What is the penalty for speeding?

For drivers caught speeding who want to know the fine, penalty points and what happens next.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

The minimum penalty is a £100 fine and 3 penalty points.

If caught by camera, you'll get a notice within 14 days and must say who was driving within 28 days.
You may be offered a speed awareness course instead, if you haven't done one in 3 years.
If you go to court, fines are usually a percentage of weekly income, up to £1,000 (£2,500 on motorways).
12 points in 3 years can mean a ban; new drivers lose their licence at 6 points within 2 years.

Key facts

£100 and 3 points minimum
Name the driver within 28 days
New drivers: 6 points

Deadlines you must not miss

Return the Section 172 notice within 28 days. It tells the police who was driving.
Act on the Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) or court letter that follows. If you ignore a notice, you may have to go to court.

If a speed camera catches your car, you should get a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) and a Section 172 notice within 14 days.

Step by step: what happens after a speeding offence

You get the notices. Check the date, time, place and car details.
Name the driver. Fill in and return the Section 172 notice within 28 days, even if it was you.
You get your next letter. This is either a Fixed Penalty Notice or a letter telling you to go to court.
Choose what to do. You can accept the penalty, or plead not guilty and go to court.

If police stop you at the roadside, they can give you a verbal warning, a Fixed Penalty Notice, or tell you to go to court.

Your options

Option	What happens
Accept the Fixed Penalty Notice	£100 fine and 3 penalty points
Speed awareness course (if offered)	You do the course instead of the fine and points
Plead not guilty	Your case goes to court

You may be offered a speed awareness course if the police decide it suits your offence and you have not been on one in the past 3 years.

If your case goes to court

The court fine depends on the speed limit and how far over it you were. It is usually a percentage of your weekly income, up to:

£1,000 on most roads
£2,500 on a motorway

The court can also give you more penalty points or ban you from driving.

Penalty points and bans

Speeding offences carry 3 to 6 points. Codes include SP30 (going over the speed limit on a public road) and SP50 (going over the limit on a motorway). Speeding codes stay on your driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

12 or more points within 3 years can lead to a driving ban.
New drivers: if you get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing your test, your licence is cancelled. You must apply and pay for a new provisional licence and pass both the theory and practical tests again.

You can check the points on your own licence online using the View your driving licence service.

Getting free help

If you think the notice is wrong, or you are not sure whether to plead not guilty, you can get free advice from Citizens Advice before you reply. In Scotland, you can also use Citizens Advice Scotland, and in Northern Ireland, Advice NI. Do this early so you still meet the 28 day deadline.

Paying in Scotland or Northern Ireland

How you pay a speeding fine is different in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, GOV.UK points you to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to find out how to pay. In Northern Ireland, you contact the Laganside Courts Complex.

Related guides

Where this comes from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Pay a fixed penalty

Common questions

How many points do you get for speeding?

Speeding offences carry between 3 and 6 penalty points on your licence.

How long do speeding points stay on your licence?

Speeding codes stay on your driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Can I do a speed awareness course instead of getting points?

You may be offered a course instead of the fine and points if the police think it is suitable and you have not done one in the last 3 years.

What happens if I do not name the driver?

You may have to go to court if you ignore the notice asking who was driving. Failing to give the driver's details carries 6 penalty points.

Official sources

1.Speeding penaltieswww.gov.uk/speeding-penalties
2.Endorsement codes and penalty pointswww.gov.uk/penalty-points-endorsements/endorsement-codes-and-penalty-points

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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