What is a NIP speeding Scotland?
If you have received a 'Notice of Intended Prosecution' (NIP) this is because you are the last known registered keeper of a vehicle that was detected committing an alleged speeding or red traffic light offence. We are required to send the NIP so that you will receive it within 14 days of the date of the offence stated.
When you receive an NIP it does not automatically mean that you are going to face prosecution, it is a warning that you may face prosecution. The NIP must be served within 14 days of the offence, otherwise the offence cannot proceed at court.
If you're caught speeding by a camera, you'll be sent a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) within 14 days along with a section 172 notice. You have to fill in and return the section 172 notice within 28 days telling the police who was driving the car. Failing to do this may mean you have to go to court.
Key Points
Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) must be received by the vehicle's registered owner within 14 days of the speeding offence. If NIP is received after 14 days, the offender can't be fined, given penalty points, or prosecuted in court.
If you don't pay, we can: clamp your car or vehicle and ultimately sell it to repay your fine. contact your employer and arrest your wages. contact your bank and arrange for any assets to be frozen.
The warning can be issued to any person over the age of 16. It is not a finding of guilt but is an alternative to prosecution and will be recorded on the Criminal History System for a period of two years and can be taken into account should the offender come to the further notice of the police.
Key Points
Police must send a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) within 14 days of the alleged speeding offence. If no NIP is received within 14 days, the driver cannot be prosecuted for the offence.
Speed camera tolerances
For those that do, the tolerance is usually 10% over plus 2 mph. A few examples of how tolerance can work; in a limit of 70 mph, + 10% tolerance can mean you could be travelling at 79 mph before you get a fine, the same in a 30 mph limit, you could drive 35 mph before getting a fine.
2023 Laws. You can challenge a speeding fine in Scotland by taking the matter to court. To do this, you need a good reason for the appeal and solid evidence.
They use radar technology to measure how fast a vehicle is travelling. If a vehicle is exceeding the speed limit for a given road, a camera and high powered flash take two photographs of the rear as it passes. The cameras only take rear facing photographs so the high powered flash doesn't blind drivers.
How long does it take for NIP to arrive?
You should receive your Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) and a Section 172 notice inside of 14 days of your car being caught speeding.
The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and 3 penalty points added to your licence. Typically drivers can expect this for minor instances of Speeding in Scotland. As a very rough guide, if you are less than 20mph in excess of the limit then you may get offered a fixed penalty.

Q: How will I know if I have been detected speeding? A: If a vehicle is detected exceeding the speed limit, a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) will be sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle within 14 days of the alleged offence taking place.
There were 14,999 detected speeding offences by average speed cameras on the A9 from January 1, 2019 to October 25, this year. The number of fines issued by Safety Cameras Scotland for this period was 10,059. Police Scotland said data for the period prior to 2019 is no longer held by the force.
Speeding in Scotland is a criminal offence, and that is a surprise to many people. Most people think penalty points for speeding is a small deal.
Average Speed Cameras
These cameras are used at permanent locations to control speeds on routes with a collision history and on a temporary basis at major roadworks to manage speeds through areas where narrow lanes and contraflows can affect safety.
The US Embassy advises that they expect you to declare any arrests or convictions, regardless of the nature of the offence or the length of time that has elapsed. Note that the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 does not apply to US visa law, so even convictions which may be deemed as spent would need to be declared.
Access to the UK Police National Computer (PNC)
However, the United States authorities are able to seek details of any criminal convictions held on the Police National Computer on an individual request basis through Interpol channels.
The UK Miranda Rights is referred to as the 'Police Caution'. After a suspect is placed under arrest they must have the police caution recited to them, which goes as follows: “You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court.
If you are caught speeding and pay the Fixed Penalty within 28 days or attend the speed awareness course to avoid points on your licence, it will not be put on your criminal record. However, if the fine is not paid and you are taken to court and found guilty, this will be recorded as a criminal conviction.
Do police have to provide evidence for speeding UK?
Each force operates under their own guidance and although they are not obliged to provide the photographic evidence, some will. However, many forces will not release photographic evidence unless the ticket is challenged (plead not guilty).
In order to be convicted a police officer must also provide evidence which corroborates his opinion that you were speeding. Speeding is the only offence under English Law which requires evidence of corroboration.
Scottish speed limits
Single carriageways: 60 mph (97 km/hr) Motorways and dual carriageways: 70 mph (113 km/hr)
Most police forces have a tolerance of 10% plus 2 mph above the limit before a speed camera 'flashes'. So on a 30 mph road, a camera wouldn't normally activate unless a car drove past at 35 mph or faster. On a 70 mph stretch of motorway, the threshold would go up to 79 mph.
The minimum penalty for speeding or running a red-light is a £100 fine and three penalty points added to your licence.
If you ignore the letter/notice
It's an offence to fail to provide driver details. A conviction will mean six penalty points will be added to your licence and you could be fined.
It should take no less than six seconds to travel between these two points at an average speed of 70mph. This means it is no use speeding along before then slowing down as you pass the camera – your average speed will still be too high. There's no way to beat the system.
If you don't pay a fine
If you don't pay a court fine, the procurator fiscal can issue a warrant for your arrest. This might happen if several fines have remained unpaid for some time and you haven't contacted a fine enforcement officer.
Every speed camera location in Scotland revealed as drivers warned of over 500. Motorists should be aware they may still get caught for speeding wherever they travel to in Scotland, no matter how far remote or populated. Invalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.
There's no way to check if you've been caught speeding, you will have to wait and see if you receive notice from the local police force in the post, which you should receive within 14 days.
Does a speed camera flash always mean a ticket UK?
A speed camera flash is a visual indication that a vehicle's speed has been captured by a speed camera. It is not a guarantee that a speeding ticket will be issued, but it is a warning that the vehicle's speed has been recorded.
A nip is a small amount of a strong alcoholic drink. She had a habit of taking an occasional nip from a flask of cognac. Synonyms: dram, shot [informal], drop, taste More Synonyms of nip.
As speed cameras – including speed guns – can measure your speed without the need for a visible flash, there is no way of telling if they are working.
Possible defences for speeding tickets: You can contest a ticket by showing that the notice was sent late, you weren't exceeding the speed limit, or you weren't driving the vehicle at the time. Consider contesting your ticket in court: It's worth fighting a speeding ticket if you have a valid defence.
The clear and obvious safety benefits revealed through the 20mph trial undertaken across the Borders has led to the reduced speed limit being made permanent across the region as of 16 January 2023.
If you're caught by a speed camera
You must return the Section 172 notice within 28 days, telling the police who was driving the car. You may have to go to court if you ignore the notice. After you've sent the Section 172 notice back, you'll be sent either a: Fixed Penalty Notice ( FPN )
4 years from the date of offence.
Accepting a Speeding Fixed Penalty Notice
If you accept a Speeding Fixed Penalty Notice the court will endorse 3 points on your licence and take payment of the fine – currently £100. These points are part of your DVLA record and the points will be written on the paper part of your licence – the “counterpart”.
Contact the Fines Enforcement Team by emailing us at finesenforcement@scotcourts.gov.uk or by calling 0300 790 0014 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).
How serious is a fixed penalty notice?
Fixed penalty tickets/notices (FPT /FPN) may be issued for road traffic offences, and offer an opportunity to settle an offence without the need to go through the court system. If you pay a fixed penalty ticket, all liability for the offence is discharged and the offence doesn't form part of your criminal record.
Key Points. Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) are issued for various motorist offences but are not a criminal offence and won't give you a criminal record. FPNs carry fines ranging from £50 to £300, and may add points to your license or result in attending a speed awareness course.
However TRUVELO Speed cameras can take a photograph of you approaching and this can be from either side of the road. More common in the east of Scotland but being used more and more due to cot being lower than the GATSO and the fact that they can “Shoot” in either direction.
The 10% rule
On paper, as soon as you go over the speed limit, you're committing a driving offence. In reality, however, there can be some leeway. That's because the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) urges police officers to use their discretion when dealing with drivers who break the speed limit.
If you have passed a speed camera and were exceeding the speed limit, it may or may not have flashed. The only way you will know for certain that you have been caught is when the registered keeper of the vehicle receives a Note of Intended Prosecution (NIP).
Possible defences for speeding tickets: You can contest a ticket by showing that the notice was sent late, you weren't exceeding the speed limit, or you weren't driving the vehicle at the time. Consider contesting your ticket in court: It's worth fighting a speeding ticket if you have a valid defence.
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