I have had a speeding ticket — what happens now?
What a Notice of Intended Prosecution is and the timescale it must arrive in, the three possible outcomes, how penalty points work, and where a speed awareness course fits.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 20 min
- Read
- 5 min
- Safety
- warning
Short answer
The registered keeper receives a Notice of Intended Prosecution together with a request to identify the driver, and that request must be answered within the period stated on it — normally 28 days. Answering is a legal obligation in its own right and failing to do so is a more serious offence than most speeding cases. What follows is usually one of three: a speed awareness course, a fixed penalty of points and a fine, or a court summons.
The part people misunderstand is that two separate things are happening. One is the alleged speeding offence, which is about who was driving and how fast. The other is a demand made on the registered keeper under road traffic law to identify that driver, which stands entirely on its own. You can be found not guilty of the speeding and still be convicted of failing to give driver information, and the penalty for that is typically six points and a substantial fine — which is why the single most important thing in this whole guide is to return the form on time, accurately, whatever else you intend to do.
Safety
Step by step
- Check when the notice arrived.For most speeding offences detected by camera, a Notice of Intended Prosecution must be sent to the registered keeper within 14 days of the offence. There are exceptions — for instance where the keeper details took longer to establish through no fault of the authority — so a late notice is not automatically a defence, but the date matters and should be noted.
- Answer the driver identification request within the deadline.Normally 28 days. This is the obligation that carries the heaviest risk. Complete it accurately and return it by a method that gives you proof of posting or submission, and keep a copy.
- Do not guess who was driving.If you genuinely do not know, say so and explain what steps you have taken to find out — the law expects reasonable diligence, not certainty you cannot have. Naming the wrong person is a much worse position than an honest account of why you cannot say.
- Understand the three routes that follow.A speed awareness course, offered at the discretion of the police force where the speed falls within a band and you have not done one recently; a conditional offer of a fixed penalty, meaning points on your licence and a fine; or a summons to court, used for higher speeds, repeat offences and cases where a fixed penalty is not appropriate.
- Know what a speed awareness course is and is not.It is a diversionary course run under a national scheme. Completing it means no points and no conviction, but you pay a course fee. Eligibility depends on the recorded speed falling within a defined band for that limit, on not having attended one within a set period — commonly three years — and on the force offering it. It is not a right and it cannot be demanded.
- Understand how points work.Points are endorsed on your driving record. Most speeding endorsements carry three to six points and remain on the record for four years from the date of the offence, though they count towards totting up for three of those. Twelve points within three years normally triggers a disqualification under the totting-up provisions.
- Know the new driver position.Drivers within two years of passing their first test have their licence revoked if they accumulate six or more points, under separate new driver legislation. That means a single six-point offence, or two three-point ones, and they must reapply for a provisional and retake both tests.
- Tell your insurer at renewal.Convictions and endorsements must be declared when asked, and the question usually covers a period of years. A speed awareness course is not a conviction and produces no endorsement, but some insurers still ask about attendance — answer whatever they actually ask, honestly. Non-disclosure is what voids policies.
Common mistakes
- Ignoring the notice in the hope that it goes away — It does not, and failing to provide driver information is prosecuted separately and typically carries six points and a larger fine than the speeding would have. It is the single worst thing you can do with one of these envelopes.
- Assuming a speed awareness course can be requested — It is offered at the discretion of the police force where you meet the criteria. Asking for one you are not eligible for wastes the response window, and the window is the thing that matters.
If it doesn't work
The notice is addressed to you but you were not driving
Cause: You are the registered keeper — Fix: Name the driver on the form within the deadline. That is what the form is for, and it is the whole reason the keeper record exists.
The car had been sold before the offence
Cause: The keeper record was not updated — Fix: Respond within the deadline with the sale evidence and everything you know about the buyer. The catalogue's guide on a car still in your name covers preventing the recurrence.
A hire car or company car
Cause: The hire or lease company is the keeper and passes the notice on — Fix: They will have named you as the hirer and forwarded the notice, often with an administration fee. Respond to the notice you receive within its own deadline.
Offered a course but you have done one recently
Cause: The eligibility period, commonly three years, has not elapsed — Fix: The offer will not be made, and the fixed penalty route follows instead. The period runs between course dates, not offence dates — check the offer letter.
Speed is well over the limit and a summons arrives
Cause: It falls outside the fixed penalty range — Fix: This is the point to take legal advice from a solicitor specialising in motoring law, particularly if disqualification is possible. Do not represent yourself on a case that could remove your licence without at least a consultation.
Already have nine points and this would make twelve
Cause: Totting up — Fix: Disqualification is the normal outcome unless exceptional hardship is argued and accepted by the court. Take legal advice before the hearing, not after.
Questions people ask
How long do penalty points stay on my licence?
Most speeding endorsements remain on the driving record for four years from the date of the offence, and count towards totting up for three of them. More serious offences, such as drink driving, remain for eleven years. You can check your own record online through the GOV.UK licence service.
Does a speed awareness course affect my insurance?
It produces no conviction and no endorsement, so there is nothing to declare as a conviction. Some insurers nevertheless ask specifically whether you have attended one, and if they ask, you must answer honestly. Premiums may or may not be affected; it varies by insurer.
Is there a tolerance above the speed limit?
There is no legal tolerance — the limit is the limit. Enforcement practice commonly allows a margin for speedometer and device accuracy, and prosecution guidelines describe thresholds, but none of that is a legal entitlement and none of it is guaranteed by any particular force.