SP30: What It Does to Your Car Insurance
SP30 — exceeding the statutory speed limit on a public road — is the UK's most common conviction code, and the gentlest on your premium: a single SP30 with 3 points typically adds 5–15%. The trap isn't the loading; it's the paperwork — declare it for five years, every time, or the points become the least of your problems.
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Premium data: Quotezone Car Insurance Price Index, Q2 2026 · updated July 2026 · quotes via Quotezone (FCA FRN 313860)
SP30 at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What it means | Exceeding the statutory speed limit on a public road (SP50 is the motorway version) |
| Points | 3–6 (3 for a fixed penalty; more via court for higher speeds) |
| Typical premium impact | +5–15% for a single 3-point SP30; a second one roughly doubles that |
| Stays on your licence | 4 years from the date of offence |
| Declare to insurers for | As long as their question asks — almost always 5 years from conviction |
| Fine | £100 fixed penalty (court fines are means-based and can be far higher) |
One SP30 barely moves some insurers — so compare
The market disagrees with itself about minor speeding more than about almost anything else: some insurers load a single SP30 near zero, others by 20%+. That spread is your opportunity — a conviction is precisely when auto-renewing costs most.
A speed-awareness course is not an SP30
Offered a course instead of the fixed penalty? Taking it means no conviction, no points, and nothing to declare to the standard "any motoring convictions?" question. A small number of insurers ask specifically about courses — answer whatever question is actually asked, truthfully.
The two clocks are different lengths
Licence: an SP30 stays 4 years from the offence date. Insurance: you declare it for the period the insurer's question covers, almost always 5 years from conviction. Year five is the awkward one — still declarable to insurers even once it may have expired from your record.
Don't round it away
An undeclared SP30 discovered at claim time — insurers can check the DVLA record via your licence number — is grounds to void the policy. No 15% saving survives that. See the full points and convictions guide for how declaring works.
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SP30: What It Does to Your Car Insurance — frequently asked questions
How much does an SP30 increase car insurance?
Typically 5–15% for a single 3-point SP30 — often the difference of £30–£90 on an average premium. Two speeding convictions push into the 20–40% range, and six points from one offence (a court-issued SP30 for a big excess) prices harder. The insurer-to-insurer spread is wide, so compare rather than accept the renewal.
How long do I declare an SP30 for?
Five years from conviction with almost every insurer — that's the standard question window, even though the points leave your licence after four years from the offence. Answer the exact question asked; when the window passes, you legitimately stop declaring it.
Do I need to tell my insurer about an SP30 mid-policy?
Check your policy: most insurers require new convictions at renewal, some require immediate notification. Telling them is never wrong — a mid-term adjustment (often zero) beats a voided claim later.
Does a speed-awareness course affect insurance?
For most insurers, no — the course isn't a conviction and doesn't answer "any motoring convictions?" A handful ask specifically whether you've taken one; only those get told. If you're offered the course, it's almost always the better deal for your premium.
What's the difference between SP30 and SP50?
The road: SP30 covers public roads generally, SP50 is speeding on a motorway. Insurers treat them near-identically — the points and recency matter far more than which SP code it is.
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