If you’ve been caught breaking the speed limit, a speed awareness course might save you from getting points on your licence. Not sure how it works? Consider this the guide for you.
Key takeaways
- Speed awareness courses offer an educational alternative to fines, so you can skip the penalty points and keep your licence clean.
- The course fee is usually similar to a standard fine, but taking part prevents your insurance premiums from spiking.
- If you were going faster than 10% + 9mph over the limit, you probably won't be eligible for a speed awareness course.
- While there’s no lifetime limit on how many courses you can take, you have to wait at least three years between convictions before taking another.
What is a national speed awareness course?
A speed awareness course is a workshop designed for people who’ve been caught speeding.
The course is completely optional. But when the alternative is a hefty fine and points on your licence, it’s pretty easy to see the appeal.
Managed by the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS), the aim of a speed awareness course is basically to make you a safer driver.
You’ll probably kick things off by watching some videos about hazard perception and the consequences of speeding. Then, you’ll get some time to chat about what you’ve learnt with your fellow course mates.
How much is a speed awareness course? 2026 costs
The bad news? Speed awareness courses aren’t free. The exact price varies by provider and region. But, typically, you can expect to dish out between £79 and £100.
When a standard speeding fine costs £100, it might be tempting to skip the course and take the penalty. It’s not just about the upfront cost, though.
A speed awareness course saves you from getting 3 penalty points on your licence. As well as stopping the points totting up, this also prevents your car insurance premium from shooting through the roof.
Speed awareness course limits: Am I eligible?
Not everyone who gets done for speeding will be offered a speed awareness course. Instead, it’s based on how fast you were going and whether or not you’re in the threshold.
So, let's break it down. Typically, police typically start enforcing disciplinary action for speeding when you're 10% + 2mph over the limit. Any faster, and a fine’s coming your way.
Of course, you can choose the speed awareness course alternative. But, if you’re going more than 10% + 9mph over the threshold, you probably won’t be eligible.
Here’s what that looks like:
| Speed limit | Threshold for a speed awareness course |
|---|---|
|
20mph
|
Up to 31mph
|
|
30mph
|
Up to 42mph
|
|
70mph
|
Up to 86mph
|
Why was I not offered a speed awareness course?
If you’ve been fined for speeding and haven’t been given a second option, don’t panic. While you might be feeling the speed awareness course FOMO, it’s likely because one of these things applies to you:
- It’s been less than 3 years since you last did a speed awareness course.
- Your speed was over the 10% + 9mph limit, meaning you’re outside the threshold.
- The speeding offence you’ve been charged with took place in Scotland.
- You missed the 28-day window for returning your Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP).
How often can you do a speed awareness course?
You’ll only be able to do a speed awareness course once every 3 years. But if we’re talking numbers, there’s no limit to how many times you can take the course over your lifetime.
It’s just that 3-year rule to be aware of. And it’s good to note that the window is from the date of your original speeding offence - not the date you attended the course.
As a rule, this is enforced pretty strictly. So, if you want to avoid the points on your licence stacking up, it’s worth keeping track of any convictions and noting when you got them.
How long is a speed awareness course, and what happens?
If you take an in-person speed awareness course, it’ll take around 4 hours. Or, you can cut the time down by doing the session online, which only takes between 2 and a half and 3 hours.
What happens on a speed awareness course?
A speed awareness course isn’t a ‘do it in your own time’ type of thing. Instead, you’ll be given a set date and time for your session.
Before it starts, you’ll be asked to join virtually via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or a similar platform. You’ll be part of a small group, and - in most cases - you’ll have to have your camera and microphone on.
It’s also important that you’re in a private room during the workshop so that you can give your full attention.
Don't worry, there won't be a test at the end. But the course leader can fail you if you don’t seem engaged or if you rock up late. So, if time management isn’t your forte, setting a reminder is the way to go.
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