Speeding ticket UK: how many points do you get and how much is the fine? The 10 most common questioned answered

Speeding is the single most common driving offence in the UK, according to official figures.

Every year, police forces across the country issue millions of speeding tickets to motorists clocked over the limit, either by speed cameras or traffic patrols. According to DVLA records, around 3.3 million motorists currently have points on their licence for speeding, and in most parts of the country "SP" offences account for around 85% of recorded driving crimes.

Away from police records, data gathered by the Department for Transport in 2021 suggests that more than half of drivers exceed 30mph limits.

Despite their inclination to break the limit, there's clearly still a lot of confusion and misunderstading around speeding among the UK's drivers - from the points and fines they face if caught speeding to simple stuff like what the UK's speed limits are.

So, with help from the team at Vanarama, we’ve rounded up the 10 most Google speed camera questions, along with their definitive answers.

How many points do you get for speeding?

Most speeding offences are dealt with by means of a fixed penalty notice (FPN) and carry a three-point endorsement.

However, the number of points that you will get for being caught speeding will depend on how much over the limit you were driving, with more serious offences carrying four or six points and a possible driving ban. The table below shows the thresholds and punishments for the different bands.

How much is a speeding fine?

Speeding fines vary by how much faster than the limit you were travelling, which part of the UK you are in and what type of road you were on.

Standard FPN charges are £100 but in England and Wales if you are taken to court fines can reach £1,000, or £2,500 if the offence was committed on a motorway.

In England and Wales fines are calculated using the same bands as penalty points and range from 25%-75% of your weekly income for a Band A offence, to 125-175% of weekly income for a Band C offence.

In Scotland, if you go to court there are no set fines for speeding offences. Instead, the sentence is largely down to the discretion of the judge, however the maximum fine remains £1,000 or £2,500 for motorway offences.

In Northern Ireland, fines can reach £1,000.

How much is a speed awareness course?

For drivers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, first offenders may be offered a speed awareness course as an alternative to penalty points. Prices for the course vary but they normally cost between £80 and £100. Drivers in Scotland do not have the option of a speed awareness course.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman is facing questions after repotedly asking civil servants to arrange a one-to-one speed awareness course so she would not be recognised by other drivers. It came after she was caught speeding in summer 2022 whilst she was Attorney General.

What is the national speed limit?

Incredibly, around 2,400 people per month ask Google what the national speed limit is in the UK. They must have missed that question on their theory test. The answer is a maximum of 60mph on a single carriageway and 70mph on dual carriageways and motorways.

Most motorists will be familiar with the national speed limit road sign, which has a diagonal black line intersecting a white circle from the top right to bottom left. This denotes where the national speed limit begins.

How many points do I have on my licence?

Another question you would hope people know the answer to, but apparently not. There is a dedicated government web service that allows you to check for free how many points you have on your licence as well as other aspects of your driving record, such as eligibility to drive different classes of vehicle. You can access the service via the DVLA website here.

What happens if a new driver is caught speeding?

Under the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995 if a driver given six or more penalty points for speeding within the first two years of passing their driving test, they will be disqualified and their licence will be revoked.

Do speed cameras flash?

There isnt’ one answer to this. Some models of speed cameras flash and others don’t.

Average speed cameras used on motorways don’t flash, and neither do mobile cameras mounted in vans. Of the two most common types of fixed location camera, Gatso cameras (with a square lens) will flash while Truvelo cameras (with a round lens) won’t flash.

How can I check to see if I’ve been caught speeding?

Unless you are stopped by police at the roadside there is no way to check if you’ve been caught speeding or not. You’ll just have to wait for the Notice of Intended Prosecution, which leads us on to...

How long does it take to get a speeding ticket?

Normally, if you’ve been detected speeding but not stopped by police you should expect to receive two notices within. The two notices will include:

• Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP)
• Section 172 Notice

Once you’ve returned the NIP, you’ll either be sent a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) which may give you the option of taking a speed awareness course to prevent points being added to your driving licence or a letter telling you to go to court. The Section 172 Notice must be returned within 28 days, which informs the police who was driving the car.

There is no set time for a speed awareness course but most take around four hours on avearge.