SECTION 172 · 28-DAY DEADLINE
Section 172 notice deadline calculator and the 28 day rule
A Section 172 requirement asks the named recipient for driver information. Its response period is separate from the NIP 14-day service rule.
Checked against primary legal sources for England and Wales · Updated 5 September 2026 · How we review content
Section 172(7) ordinarily requires the information to be supplied within 28 days of service of the requirement, or within any longer period the police allow. Use the actual document and its service position—do not simply add 28 days to the alleged offence date or the date printed on a combined NIP.
Confirm what you received and what is due
Answer a short series of questions to identify the notice and build a private next-step checklist. No account or upload required.
Ordinarily concerns service of the first NIP where section 1 applies.
Ordinarily runs from service of the Section 172 requirement.
Section 172 deadline calculator
Enter the date you believe the written requirement was served. The calculator identifies calendar day 28 by counting the service date as day 1. Check the actual notice and service evidence before relying on the result.
Important: This is an organising calculation, not a legal determination of service or the deadline. Use the date and instructions on the actual requirement, allow for any longer period expressly permitted, and send earlier. If service is disputed, the date has passed or court papers have arrived, obtain case specific advice promptly.
Calculate and protect your Section 172 response deadline
- Keep every page and the envelope, and record the date the requirement actually arrived.
- Identify the named recipient and follow the response method printed on that person’s notice.
- Keep a complete copy and reliable proof of posting or electronic submission.
Check which online response your notice supports
Northamptonshire Police reports online nominations from 2020 and online admissions from 2023 for Safer Roads Team offences. The disclosure does not cover every officer issued notice or establish availability throughout 2023. Check the instructions on your own notice and retain submission evidence.
Gwent: reminders and court referrals are different measures
GoSafe reported 9,245 reminders and 2,585 Section 172 court referrals in the Gwent area in 2025. Camera detected seatbelt offences are excluded. The figures are not convictions, MS90 endorsements or linked recipient outcomes.
The disclosure describes no online response facility during 2023 to 2025. Check the instructions on your current notice rather than assuming that historical position still applies.
Should I wait for a reminder?
Do not plan around receiving a reminder. West Yorkshire Police stated that reminders are not sent in the camera enforcement process covered by FOI 3144664/26. The statement does not cover every type of motoring investigation.
Check your current notice, preserve service and response evidence, and contact the issuing office promptly if there is a problem.
When does the 28-day period start?
The statute refers to 28 days from service of the requirement, not 28 days from the alleged offence. The date printed on the notice, the method of service, the actual arrival date and any instructions on the document should all be preserved.
An online calculation is only an organising aid. Where arrival, service or the permitted period is disputed, obtain case-specific advice and contact the issuing office about procedure without allowing more time to pass.
Is the Section 172 deadline the same as the NIP 14-day rule?
No. The NIP warns of possible prosecution and, for offences within section 1 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, the first notice is ordinarily subject to a 14-day service rule. The Section 172 requirement asks for driver information and ordinarily allows 28 days from service.
The documents are frequently printed together, which is why the two clocks are often confused. A possible problem with the NIP does not safely remove the separate obligation to respond to a valid Section 172 requirement.
What if I am not the driver?
The requirement is addressed to the recipient, not automatically to the person who was driving. Respond truthfully in the form and manner required. Do not pass the notice to somebody else and assume that this ends the named recipient’s obligation.
What if I am not sure who was driving?
Do not guess. Begin reasonable checks promptly and retain a dated record of what was examined. Depending on the facts, this may include diaries, work records, receipts, messages, location history, insurance information and access to the vehicle.
Uncertainty does not automatically extend the deadline. Obtain regulated advice before the period expires if identification remains genuinely difficult.
What if the period has already passed?
Do not ignore the paperwork because it is late. Preserve the reason for the delay, respond to any continuing request as promptly as possible, keep proof, and obtain advice. If an SJPN, summons or requisition has arrived, check every charge and court deadline before choosing a plea.
What are the consequences of failing to respond?
Failure to provide driver information can be prosecuted separately from the underlying motoring allegation. Conviction ordinarily carries six penalty points and a fine, with possible insurance and disqualification consequences. The precise legal position is fact-sensitive.
Turn your paperwork into a clear next-step checklist.
Preserve the notice, dates and response record
Build a notice chronology, deadline record, document checklist and concise solicitor briefing in NoticeReady Case. It does not determine whether the notice is valid.
QUICK ANSWERS
Frequently asked questions
Do I have 28 days from the date on the Section 172 notice?
Not necessarily. The statute ordinarily refers to 28 days from service of the requirement. Preserve the printed date, actual arrival date, envelope and instructions.
Does a late NIP mean I can ignore Section 172?
No. A potential NIP service issue does not normally remove the separate duty to respond to a valid driver-information requirement.
Does a reminder restart the 28 days?
Do not assume that it does. A reminder may allow administrative time, but the original requirement and the issuing body’s position must be checked.