JD Spicer Zeb Solicitors Banner Image

Useful Information

  • Home
  • Useful Information
  • Crime/Fraud
Services
People
News and Events
Other
Blogs

What are the speeding sentencing guidelines?

View profile for Umar Zeb
  • Posted
  • Author
  • Senior Partner - Head of Private Client Crime

If you are convicted of or plead guilty to speeding, your sentence will depend on the severity of the offence. It is likely to include points on your licence and a fine, and in more serious cases, you could face disqualification.

The court will look at a range of issues when applying the speeding sentencing guidelines, including the number of miles per hour over the speed limit, any aggravating and mitigating circumstances, and your income level.

At JD Spicer Zeb, our experienced speeding solicitors can advise you on your case and work with you to establish whether there are any mitigating factors which could reduce the level of penalty you face. Going to court for speeding offences in the UK can be daunting, and we will make sure you have the advice and representation you need.

We will also check to ensure that your case was handled correctly by the authorities and whether there are any circumstances which warrant your case being dismissed, such as a faulty speed camera or missing speed limit signs.

Please note that the following article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. If you need legal support with allegations relating to a motoring offence, please get in touch, and our team can advise you.

What are the speeding sentencing guidelines?

The sentencing guidelines for speeding are a framework used by the courts to ensure that penalties are applied fairly to everyone. They set out a scale of fines and points or disqualification according to the speed limit and the miles per hour above the speed limit that was recorded.

A number of factors that increase and reduce the seriousness of offences are also listed, providing the court with various options when it comes to deciding on the sentence that it is handed out upon conviction.

How much is a speeding fine in the UK?

A Fixed Penalty Notice is a way of dealing with minor speeding offences without the need to go to court. Pleading guilty to a Fixed Penalty Notice and paying the fine does not result in a criminal record.

If you are given a Fixed Penalty Notice after being caught on a speed camera or being stopped by the police, and you plead guilty, you will either be offered a speed awareness course or required to pay a fine of at least £100 and have 3 points added to your licence.

It is important to respond to a Fixed Penalty Notice, as the fine could be increased if you do not.

If you plead not guilty, your case will go to court. There is a risk that the penalty could be increased if you are found guilty, and the amount you will pay will be based on the speed in excess of the speed limit and your income.

In more serious cases, a Fixed Penalty Notice will not be offered, and you will receive a court summons.

In the most severe cases, usually when speeding is combined with another offence, such as dangerous driving, you may receive a criminal conviction and, potentially, a prison sentence.

Speeding fines that are not dealt with on the basis of a Fixed Penalty Notice are usually charged in accordance with speeding fine bands.

How many penalty points do you get for speeding?

Between 3 and 6 points can be put on a licence for more minor speeding offences, and they will stay on the licence for 4 years from the date of the offence.

If you accumulate 12 or more points within 3 years, you will usually be disqualified from driving.

For a more serious speeding offence, you could be disqualified for that offence alone.

Are there different bands for speeding fines, and what are they?

There are three speeding fines bands, namely Band A, Band B, and Band C. These are a starting point for the court in determining a penalty, before aggravating and mitigating factors are taken into account.

Band A fines are applied for the least serious speeding offences and result in the lowest minimum penalties, Band B is the mid-point and Band C fines apply in serious cases where someone is found to have significantly exceeded the speed limit.

How are speeding fines calculated based on your income?

Under the speeding sentencing guidelines 2025, a Band A fine is typically up to 25-75% of your relevant weekly income, which is income after tax and National Insurance contributions have been deducted. For those on benefits or with a low income, the figure of £120 is generally used as the relevant weekly income figure.

Band B fines are between 75% and 125% of relevant weekly income.

Band C fines are between 125% and 175% of relevant weekly income, subject to the maximums above.

What’s the minimum and maximum fine for speeding?

Speeding guidelines provide that the minimum fine for speeding is £100, with a maximum of £1,000 for speeding on a standard road, and £2,500 for speeding on a motorway.

Do you have to go to court for a speeding ticket?

If you are given a Fixed Penalty Notice, you can choose to plead guilty and avoid going to court. If you plead not guilty or you are given a court summons, you will generally need to go to court. The usual process is to go to the Magistrates’ court for speeding, although more serious cases may be referred to the Crown Court.

For more information on dealing with a court summons, see our court summons for speeding page.

When would I be offered a speed awareness course instead of points?

It is up to the authorities whether or not you are offered a speed awareness course in lieu of points on your licence. A course is typically offered if your speed was only a small way over the limit, you have not attended a course in the previous three years, and you do not already have a number of other penalties.

If you are alleged to have committed other offences at the same time, or you did not admit to the offence within 28 days, then you will not be offered a course.

What are the common mitigating circumstances that might reduce a speeding penalty?

Speeding offences sentencing guidelines provide that, in some circumstances, the court may take into account in reducing the penalty handed out. Mitigating circumstances can include:

  • No previous or recent relevant convictions
  • You are of good character
  • You were only over the speed limit for a very short distance
  • The road signage was unclear
  • You admitted to the offence early on in the process
  • There was a genuine emergency which required you to commit the offence, for example, a medical emergency
  • In some circumstances, the court may consider the impact that disqualification could have on your livelihood or family

For more information on dealing with allegations of speeding, see our speeding ticket ‘loopholes’ page.

What aggravating factors could increase a speeding penalty?

If aggravating circumstances exist, the court can increase the penalty for speeding.

Aggravating factors include:

  • Previous relevant convictions, in which case the court will consider the seriousness of the previous offence and the time that has elapsed since your conviction
  • The offence was committed while you were on bail
  • The offence was committed while you were on licence or under post-sentence supervision
  • Poor road or weather conditions
  • The vehicle was a goods vehicle or public service vehicle
  • You were towing a caravan or trailer
  • You were carrying passengers or a heavy load
  • The driving was being done for hire or reward
  • There is evidence of an unacceptable standard of driving, over and above the breach of the speed limit
  • The location of the offence increased the seriousness, for example, you were near a school or hospital
  • There was a high level of traffic, or numerous pedestrians were present

Related offences

For more information, see our page on speeding offences.

We also provide support and guidance on other driving offences, including:

Related cases

Fees and funding

We are always clear and upfront when it comes to legal fees.

If you are required to attend court, you may be eligible for Legal Aid. Whether you can access Legal Aid will depend on whether the grant of public funding is justified on a means and interest of justice basis.

Where you do not qualify for Legal Aid, the alternative will be to fund the case on a private basis.       

To find out more about the way we handle fees (both Legal Aid and private fees), please use the links provided below:

Contact our speeding law solicitors now

If you are due to attend the police station, require any urgent specialist advice, or immediate representation, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

You can contact our dedicated driving offence solicitors in London, Birmingham, or Manchester offices anytime for immediate assistance by telephone on:

Or email: solicitors@jdspicer.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can fill out our quick online enquiry form, and we will get back to you quickly.

24/7 legal representation

For immediate representation and advice, you can contact our Emergency Number: 07836 577 556, and we will provide a prompt, friendly response.