By James Stevens, Director and Solicitor, Go To Court Lawyers. Last reviewed 14 April 2026.
Key points
- Fines from 1 July 2026 for a car: $153 (10 km/h or less over), $354 (over 10), $608 (over 20), $1,163 (over 30) and $3,135 (over 45). School zone fines are higher.
- Demerit points: 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6 by speed band, one more in a school zone, and at least 4 for learner and provisional drivers. Double demerits apply.
- Suspension: more than 30 km/h over means a 3-month licence suspension; more than 45 km/h over means 6 months, and police can suspend on the spot and impound the car.
- L and P drivers: learners and P1 drivers lose their licence for at least 3 months for any speeding offence; P2 drivers spend 6 more months on P2 for 30 km/h or more over.
- Court: up to $2,200 ($3,300 for more than 45 km/h over), with minimum disqualifications of 3 and 6 months for the top two bands.
- Appeal a suspension to the Local Court before a Transport for NSW suspension starts, or within 28 days of a police suspension.
- For advice on a speeding fine, a suspension appeal or a court date, call 1800 577 015 at any hour: free general legal information, and a 60-minute consultation with a lawyer who practises in NSW for a fixed $295.
In NSW from 1 July 2026, a speeding fine for a car ranges from $153 for 10 km/h or less over the limit to $3,135 for more than 45 km/h over, with 1 to 6 demerit points (more in a school zone); speeding more than 30 km/h over leads to a 3-month licence suspension and more than 45 km/h over to a 6-month suspension, and police can suspend a licence on the spot for more than 45 km/h over.
Checked on 23 October 2026 against Revenue NSW's 2026-27 penalty data, Transport for NSW and Legal Aid NSW.
Speeding fines and demerit points
| Over the limit | Fine from 1 July 2026 | School zone fine | Demerit points (unrestricted licence) | School zone points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 km/h or less | $153 | $252 | 1 | 2 |
| More than 10 km/h | $354 | $455 | 3 | 4 |
| More than 20 km/h | $608 | $757 | 4 | 5 |
| More than 30 km/h | $1,163 | $1,467 | 5 | 6 |
| More than 45 km/h | $3,135 | $3,300 | 6 | 7 |
- These are the penalty notice amounts for cars and other light vehicles in Revenue NSW's data for 2026-27. Heavy vehicles have higher fines.
- Learner and provisional drivers get at least 4 demerit points for any speeding offence.
- Double demerits: Transport for NSW says all speeding offences with demerit points are subject to double demerits during double demerit periods.
- How you can be caught: fixed and mobile speed cameras, average speed cameras, and police. A camera records the vehicle, the date, time, place, direction, speed and speed limit.
Licence suspension for excessive speeding
- More than 30 km/h over: Transport for NSW suspends your licence for 3 months (if police did not suspend it on the spot).
- More than 45 km/h over: a 6-month suspension. Police can suspend a full licence on the spot, and can impound the vehicle or take its number plates.
- Learners and P1 drivers: any speeding offence means a suspension or refusal of at least 3 months. Police can suspend a learner or provisional licence on the spot for more than 30 km/h over (3 months).
- P2 drivers: each time you are caught 30 km/h or more over, you must stay on your P2 licence for an extra 6 months, as well as being suspended.
- When the suspension starts: for a camera offence, Transport for NSW sends a notice of suspension after you pay the fine, or once the time to elect to go to court has passed. Police can also suspend within 48 hours of charging you or giving you a fine.
- Demerit points on top: if the points take you to or over your limit, a separate demerit point suspension can be added to the speeding suspension. See demerit points in NSW.
If the case goes to court
If you elect to take the fine to court, or police charge you with a Court Attendance Notice, a magistrate decides the case. On conviction, the court can impose up to:
| Over the limit | Maximum court fine (light vehicle) | Licence disqualification |
|---|---|---|
| Not more than 30 km/h | $2,200 | No automatic disqualification |
| More than 30 km/h, not more than 45 km/h | $2,200 | 3 months minimum |
| More than 45 km/h | $3,300 ($5,500 for a heavy vehicle) | 6 months minimum |
- A court disqualification is different from a suspension: at the end of a disqualification you must reapply for your licence.
- If police suspended you on the spot and you are charged, the suspension continues until the case is heard, and the court takes the time already served into account.
- Going to court is a real choice with real risks; see how to appeal a traffic fine in NSW for the review and court options.
Appealing a suspension
- Who can appeal: you can appeal to the Local Court against a suspension for speeding more than 30 km/h or more than 45 km/h over the limit, and against an on-the-spot police suspension.
- Deadlines: for a Transport for NSW suspension, file your appeal before the suspension starts. For a police on-the-spot suspension, file within 28 days of the suspension; a late appeal cannot be heard.
- How: use the Local Court application form (online through the NSW Online Registry or in writing) and pay the filing fee; you can ask for the fee to be postponed, waived or remitted for financial hardship.
- Keep off the road: unless the court orders otherwise, you must not drive until your appeal is heard. Driving while suspended is a serious offence, with disqualification, heavy fines and possible imprisonment.
- Not you driving? If someone else was driving your vehicle, you can nominate the driver for a camera offence.
Free help in NSW
| Service | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue NSW, fines not yet overdue | 1300 138 118 | 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday |
| LawAccess NSW (Legal Aid NSW) | 1300 888 529 | 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays |
How Go To Court Lawyers can help
Our free line, 1800 577 015, answers at any hour. Jen, our AI legal information assistant, gives general legal information and takes your details; Jen is not a lawyer and does not give advice about your case. A 60-minute consultation with a lawyer who practises in New South Wales is a fixed $295, by phone, video or in person where the lawyer offers it. The lawyer can advise whether to pay, seek a review or go to court, prepare a licence suspension appeal, and represent you in the Local Court. Requests are taken at any hour; how soon a lawyer can see you depends on who is available. Request a $295 consultation.
General information only, not legal advice. Updated 23 October 2026. Checked against Revenue NSW's penalty notice data for 2026-27; Transport for NSW's speeding demerit table and the NSW Government's offence search; the NSW Government's pages on speeding offences and penalties and on licence suspension and disqualification; Legal Aid NSW's pages on losing your licence and appealing a suspension (updated August 2026); and the Judicial Commission of NSW's Local Court Bench Book on road transport legislation, on 23 October 2026. The NSW legislation website could not be read that day.