Speed awareness course cost: How much is a speed awareness course?

If you’ve been caught speeding, you may be offered a speed awareness course as an alternative to points on your licence. But how much does a speed awareness course cost? And what actually happens on the day?

In this guide we’ll answer all your key speed awareness course questions and answers, covering prices to eligibility, car insurance implications and more.

A speed awareness course is a classroom or online session offered to some drivers caught speeding, instead of receiving penalty points and a fine.

The aim is to educate drivers on the dangers of speeding, encouraging safer behaviour in the future. You can’t request one. You’ll only be offered it if you meet certain criteria set by the police.

Speed awareness course cost

The cost of a speed awareness course typically ranges from £80 to £120 depending on where you live and which provider you use.

You pay the fee directly to the course provider.

While it's not exactly cheap, many drivers feel it's worth it to avoid penalty points and the potential impact on insurance premiums.

Paying Fixed Penalty Notice

If you're comparing a speed awareness course vs a Fixed Penalty Notice, there is not a lot of difference in the cost, but there are other things to consider.

If you accept the fixed penalty notice for speeding rather than attending a course, you’ll usually have to pay a £100 fine. And you'll get three points added to your licence.

So you'll be paying around the same to go on a speed awareness course, but you won't get the three points. NimbleFins research found car insurance for those with a driving conviction isusually 20% higher than those with a clean licence. And three points last on your licence for four years, so that could affect your premiums for years to come.

Read more: Driving Licence Points: Everything you Need to Know

How long is a speed awareness course

Most speed awareness courses last around three hours, whether held in-person or online.

There are usually short breaks included, but you must attend the full session to successfully complete the course and avoid three points on your licence.

Why was I not offered a speed awareness course?

Not everyone caught speeding is eligible. Reasons you may not have been offered a speed awareness course include:

Speed awareness course limits

Eligibility usually depends on how much you were exceeding the speed limit by.

Speed awareness course limits for 70mph are typically up to 86mph.

And if you are caught doing 40 in a 30 speed limit you can still go to a speed awareness course as the limit in a 30mph zone is usually 42mph.

These limits can vary slightly by police force and limits are always at their discretion.

Do you have to declare speed awareness course to insurance?

It is not a legal requirement to declare a speed awareness course to you insurance, however you must tell them if asked.

NimbleFins previously wrote an article explaining how lying to a car insurance provider about a speed awareness course could invalidate your car insurance.

You can read about that here: The speed awareness course rule you must follow or risk invalidating car insurance

While some insurers will ask whether you've taken a speed awareness course, it won't usually affect the cost of car insurance as much as having penalty points would.

Read more: Convicted Driver Insurance Guide

How often can you do a speed awareness course?

You can only take a speed awareness course once every three years - or put another way, twice in 3 years is not allowed.

If you're caught speeding again within that period, you’ll likely receive penalty points instead.

Do you have to take the speed awareness course in the police area where you were caught?

No, you don't necessarily have to take the speed awareness course in the same police jurisdiction where you were caught speeding. Most courses are part of the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS), which means you can usually book your course with any approved provider across England, Wales and Scotland.

This flexibility is especially helpful if you live or work far from where the offence happened.

If you choose an in-person course, it’s obviously easier to pick a location that’s convenient for you. If you choose an online course, you can complete it from anywhere as long as you meet the technical requirements.

Speed awareness course online

Many speed awareness courses are now offered online.

The content is the same as an in-person course but delivered via video conferencing.

To be able to do your course online you'll need:

Beware though - you won't be able to just log in and switch off - you must engage fully with the course. Multitasking or not paying attention could result in failing to complete it successfully. You will likely be asked to keep your microphone and video on at all times, and have to respond to questions throughout the course.

What happens on a speed awareness course online?

The online speed awareness course is typically run as a small group session, usually with around eight to 10 participants.

A trained course leader guides the session, delivering presentations on key topics such as stopping distances, road safety, and the consequences of speeding.

Throughout the session, you’ll take part in group discussions and interactive activities designed to help you reflect on your driving behaviour and encourage safer habits. You'll also learn tips on how to avoid speeding during common scenarios such as tailgating.

There’s no formal test at the end, but you may be asked questions and you are expected to engage fully and participate throughout to successfully complete the course.

Speed awareness course Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, speed awareness courses are available online or in-person, but only at eight locations. They cost about £87.

In April 2025, Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) launched a road safety campaign after discovering 10% of serious or fatal injuries on roads were due to speeding. In the first three months of 2025 there was an average of one road fatalities every nine days and 300 people were caught speeding every day, the Belfast Telegraph reported.

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