind if you drive a company vehicle or a hire car.

For minor speeding offences, and if you're eligible, the police can offer the chance to take a speed awareness course, instead of issuing speeding fines and penalty points. You have to pay for this – and it usually takes half a day – but it does help keep your licence clean.

Whether you're eligible for an awareness course varies depending on which police force is handling your offence.

Serious speeding offences

Speed awareness courses are rarely offered for more serious speeding offences. According to the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme, "Most police forces offer a course to drivers who are caught speeding between 10% plus 2 and 10% plus 9 of the legal limit."

Beyond that upper limit usually calls for a minimum fine of £100 and three or six penalty points on your licence.

The police give 28 days to nominate the driver and pay the penalty; points will then be issued against the driver’s licence.

If you don’t reply within 28 days, the matter can be referred to court.

Very serious speeding offences are referred to court anyway, where the penalty could be as high as £1000 – or £2500 if you were caught on a motorway.

If you collect more than 12 points in any three year period, you face disqualification from driving; you can apply to have points removed after four years.

Disqualification from driving

If you've been caught speeding and it's referred to court, you could face an instant ban.

Generally, magistrates will only consider imposing a ban if you've been caught driving a significant amount above the speed limit.

So, according to the Band C fines in the table above: in a 30mph limit you'll need to be driving at more than 51mph, 66mph in a 40, 75mph in a 50, 85mph in a 60 and 100mph in a 70.

Bans generally range from 7 to 56 days depending on the seriousness of the offence.

In extreme cases, they could be as long as 120 days, and you'll need to reapply for your licence once the ban is up.

You may need to resit your driving test, or even take an extended driving test.

The court does have some discretion around driving bans.

They'll take into account factors like the road conditions when you were caught speeding.

And you might also be shown some leniency if you were speeding for an emergency, or losing your licence could cost you your job. 

How to pay a speeding fine

Once you plead guilty, how you pay your speeding fine depends on where it occured.

  • In England and Wales, you can pay the fine online here
  • In Scotland, there are four ways to pay outlined here
  • In Northern Ireland you'll need to contact the Laganside Courts Complex directly here

Service, repair or MOT?

You can trust the RAC with our local approved garages and NEW mobile mechanics.

Service, repair or MOT?
Service, repair or MOT?

How to dispute a speeding fine

How to dispute a speeding fine

Speeding fines are in place to protect all road users and disputing them is a task that shouldn't be undertaken if you think you may have broken the limit. Always obey traffic laws and never exceed the speed limit.

However, if you think you have been given a speeding ticket unfairly, you can appeal it by filling out the correct section on the Notice of Intended Prosecution within 28 days.

Consider carefully whether you have grounds for dispute beforehand though, because if the police do not accept your appeal, you will have to go to court to contest the conviction.

If this happens it’s best to seek professional legal advice, but you should also be prepared for - if it doesn’t go your way - the fact that you will probably end up with a much heavier fine than in the first instance.

Acceptable grounds for dispute

Some successful speeding fine appeals are on the ground of technicalities, such as missing or incorrect details provided on the NIP, or incorrect, absent or obscured road signs.

You can also appeal if you weren't the one driving, or you believe you weren't speeding and can prove it.

If the road signs were unclear, you will need to provide photographic evidence to prove that.

If you are confident you weren't speeding, the only way to prove your innocence will be to go to court.

There you can ask for the relevant calibration certificate for the speed camera that caught you to be produced in court.

Unacceptable grounds for dispute

Prosecutors have heard every excuse under the sun for speeding.

Excuses that won’t cut it include not being aware of the speed limit, saying the roads were quiet as it was late at night, or being in a rush and saying it was an emergency.

If you accept you were caught speeding, some of these ‘excuses’ could be used as mitigating factors, however, which could result in a more lenient penalty if you plead guilty in court.

How to send a mitigation letter

If you decide to dispute a speeding fine, the case will go be heard in magistrates court.

Although you should consider attending in person (they might be more sympathetic if you show you’re remorseful and outline any mitigating factors), you can also argue your case by letter.

Be apologetic - admit you realise you made a mistake, but give the reasons for this.

If you’re at risk of losing your licence (e.g. if you already have points on your licence), outline the consequences should this happen (such as losing your job).

Speeding fines FAQs

  • How long do the police have to issue a speeding ticket?

    If you’re caught breaking the speed limit by a fixed speed camera, you’ll be issued with a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) and a Section 172 notice within 14 days.

    If you’re stopped by the police, they could issue a verbal warning or give you a Fixed Penalty Notice there and then.

  • How many points is 20mph over the speed limit?

    That depends on the speed limit and the circumstances. For example, if you’re caught going 40mph in a 20mph limit, the case is likely to be passed to a magistrate’s court where you could face a heavy fine and driving ban.

    However, if you’re caught at 90mph in a 70mph zone, you may get three points on your licence. Avoid getting any points at all by respecting the speed limit of the road you’re on.

  • How much is a ticket for going 20 mph over?

    That depends on the speed limit and the circumstances. For example, if you’re caught going 40mph in a 20mph limit, the case is likely to be passed to a magistrate’s court where you could face a heavy fine and driving ban.

    However, if you’re caught at 90mph in a 70mph zone, you may get a fine of £100 along with penalty points. Avoid getting any points at all by respecting the speed limit of the road you’re on.

  • How fast can you drive over the speed limit?

    Technically, you can be issued with a fine for going just 1mph over the limit, although this is unlikely, particularly with fixed speed cameras. In April 2019, research found most police forces in the UK operate speed cameras with a tolerance level of 10% plus 2mph, which, for example, would see motorists ticketed for driving over 35mph in a 30mph zone.

  • How much will my insurance go up after a speeding ticket?

    When it comes to getting cover, the cost of your premium is based on your perceived level of risk, and if you’ve been caught breaking the speed limit that will increase your perceived level of risk.

    All this means you’re likely to face higher premium costs if you’ve been caught over the limit. Exactly how much more expensive will depend on your driving history and the severity of the offence, but it’s definitely something to consider.

  • Do you have to declare speed awareness to insurance?

    If your insurance company asks whether you’ve attended a speed awareness course, you should inform them truthfully as failing to do so could end up invalidating your policy, voiding your cover.

    However, whether your attendance on a speed awareness course is taken into consideration when it comes to calculating your premium will vary depending on your insurance provider.

  • What happens if I don't attend my speed awareness course?

    A course no-show will be referred back to the relevant police force, who will then decide how to proceed. You may be offered another date or you could face a Fixed Penalty Notice or other penalty.

    If you’re sick or cannot make your speed awareness course for any reason, you should inform the course provider as soon as possible, who will often ask for a doctor’s note as proof of any illness.

  • Can you lose your licence for speeding?

    Put simply, yes. While most drivers caught speeding face three points and a £100 fine, for more severe cases you could face a large fine and even lose your licence.

    You could also lose your licence if you’re caught speeding several times in a short period of time, so stay on the right side of the law and respect all speed limits.

  • How long do speeding points stay on your licence?

    Penalty points, or ‘endorsements’, stay on your driving record for either four or 11 years, depending on the offence. For a four-year endorsement, the points are ‘valid’ for three years.

  • How do you check if you have been caught speeding?

    There’s no way to check if you’ve been caught speeding, you will have to wait and see if you receive notice from the local police force in the post, which you should receive within 14 days.

  • How do you report speeding on your street?

    If you witness a motorist driving dangerously in your local area, you can call the police’s non-emergency number 101 and tell them about the incident. You may be asked about the incident and asked for any evidence you may have collected.

  • What is the minimum fine for speeding?

    The minimum penalty for a motorist caught speeding is a £100 fine.

  • How to complain about speeding cars UK?

    If you witness a motorist driving dangerously by speeding in your local area, you can call the police’s non-emergency number 101 and tell them about the incident. You may be asked about the incident and asked for any evidence you may have collected.

Want to protect yourself against any losses following an accident? Get legal expenses insurance for just £15 a year with RAC Legal Care Plus.

The RAC also offers dedicated business breakdown services, as well as specialist products like van breakdown cover, minibus breakdown covertemporary car insurancelearner driver insurance and more.

Get complete peace of mind at home and at the roadside with RAC breakdown cover today.

 

If you're thinking driving in Europe, then European breakdown cover will help cover the costs in the event of a vehicle breakdown.

Speeding fines - FAQs

  • Can you fail a speed awareness course?

    In the UK, a speed awareness course does not contain any tests, so technically you can’t fail the course. However, the workshop leaders will expect you to take part and work with them throughout the course. If you fail to do so, they’ll call the police to let them know that you’ve not done as the court had instructed. This could result in taking the course again or more serious consequences.

  • How long is a speed awareness course on Zoom?

    The National Speed Awareness Course is a 2 hour and 45 minute course which also includes 10-15 minute break. The course will cover all the necessary pieces of information so you do not reoffend.

  • How long does a speed awareness course stay on record?

    It will stay in your police record for three years. If you are caught speeding within that timeframe, you will likely receive an instant fine and points on your licence.

  • Can I do my speed awareness course online?

    Virtual online courses can be booked with any course provider, meaning you can ‘attend’ from home. You will need to state this in the portal when you are booking your course.

  • How many times can you go on a speed awareness course?

    A speed awareness course can only be offered to an offender once every three years from the last date of issued by the police. You will need to book your course within 28 days from date on invite and attend on the day instructed.

  • How long does it take to find out if you got caught speeding?

    Should you be in a situation where you think were caught speeding, you will need to wait two weeks to find out via a letter in the post. This will be a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP). A fine may arrive after this.

  • What do you have to do at a speed awareness course?

    The speed awareness course is a classroom-style workshop with up to 20 people where you discuss why you were speeding, the results of breaking the law - and then take part in group activities to re-learn the highway code.

  • What can I expect at a speed awareness course?

    You are there to re-learn the basics on speeding in the UK. The key part of the course is to understand why you should take more notice of the Highway Code and to respect the speed limits.

  • Do you have to answer questions on an online speed awareness course?

    Although there are no tests, you will need to take part in group tasks and discussions. So, if you are asked a question, you will be expected to answer this to the best of your ability.

RAC Breakdown Cover

RAC Breakdown Cover

Complete peace of mind for just £7 a month.

*£7 a month for new, single vehicle Basic cover. Comparison based on theAA.com closest equivalent cover as of 05/03/24.

RAC Breakdown Cover