speeding fines, tickets, and penalties: a guide

Speeding tickets and fines are common, but that doesn’t make them less disheartening when you have one arrive in the post.

Although common, there are several different types of speeding ticket that you can receive, each one connoting a different severity. There are also plenty of questions that surround speeding, like how many points do you get for speeding, and can you dispute a speeding ticket? We explain everything you need to know about speeding tickets, below.

the three bands of speeding fine

In 2017, the UK government divided speeding offences into three main categories that increase with severity. With each one, the penalties also increase, creating a system by which the seriousness of your speeding offence can be calculated.

The below explanations are a starting guide, as additional variables can affect which band your penalty falls under. The conditions you were driving in, population density, and whether you recently committed another driving offence, for example, could all affect your penalty.

band a

The majority of speeding offences fall under Band A. This usually involves a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), also known as a speeding ticket. The FPN will require you pay a fine of £100 as a minimum, and you’ll receive three points on your driving license.

You might, however, be given the option to take a speed awareness course instead, which can be in person or virtual. You can learn everything you need to know about speed awareness courses in our blog post, ‘Speed awareness courses explained’.

You’ll typically get issued a Band A fine if you’re caught doing, for example, 31-40mph in a 30mph zone.

band b

The way that fines work doesn’t vary by each band; it’s simply that the penalty is larger because you’ve been caught speeding by a larger degree.

In comparison to our Band A example, a Band B fine would be issued if you were caught doing 41-50mph in a 30mph zone.

The fine for a Band B offence is also significantly higher than a Band A. You’ll be required to pay a fine equivalent to one week’s worth of your income, and you’ll be given four points on your license. It’s also possible for you to be banned from driving for up to four weeks.

band c

Band C involves the highest penalty for speeding offences. These would be issued in the event that, for example, you were driving at 51mph or above in a 30mph zone.

You’ll likely have to pay 150% of your weekly income in the event of a Band C fine, and you’ll receive six points on your licence.

If you reach 12 points, you could lose your licence, which is the equivalent of two Band C fines.

If you’re a new driver, your licence could be revoked after six points, which of course is just one Band C penalty.

With a Band C fine, you could also be banned from driving for eight weeks, rather than four.

can you check if you’ve been caught speeding?

If you’ve been caught speeding, you’ll be sent a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) in the post with a Section 172 notice within 14 days of the event.

Unfortunately, until you’ve received this in the post, there is no way to see if you’ve been caught speeding. You’ll have to sit tight and wait.

Some speed cameras will flash if you pass them while speeding, taking a photo to catch you. However, not all cameras will flash. So, just because you don’t see the light, that doesn’t mean you haven’t been caught.

can you appeal a speeding ticket?

You can appeal a speeding ticket, but bear in mind that this will always involve going to court. You can’t appeal to the police directly in the UK for speeding.

Is it worth disputing a speeding ticket? Well, there aren’t an awful lot of reasons to dispute a speeding ticket as the general rule with speeding is that if you’ve been caught, you get fined.

There are, however, a few reasons to consider it, such as if your NIP wasn’t issued within 14 days, or there were exceptional circumstances in the event of your speeding. For example, if you were speeding to avoid a life-threatening incident; however, these sorts of defence make for a complex case.

Ultimately, it probably depends on the severity of your fine, and whether the additional cost of legal advice and the physical inconvenience outweigh it.

know the rules of the road

The penalties of road laws can be a complicated business, which is why at findandfundmycar.com we provide all the advice you need to be confident behind the wheel.

From current laws and regulations, buying guides, and the future of automation on our blog, to finding the perfect used car to drive in, we’ve got it all at findandfundmycar.com.