How Long Does a Speeding Ticket Take to Come Through?

The 14-Day Rule

Under UK law, if you are caught by a speed camera, the Police must issue a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) to the registered keeper of the vehicle within 14 days.

This means the letter should arrive at your registered address within 14 days of the offence taking place. The day of the offence counts as Day 1.

The Next Steps (Section 172 Notice)

The NIP will arrive with a Section 172 notice. This is a legal requirement asking you to identify who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offence.

• You typically have 28 days to return the Section 172 notice, naming the driver.
• Failing to provide driver details is a separate offence, carrying a heavy fine and 6 penalty points.

When do I get the actual fine?

Once you return the Section 172 notice admitting you were the driver, the Police will then send you either an offer for a Speed Awareness Course, a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), or a Court Summons. This secondary letter can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to arrive, though they must commence proceedings within 6 months of the offence.