Speed limits for cars
| Road | Car | Car towing a caravan or trailer |
|---|---|---|
| Built-up area (England and Scotland) | 30 mph | 30 mph |
| Built-up area (Wales) | 20 mph | 20 mph |
| Single carriageway | 60 mph | 50 mph |
| Dual carriageway | 70 mph | 60 mph |
| Motorway | 70 mph | 60 mph |
Unless signs show a different limit.
Speed limits are one of the easiest areas of the theory test to get marks in, once you know the table and the few rules for when a limit applies without a sign. They're also one of the easiest to lose marks in by guessing, because the limits change with the type of vehicle and whether it's towing.
These figures are from rule 124 of the Highway Code.
Roads with street lights
On roads with street lights, the limit is 30 mph in England and Scotland and 20 mph in Wales, unless signs show otherwise. This doesn't apply to motorways. So if you turn into a lit road and haven't seen a sign, assume the built-up limit.
Councils can set different limits locally, so you'll also see 20 mph limits in some built-up areas of England and Scotland, 30 mph limits on some roads in Wales, and 50 mph limits on single carriageways with known hazards.
The national speed limit sign
The white circle with a black diagonal stripe means the national speed limit applies. It doesn't show a number because the limit depends on the road and your vehicle: for a car, it's 60 mph on a single carriageway and 70 mph on a dual carriageway or motorway.
A number in a red ring is a maximum you must not go over. A number on a blue circle is a minimum speed. A speed shown on a rectangular plate under a warning sign, such as before a bend, is advice for that hazard rather than a legal limit, but it's there for a reason.
Limits for other vehicles
Other vehicles have lower limits on faster roads. The ones that come up most in the car test:
| Vehicle | Single carriageway | Dual carriageway | Motorway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cars and motorcycles | 60 mph | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| Cars towing caravans or trailers | 50 mph | 60 mph | 60 mph |
| Motorhomes up to 3.05 tonnes unladen | 60 mph | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| Motorhomes over 3.05 tonnes unladen | 50 mph | 60 mph | 70 mph |
| Buses, coaches and minibuses up to 12 metres long | 50 mph | 60 mph | 70 mph* |
| Goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes | 50 mph | 60 mph | 70 mph** |
| Goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes (England and Wales) | 50 mph | 60 mph | 60 mph |
| Goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes (Scotland) | 40 mph | 50 mph | 60 mph |
* 60 mph if over 12 metres long. ** 60 mph if articulated or towing a trailer. In built-up areas, all of these follow the 30 mph limit (20 mph in Wales).
Variable limits on motorways
Some motorways and dual carriageways use electronic signs to change the limit to manage traffic or protect people ahead. A limit shown in a red ring on these signs is a legal maximum, just like a fixed sign.
A limit isn't a target
The Highway Code is clear that the speed limit is the absolute maximum, not a speed that's always safe. You should slow down when:
- the road layout or condition brings hazards, such as bends
- you're sharing the road with people walking, cycling or riding horses, or with motorcyclists, especially children, older people or disabled people
- the weather makes it safer to do so
- it's dark and harder to see other road users.
Speed also changes how far it takes to stop. Our stopping distances guide has the figures and a calculator.
What the theory test asks
- What's the national speed limit for a car on a dual carriageway? 70 mph.
- And on a single carriageway? 60 mph.
- What's the limit for a car towing a caravan on a motorway? 60 mph.
- On a road with street lights and no signs, what's the limit? 30 mph (20 mph in Wales).
- What does a number in a blue circle mean? A minimum speed.
The app's Rules of the Road topic has practice questions on speed limits, each with an explanation.
Sources
Rules and fees can change. If anything here differs from GOV.UK, GOV.UK is right. How we write our guides.