UK speeding fines 2023 – what are the latest penalties for drivers?

Here's everything you need to know about speeding fines in the UK and other possible motoring-related offences

In an effort to keep Britain’s roads safe, the system for speeding fines was revised in 2017 seeking to deliver the harshest penalties to the worst offenders posing the biggest risk to the public. Penalties are classed depending on severity under ‘Band A’, ‘Band B’ and ‘Band C’ speeding fine categories. These are determined by how many mph over the speed limit the offender was driving and even other factors such as driving conditions, the type of vehicle driven and population density at the time of the offence.

The minimum penalty for a driving offence is £100 and three points on your licence, but the fine is also calculated as a percentage (up to 175 per cent) of your weekly income to a maximum of £1000 (or £2500 on motorways). The most excessive speeds come under ‘Band C’, as detailed in the table below, and incur the most severe penalties.

Other legislation coming into effect includes the introduction of mandatory speed limiters on all production cars produced from July 2022. These limiters will use GPS data or traffic sign recognition technology to determine the speed limit of the road you’re on and stop you from exceeding it.

Figures suggest that over 150,000 speeding UK motorists line the pockets of HM Treasury with millions of pounds in speeding fines each year, with many of them getting banned from British roads as a result, depending on the severity of the offence. Incurring 12 points within four years will see you lose your licence, while a mere six points within the first two years of holding a full UK licence will mean you have to take your test again.

The UK's general speed camera tolerance is now ten per cent of the speed limit + 2mph, a reduction of 1mph from the previous + 3mph many counties including London used to impose. This still leaves plenty of room for error, as for example you'd need to be going over 46mph (not including the variance of your car's over-reading of your actual speed) to trip a camera in a 40mph zone.

It is currently illegal for car manufacturers to under-read your actual speed, and comparisons to GPS-verified speeds show that most new cars indicated speed hover between 1-3mph over your actual speed.

> For more information about speed camera tolerances, and for a full breakdown of the differences in tolerance between counties click here

It’s also worth mentioning that tougher laws which aim to crack down on the use of mobile phones while driving were introduced in April 2021. Driving while distracted is a growing problem in this digital age and can be as much of a risk to people’s safety as speeding or drink driving. The legality of using a phone behind the wheel has always been a little unclear, but clearer and more stringent rules introduced in 2021 have made things more definitive.

While using a mobile phone while driving has been illegal since 2003, the ambiguity of the laws meant that taking photographs or scrolling through music wasn’t explicitly banned.

This has now been outlawed. Effectively, there is no scenario in which you can touch or pick up your phone while driving. This includes using the device at traffic lights, even if the car is out of gear and stationary with the handbrake applied. Exceptions include hands-free calls provided you aren’t touching the phone to answer, while satellite navigation systems and strangely two-way radios remain legal. That said, the police can still use their discretion should you appear to be distracted with any legal usage too.

The basic fine for using your phone is currently set at £200, with six penalty points on your licence – and if you passed your test within the last two years, you’ll lose your licence entirely.

The Cross Border Enforcement directive came into effect in 2015, allowing authorities from EU countries to pursue drivers for motoring offences should their car have been registered within the EU. The UK's departure from the EU will put an end to this, however, meaning UK drivers caught on speed cameras will likely avoid penalties. Get caught by police in countries such as France though, and you can still be subject to an on-the-spot fine.

The maximum penalties for speeding were previously £1000, with a £2500 cap for those caught exceeding the limit on motorways. While the higher caps remain, law enforcement has been instructed to hand out a greater number of the maximum-level fines. Details of the various speeding bands are displayed in the table below.

Under the old speeding fines system, fines falling under bands B and C equaled 100 per cent of an offender’s weekly income. However that has now increased to 150 percent. Offenders could be subject to the double whammy and banned from driving for up to 56 days or get six points on their licence.

According to gov.uk the current minimum fine for speeding is £100, plus three penalty points. You also risk disqualification if you amass 12 or more penalty points within three years.

However, points and fines can be avoided in certain scenarios. If this is your first offence and you have a clean licence, you may still be able to circumvent the points hit by attending a speed awareness course providing the new incident isn’t considered too serious. Previous speeders will not be extended such opportunities, and they will see their points total climb further towards a ban.

It's understood the majority of Band A fines will equate to a half of your weekly wage. However, this initial fine could be adjusted subject to the court’s discretion based on the specifics of the case in question. Such variables include poor weather, the population density of the area or the timing of an offence in relation to previous convictions committed (if applicable).

The same adjustment can be made to Band B and C fines too. Look below to see the various adjustment rates.

The average speeding fine in 2015 was £188, with over 150,000 falling prey to speed cameras and traffic patrol units. With fines rising by 50 per cent, the average fine could increase to £282, although the £100 minimum, which is likely to be the most frequent fine, may reduce that average.

Using the UK’s average salary as a reference we will go through a few eventualities to explain the increased fines. According to the Office for National Statistics, the mean average salary as of 2019 stood at £30,673. Read below to find out what you could pay if you earn the average UK wage.

• If you were caught travelling at a recorded speed of 36mph in a 30mph zone you would be prosecuted under Band A rulings.
• Three points would go on your licence.
• The initial fine would be £285.85, 50 per cent of your weekly wage.
• Depending on the circumstances the final figure could range between: £142.93 (25 per cent of your weekly wage) and £428.78 (75 per cent of your weekly wage).

69mph in a 50mph zone

105mph in a 70mph zone

The sentencing council quotes a number of factors that can increase or decrease the severity of your sentence should you end up facing a judge. Below we list the factors that could work in your favour or land you with more points or a longer period of disqualification.

• Genuine emergency established
• No previous convictions or no relevant/recent convictions
• Good character and/or exemplary conduct

Previous convictions, having regard to a) the nature of the offence to which the conviction relates and its relevance to the current offence; and b) the time that has elapsed since the conviction

• Offence committed whilst on bail
• Towing caravan/trailer
• Carrying passengers or heavy load
• Driving for hire or reward
• Poor road or weather conditions
• Driving LGV, HGV, PSV etc.
• Offence committed on licence or post sentence supervision
• Evidence of unacceptable standard of driving over and above speed
• Location e.g. near school
• High level of traffic or pedestrians in the vicinity

Further still, should you acknowledge your driving infraction and plead guilty to the offence, the court may reduce your sentence, taking into account all other circumstances.

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