How to get out of a speeding ticket

Are you wondering how to get out of a speeding ticket? You’ve come to the right place for answers. Each month, our website is visited by over 32,000 people seeking advice on tickets and fines.

In this guide, we’ll address the following questions:

• What is a speeding ticket?
• What happens if you get multiple speeding tickets?
• How many points do you get for speeding?
• How much over the speed limit can you go before getting a ticket?
• How much is a UK speeding fine?
• Is it worth fighting a speeding ticket?

We know how it feels to get a speeding ticket; some of us have been there too. Don’t worry; we’re here to explain your rights and options.

What is a speeding ticket?

You’ll get a ticket for not respecting speed limits on public roads. With more cameras in operation, the risk of being recorded over the limit is pretty high.

You could end up with a fine and points on your licence. If the offence is serious, you could be disqualified from driving!

What do speeding tickets look like?

You’d get a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) when you’re recorded going over the speed limit. The fine itself looks very similar to a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) with both being yellow with black edging.

Apart from being similar looking, there’s one huge difference. If you don’t pay an FPN, you risk criminal prosecution, unlike PCNs which are civil offences.

What happens if you get multiple speeding tickets?

You risk losing your driving licence if you get multiple FPNs for speeding because each offence earns you three penalties. When you get 12 or more points, that’s it you’re disqualified.

How many points do you get for speeding?

You get 3 penalty points for each time you’re caught going over the speed limit. That said, if the offence is serious, you could be banned or disqualified.

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Is a speeding offence a conviction?

Yes. When you’re caught over the speed limit a fine is deemed a conviction because you’ve committed a driving offence!

Why would I get a speed camera fine?

You’d get a fine when the offence is caught on camera. First, you’d get a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) together with a Section 172 notice which should arrive within 14 days.

How much over the speed limit can you go before getting a ticket?

There is a ‘rule’ which says you’d have to exceed the speed limit by 10% plus 2 mph to get a ticket. But this isn’t always the case!

How long will a speeding fine take to arrive?

You should get a fine within 14 days of the offence being committed. You’d get a Notice of Intended Prosecution and a Section 172 form.

Then you have 28 days to return the Section 172. After this, you get a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) or a letter saying you must attend a court hearing.

What happens if I get a NIP after 14 days?

If the NIP arrives after 14 days, the Notice may be invalid. You have the right to reject the Notice because it’s time barred. It’s one of the speeding loopholes that could get you out of paying the fine.

How much is a UK speeding fine?

The minimum penalty for speeding in the UK is £100 plus 3 points on your licence. However, a fine can be as much as £2,500 if you’re caught over the limit on a motorway.

If you’re caught speeding on other public roads, you could be fined up to £1,000.

How are speeding fines calculated?

Speeding fines are calculated on how fast you were going over the speed limit. The amount you pay is typically based on a percentage of your weekly earnings.

How to get away with a speeding ticket?

There are a few reasons you could use to get out of paying a fine which I’ve listed below:

• The Notice of Intended Prosecution contains the wrong information
• Another person was driving when the offence happened
• Speed limit signs were missing
• A speed camera was incorrectly calibrated – very hard to prove!

How do you contest a speeding ticket?

You’d have to enter a guilty plea and attend a court hearing to appeal a fine. You’d need a valid reason and you must follow the correct procedure.

However, you should seek legal advice beforehand because if you lose, you could get a larger fine!

What is the best excuse for speeding fine?

According to the law, there is no excuse for speeding on a public road. Most fines are successfully appealed on technicalities rather than anything else!

Common legal defences for UK speeding fines

The most common legal defences to contest a fine are:

• The registered keeper was not the driver when the offence happened
• Road signage was incorrect or missing
• The speed camera wasn’t calibrated or it was not being used correctly

Is it worth fighting a speeding ticket?

It might be worth contesting a fine if you risk losing your driving licence and relying on it for your work. But you must seek legal advice and employ a barrister if you do!

How do I challenge a speeding ticket?

There’s no official process for challenging a fine. You can make a formal ‘representation’ to have the fine cancelled which you can escalate to an independent tribunal if it’s rejected by the authority.

What happens if you ignore a speeding ticket uk?

Things escalate when you don’t respond or ignore a fine for speeding. You’d get a court summons and if you don’t attend, enforcement officers could visit your home.

What speed triggers a speed camera?

Most mobile speed cameras are calibrated with a 10% plus 2 mph tolerance above a limit. It means a camera shouldn’t flash if you’re doing 33 mph in a 30 mph zone. However, it’s not guaranteed!

Can I appeal a speeding ticket when caught on a speed camera?

Speed cameras are calibrated to specific standards and guidelines so it’s hard to appeal a ticket when you’re recorded on camera. The police will provide a calibration certificate when the case goes to court. Unless the camera is faulty, your appeal will fail.

How long does it take for a speeding ticket to come through from a mobile camera?

A fine should land through your letterbox no later than 14 days after the offence. You’d get a Notice of Intended Prosecution which is sent to the registered keeper no matter who was driving at the time.

In short, a speed camera takes a picture of the vehicle’s registration and sometimes a blurred picture of the driver.

Can police issue speeding ticket without stopping you uk?

Yes. You can get a fine for speeding without being stopped by a police officer. You could be caught on a mobile speed camera in which case the NIP is sent to the registered keeper’s address. The notice must arrive within 14 days though.

What speed do you get a ticket on motorway?

The speed limit on a motorway is set at 70 mph. The Police take motorway speeding very seriously so even when you do 75 mph, you could receive a fine and points on your licence!

Will I get offered a speed awareness course?

You’d only be offered an awareness course if the police officer believes it’s the right option. That said, it must be your first speeding offence and you weren’t caught speeding in a three year period.

Can I do a speed awareness course?

As mentioned, you could be offered an awareness course provided it’s your first offence and you haven’t been caught  in the past three years.

However, you must attend the course or the Police could reverse their decision!

Should I Go to Court for My Speeding Ticket?

You could go to court over the fine if you think you’re going to lose your licence and need it for your work. However, you should consult a solicitor or barrister first.

Should I get a lawyer to represent me if I challenge a fine for speeding?

Yes. But a specialist lawyer is expensive so it’s worth considering the option carefully. That said, if you rely on having a driving licence to earn a living, it could be an option worth thinking about.

I wasn’t driving when the fine was issued. Do I have to pay?

You shouldn’t have to pay a speeding fine if your vehicle was sold or stolen when it was issued. However, you are legally obliged to give the Police the driver’s details or you could face prosecution yourself.

Speeding ticket not sure who was driving?

It is an offence not to tell the Police who was driving when a FPN is issued. In short, unless your vehicle was stolen, you must do your best to find out who the driver was and pass the information on to the Police.

I have received a NIP but weren’t exceeding the speed limit; what should I do?

When you believe you weren’t speeding when the fine was issued, you must provide proof if you want to challenge the fine.

Is there any way to check if you have been caught speeding?

No. You’d have to wait until the Notice of Intended Prosecution drops through your letterbox to find out whether you were flashed or not.

Can you get sacked for speeding?

It’s your employer’s decision whether to sack you or not for speeding. That said, an employer has the right to fire you if you’ve received a driving ban and are working as a taxi or delivery driver.

Can you go to jail for speeding uk?

You can’t be sent to prison for a fine on its own. However, if you were speeding and under the influence at the time, you could receive a custodial sentence. The same is true if an alleged speeding offence falls under the category of ‘dangerous driving’!