Speeding
31 mph in a 20 mph limit
Checked on 7 September 2026.Sentencing Council for England and Wales, Speeding (Revised 2017) (as of 24 April 2017)
Is 31 mph in a 20 mph limit band A, B or C?
Band B. On a 20 mph limit the guideline puts 21 to 30 mph in band A, 31 to 40 in band B and 41 and above in band C, and 31 falls in band B.
The band decides the sentence only if the case reaches a magistrates' court. Most speeding is dealt with by a fixed penalty or a course, and neither of those is set by the guideline.
Band B fines, points and disqualification
| Fine starting point | 100 per cent of relevant weekly income |
| Fine range | 75 to 125 per cent of relevant weekly income |
| Penalty points | 4 to 6 points |
| Disqualification | Disqualify 7 to 28 days |
| Statutory maximum | £1,000, or £2,500 on a motorway |
Sentencing Council for England and Wales, Speeding (Revised 2017) (as of 24 April 2017); Sentencing Council for England and Wales, Approach to fines: 2. Fine bands (as of 7 September 2026); Sentencing Council for England and Wales, Approach to fines: 3. Definition of relevant weekly income (as of 7 September 2026); National Police Chiefs' Council, Guidance on the enforcement and disposal of speeding offences (2025), version 2.0 (as of 31 July 2025); GOV.UK, Speeding penalties (as of 7 September 2026); legislation.gov.uk, Sentencing Act 2020, section 122: the standard scale of fines for summary offences (as of 1 December 2020); legislation.gov.uk, Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, Schedule 2: prosecution and punishment of offences (as of 7 September 2026); UK Road Offender Education, The courses: National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (as of 7 September 2026)
Estimated court fines by weekly income
| Weekly income after tax | Starting point | Range |
|---|---|---|
| £300 | £300 | £225 to £375 |
| £500 | £500 | £375 to £625 |
| £900 | £900 | £675 to £1,000 |
A court with no information about income assumes £440 a week. Where the only source is state benefit, or net income is £120 a week or less, the income is deemed to be £120.
Sentencing Council for England and Wales, Speeding (Revised 2017) (as of 24 April 2017); Sentencing Council for England and Wales, Approach to fines: 2. Fine bands (as of 7 September 2026); Sentencing Council for England and Wales, Approach to fines: 3. Definition of relevant weekly income (as of 7 September 2026)
Where this speed sits on the enforcement table
- 31mph in a 20mph limit sits in band B of the Sentencing Council grid.
- A speed awareness course is normally offered between 24mph and 31mph here, and this speed is inside that window. The offer is the force's decision, and it is unavailable to anybody who took a course in the previous three years.
- No weekly income was given, so the fine is shown as the guideline shows it, as a percentage of relevant weekly income. A court with no information at all assumes £440 a week.
- The fine is capped at £1,000, and at £2,500 where the offence was on a motorway.
Common questions
- What happens if I am caught doing 31 in a 20?
- It sits inside the window where a speed awareness course is normally offered on a 20 mph limit, which runs from 24 to 31 mph. The offer is the force's decision, and it is unavailable if you took a course in the previous three years.
- How many points is 31 in a 20?
- Band B carries 4 to 6 points, or the court can disqualify instead: disqualify 7 to 28 days. A fixed penalty, where one is offered, is 3 points.
- How is the fine calculated?
- As a percentage of relevant weekly income: a starting point of 100 per cent within a range of 75 to 125 per cent. It is capped at £1,000, or £2,500 on a motorway.
- Does the speedometer reading matter?
- No. The recorded speed is what the device measured. Type approved devices are allowed a positive error of 2 mph, or 3 per cent above 66 mph, which is a measurement allowance rather than a permitted margin over the limit.
Sources
- Sentencing Council for England and Wales, Speeding (Revised 2017) (as of 24 April 2017)
- Sentencing Council for England and Wales, Approach to fines: 2. Fine bands (as of 7 September 2026)
- Sentencing Council for England and Wales, Approach to fines: 3. Definition of relevant weekly income (as of 7 September 2026)
- National Police Chiefs' Council, Guidance on the enforcement and disposal of speeding offences (2025), version 2.0 (as of 31 July 2025)
- GOV.UK, Speeding penalties (as of 7 September 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk, Sentencing Act 2020, section 122: the standard scale of fines for summary offences (as of 1 December 2020)
- legislation.gov.uk, Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, Schedule 2: prosecution and punishment of offences (as of 7 September 2026)
- UK Road Offender Education, The courses: National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (as of 7 September 2026)