Will I get a speeding ticket and points on my licence?

Have you been flashed by a speed camera in London or other towns and cities in the UK, and left with these questions: 'will I get a speeding ticket', 'how long does it take for a speeding ticket to arrive', 'what is the fine for speeding' and 'how many points on my licence will I get'? With reports of a huge increase in such offences during periods of quieter roads throughout the pandemic, motoring journalist and expert Pete Barden looks at what happens after the speed camera flashes - and how likely you are to get prosecuted, receive penalty points on your licence or even a ban. 

If you're a repeat offender when it comes to speeding offences, you'll know how the system works, but this guide is intended to help those who have been caught speeding for the first time prepare for what happens next - from notice of prosecution to points or even disqualification.   Find out what happens after you think you've been caught by a speed camera 

How much over the speed limit will get a speeding ticket?

Despite rumours that travelling just 1mph over the limit will trigger certain safety cameras, research from Auto Express published in 2019 revealed the tolerances of devices across the UK. The following shows magazine's research, revealing how cops across the UK set their speed cameras.

Police force	Number of cameras	Camera activation threshold
Avon and Somerset	41	10% + 2mph
Bedfordshire	38	Would not reveal threshold
Cambridgeshire	32	Would not reveal threshold
Cheshire	15	10% + 2mph
Cleveland	4	10% + 2mph
Derbyshire	18	10% + 2mph
Devon and Cornwall	98	10% + 2mph
Durham	0 fixed	10% + 2mph
Essex	63	Don't use a standard threshold
Greater Manchester	235	Would not reveal threshold
Gwent	21	10% + 2mph
Hampshire	36	10% + 2mph
Hertfordshire	53	Would not reveal threshold
Kent	109	10% + 2mph
Lancashire	34	10% + 3mph
Leicestershire	30	10% + 2mph
Merseyside	18	10% + 2mph
Metropolitan Police/TfL	805	10% + 3mph
Norfolk	26	10% + 2mph
North Wales	28	10% + 2mph
Northumbria	55	10% + 2mph
Nottinghamshire	48	Refused to confirm if threshold exists
Police Service of Northern Ireland	12	10% + 2mph
Scotland	173	Refused to confirm if threshold exists
South Wales	137	10% + 2mph
South Yorkshire	25	10% + 2mph
Staffordshire	286	Would not reveal threshold
Suffolk	4	10% + 2mph
Thames Valley	294	10% + 2mph
Warwickshire	28	10% + 2mph
West Mercia	23	10% + 2mph
West Midlands	33	Would not reveal threshold
West Yorkshire	402	10% + 2mph

Will I always get a speeding ticket after being flashed by a camera? 

Was the speed camera working, or were you even speeding? These questions can cause anxiety as drivers wait to find out if they were speeding. Fortunately, there are rules to ensure drivers are not left waiting for extended periods to find out if they're facing a fine, points, or even being banned from the roads. 

Will I always get a ticket if a camera flashes on a motorway like the M25?

With many motorways such as the M25 using more cameras, it is a common sight to see flashes as car pass - but will they always result in a ticket? Again, there is not definitive answer here, but the speed tolerances, revealed above, can be taken into account, or a speed awareness course could be offered instead of a fine and penalty points. 

New cameras are digital now, so the old hope of camera's running out of film does not apply any more as the capacity for capturing speeding drivers is not virtually limitless. 

The only way you can really know if you will get a speeding ticked is to wait and see if the notification arrives within 14 days 

How long does it take to get a speeding ticket?

The police have 14 days to issue the registered keeper of the vehicle with a notice of intended prosecution (NIP). If this doesn’t arrive within this period, it’s likely there will be no ticket. However, motorists should get legal advice if a notice arrives after the 14 day period. Simply ignoring it could result in prosecution and further speed camera penalty points. 

What must I do after getting a 'speeding ticket'?

How long will it take for the final ticket to arrive?

Once the NIP has been received and complied with - providing it was received within the 14-day-period - the case must move forward within six months. If this does not happen, the recipient should ask for the case to be withdrawn. Get legal advice if this is not agreed - and remember to keep a log of all dates involved.

What is the speeding ticket 14-day rule in the UK?

The 14 day limit is the amount of time Police have to process and send out the original Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP). It should arrive at the address of the accused within 14 days, but failure for it to do so does not automatically mean the case is cancelled. 

All the police have to do is prove that in normal circumstances, the NIP would have arrived at the recorded address of the registered keeper within 14 days. 

However, if the date stamped on the NIP issued to you is beyond the 14 days, then the 14-day rule can be used to reject the ticket for being issued too late. Do not just ignore it, but appeal the ticket for the reason it is void. 

Are speed cameras working in your area?

Research shows that 50% of all speed cameras in England and Wales are not working, according to new figures have revealed (applies to Police forces who responded).

Driving safety charity Road Angel discovered the figures through a campaign of Freedom of Information requests.

It was revealed 46% of all speed cameras were out of action across the county, meaning they could not spot driving offences.

This equates to 496 inactive devices out of a total of 1,069 across England and Wales.

It was found that only two police forces, Dyfed-Powys Police and Suffolk Police, had all speed cameras in action.

Derbyshire, Essex and Devon and Cornwall, the regions that have the most speed cameras in England, there were at least 40% out of action in each area.

Derbyshire was the worst for out of action camera, with just 20 of the its 113 cameras working.

Leicestershire only had four of its 18 fixed cameras working, while Cambridgeshire had 29 of 46 cameras not in action.

What happens next?

After you return the Section 172, you’ll be sent either a:

• Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN)
• Letter telling you to go to court

How much is a speeding fine and how many penalty points will I get?

New speed camera fines came into force on April 24, 2017. Your fine will be calculated based on your weekly earnings. The following table will help you work out how much this could be - and how many penalty points you could receive.

Legal speed limit (mph)	Recorded speed (mph)	Recorded speed (mph)	Recorded speed (mph)
	Band A	Band B	Band C
20	21-30	31-40	41 and above
30	31-40	41-50	51 and above
40	41-55	56-65	66 and above
50	51-65	66-75	76 and above
60	61-80	81-90	91 and above
70	71-90	91-100	101 and above
Points/ disqualification	3 points	Disqualify 7-28 days OR 4-6 points	Disqualify 7-56 days OR 6 points
Fine	50% of weekly income*	100% of weekly income*	150% of weekly income*

Depending on where you were caught speeding and how much you were exceeding the limit, you’ll be placed into one of the above bands.

Pensioners, the rich and non-working partners of the wealthy won't get away with paying more either. Take a look at the guidelines from the Sentencing Council for more details of how much you could be fined.

How much could penalty points for speeding and other offences increase your insurance premium?

Here is how much more you could pay, according to This Is Money, if you get penalty points added to your driving licence for offences such as speeding. 

Number of penalty points on your licence	Increase in your insurance price
1-3	5.1%
4-6	25.8%
7-9	45.0%
10-11	81.9%
12+	89.3%

Areas where most speeding tickets are issued

Can I check if I have been caught by a speed camera in the UK

There is no database is available to check if you've been caught speeding in the UK, so this is not possible. Instead, you will have to wait to see if a penalty notice is issued to your vehicle's registered address within a 14-day period.

Can I check if I have been given a speeding ticket in Spain or other EU countries?

Like the UK, there is no public-searchable database to reveal if you have been caught speeding in countries such as Spain, France or other EU countries. 

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• MOST-READ: WILL I BE OFFERED A SPEED AWARENESS COURSE INSTEAD OF POINTS ON MY LICENCE?

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Speeding fine calculator UK

Scroll down below this screen grab to fined out how you can use the speeding fine calculator for the UK.

The Sentencing Council has created a speeding fine calculator to help you find out how much you are likely to be fined if you're issued with a speeding ticket. Check out your speeding fine here.

How long are penalty points valid? 

Speed camera penalty points are valid on your licence for three years from the date of the offence, or from the date of conviction if given in court. It will take four years to have the offence completely wiped from your record.

 

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