Speed Awareness Courses: When You Are Offered One and What Happens

#What is a Speed Awareness Course?

A Speed Awareness Course is a half-day classroom-based course (usually four hours, sometimes online) run by an approved provider on behalf of the police. Drivers caught speeding at low levels can be offered the course as an alternative to a fixed penalty notice. The course covers why people speed, the consequences of speeding, and techniques to manage your driving more carefully.

Crucially, attending the course means no points and no fine on your driving record. The cost of the course is around £90, paid to the provider rather than as a fine. For new drivers under the New Drivers Act, this can be the difference between keeping your licence and losing it.

#Eligibility: who is offered the course?

Three conditions usually need to be met for the offer. First, your speed must fall within the qualifying band: typically 10% over the speed limit plus 2 to 9mph above. So in a 30mph zone, that means roughly 35 to 42mph. In a 70mph zone, 79 to 86mph. Below the lower threshold and there is usually no offence; above the upper threshold and you get points instead.

Second, you must not have attended a Speed Awareness Course in the last three years. The offer is once-only in any rolling three-year period. Third, the offer is at the discretion of the local police force. Different forces have slightly different policies. Most offer the course routinely for qualifying speeds, but a small number do not run it at all.

#The exact speed thresholds

These figures come from the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) guidelines, which most forces follow. Below the lower figure, the speeding is technically an offence but most forces do not prosecute. Between the figures, the course is usually offered. Above the higher figure, you get a fixed penalty (three points and £100). Above a much higher level, the case goes to court for a possible larger fine and disqualification.

#What happens after the offence

If you are caught by a speed camera, the registered keeper of the car receives a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) within fourteen days. The NIP asks who was driving at the time. You must respond within twenty-eight days to confirm. After that, if the speed qualifies, you receive an offer of a Speed Awareness Course as an alternative to the fixed penalty.

You have a few weeks to accept the course offer and book a slot. The booking is direct with the course provider, not the police. You pay the course fee at the time of booking. Once you have booked and attended the course in full, your case is closed: no points, no fine, no entry on your driving licence.

#What happens during the course

The course typically runs for around four hours, either in a classroom or via approved video conferencing. There is no exam and no test. You attend, participate in discussions, and engage with the materials. As long as you are present, attentive and on time, you complete the course successfully.

Topics covered include the science of stopping distances, how speed affects collision severity, why drivers tend to underestimate their speed, the impact of speeding on local communities, and practical techniques for keeping within limits. The course is delivered by trained facilitators, often with a road safety background.

#Online versus in-person

Many providers now offer the course online via Zoom or similar platforms. The content is the same, the pass criteria (attendance and engagement) are the same, and the legal effect is the same. Online is more convenient for working schedules. In-person is some people's preference because the discussion can be richer.

You usually choose between formats when booking. Some providers run online sessions on weekday evenings as well as daytime. If you have caring or work commitments, the online evening session is the easiest fit. Just make sure you have a working camera and microphone, and that you can pay attention for the full four hours; turning off your camera or wandering off is grounds for failure.

#Cost and value

The course costs around £90, varying slightly by provider and region. That is similar to the £100 fixed penalty fine. The real value comes from avoiding the three points on your licence. For an established driver, three points means slightly higher insurance premiums for five years. For a new driver under the Act, three points is half-way to revocation; six points means a year-plus delay before driving solo again.

You cannot claim the course back on tax. You cannot get a refund if you do not attend, but you can usually rebook for a later slot if you give enough notice. Missing the course without rebooking means the original fixed penalty offer becomes active again, with three points and the fine.

#How insurance treats the course

Most insurers ask whether you have taken a Speed Awareness Course in the last five years. They are entitled to ask, even though no points are added. Some insurers raise premiums slightly because attendance suggests a closeness to the limit. Many insurers ignore it entirely. Disclose if asked, do not lie, but it is rarely a major impact on the quote.

Compared to declaring three points (which all insurers ask about and most penalise heavily), the course is overwhelmingly the better option. The course costs £90 and might add £20 to your premium for a year or two. Three points adds £100 to £400 a year for five years.

#When the course is not offered

If your speed is too high to qualify (above the upper threshold for the zone), if you have attended a course in the last three years, or if your local force does not run the scheme, you receive a fixed penalty notice instead. Three points and £100. You can accept and pay, or contest in court within twenty-eight days.

For new drivers, contesting can be worth it if you have a genuine defence (camera error, signage issue, mistaken identity). Without a defence, accepting the fixed penalty is usually cheaper than the court costs added to a lost case. Pair this with our new driver 2 year probation guide for what three points means for your licence under the Act.