TL;DR: Too long, Didn’t read
The Law: The Police must serve a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) to the Registered Keeper within 14 days of the offence.
The Loophole: If the NIP arrives on Day 15 or later, the ticket could be invalid, and you cannot be prosecuted.
The “Lease Car” Trap: The 14-day rule only applies to the first letter sent to the Registered Keeper. If you drive a lease or company car, the letter goes to the lease company first (which counts as “served”).
The Post: The police must prove they posted it in time for it to arrive. Delays by Royal Mail usually don’t count as a defence unless it was shockingly late.
You see the flash. You panic. You wait. Two weeks pass. Nothing. Then, on Day 16, a letter lands on your doormat. It’s a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP). Do you have to pay it? According to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, maybe not. The police have a strict deadline, and if they miss it, you might be off the hook.
What is the 14-Day Rule?
The law states that a Notice of Intended Prosecution must be served on the vehicle‘s Registered Keeper within 14 days of the offence (excluding the day of the offence).
Example: You were caught speeding on the 1st. The NIP must arrive by the 15th.
The Consequence: If it arrives late, the police cannot legally prosecute you for the speeding offence. They can still ask who was driving, but they can’t fine you for the speed.
The Catch: “Registered Keeper” vs. “Driver”
This is where 90% of people get caught out. The 14-day deadline applies to the Registered Keeper (the person named on the V5C Logbook).
If you own the car: You are the keeper. The rule applies to you.
If you lease/rent the car: The lease company is the keeper. The police send the NIP to them first (within 14 days). The lease company then names you, and you get a letter 3 months later.
Verdict: The 14-day rule does not help you here. As long as the first letter was on time, the ticket is valid.
Other Exceptions (Why It Might Be Valid)
Even if it arrives late, the police can still prosecute if:
You moved house: If your V5C logbook has an old address, and the NIP went there first, that is your fault. The ticket stands.
You just bought the car: If the DVLA database hasn’t updated yet, and the police wrote to the previous owner, they are allowed “reasonable diligence.”
Post Strikes: The law assumes a letter arrives in 2 working days. If you claim it arrived late, you have to prove it (e.g., keeping the envelope with the postmark).
Step 1: Check the “Date of Issue”
Look at the letter.
Date of Offence: 1st January.
Date of Issue: 10th January.
Date Received: 16th January. In this case, the police issued it on time. The delay was Royal Mail. This is harder to fight (Gidden v Chief Constable of Humberside proved it’s possible, but it’s a court battle).
Step 2: The “RAC Letter” (How to Challenge)
If you are the Registered Keeper, your address is correct, and the Date of Issue on the letter is clearly after the 14-day window (e.g., Day 15):
Do NOT ignore it. You must still reply to name the driver (failing to identify the driver is a separate offence worth 6 points).
Reply with a cover letter:
“I am returning the NIP. I have identified myself as the driver. However, the NIP was served on [Date], which is outside the 14-day limit required by Section 1 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988. Therefore, the prosecution is time-barred. Please confirm no further action will be taken.”
Summary: Count the Days
Don’t just pay it blindly.
Check the V5C. (Is your address right?).
Check the Date. (Did it arrive after Day 14?).
Check the Owner. (Is it a lease?).
(Sources: RAC – Speeding Ticket Rules, Gov.uk – Speeding Penalties)
This guide is for information purposes only. We are not lawyers. If you are facing a ban (12 points), seek legal advice.