NOTICE OF INTENDED PROSECUTION
Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP): what it means and what to do
A NIP warns that prosecution is being considered. It often arrives with a separate Section 172 request to identify the driver. The 14 day and 28 day rules do different jobs.
Checked against primary legal sources for England and Wales · Updated 13 August 2026 · How we review content
Check who the notice is addressed to, preserve the notice and envelope, and protect the driver information deadline. The first NIP is ordinarily subject to a 14 day service rule where the legislation applies. A Section 172 request usually requires a response within 28 days. A possible problem with the NIP does not safely justify ignoring the Section 172 request.
Check the 14 day dates instantly
Review the offence date, arrival date, delivery method and registered keeper position. No account, case reference or upload.
Protect the NIP and Section 172 deadlines first
- Record the alleged offence date, notice date, delivery date and response deadline.
- Check the addressee, vehicle registration and whether you are the registered keeper.
- Keep every page and the envelope, then use the free checker to identify the next step.
What have I received?
A Notice of Intended Prosecution is a formal warning that prosecution may be brought for a specified road traffic offence. It is commonly used after a speed camera allegation, but the statutory warning requirement also covers certain other offences.
The NIP is not itself a fine, a conviction or an admission of guilt. It identifies the alleged offence and warns of possible prosecution. In many camera cases the same paperwork also contains a Section 172 requirement asking for the identity of the driver. That request is a separate legal obligation.
What should I do today?
- Read every page and identify the person or company to whom it is addressed.
- Write down the alleged offence date, the notice date and the date it arrived.
- Check the vehicle registration, location and alleged offence details.
- Confirm who is recorded as the registered keeper on the V5C registration certificate.
- Find the Section 172 response deadline and do not confuse it with the NIP 14 day rule.
- Keep the envelope, a complete copy of the response and proof of submission.
How does the NIP 14 day rule work?
For an offence to which section 1 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 applies, the driver must ordinarily have been warned at the time or a notice must be served on the accused or registered keeper within 14 days of the commission of the offence.
The rule concerns service of the first notice. It does not mean that every later notice must reach every nominated driver within 14 days. Section 2 also contains exceptions, so a notice that appears late is not automatically invalid.
Service and keeper records matter. Check the V5C name and address, the date on which those details became current, the identity of the first recipient and any evidence about posting or delivery. Do not assume that the date printed on the notice proves the date of service.
Why a company, lease or hire car changes the 14 day check
If the vehicle is leased, hired or provided by an employer, you may not be the registered keeper. The first notice may have gone to a leasing company, hire company or employer, which then identified you. Your notice can arrive outside 14 days even though the first notice was served in time.
The same issue can arise after a recent purchase or address change. The police may have used the keeper details available from DVLA at the relevant time. Establish the document trail before relying on a late NIP argument.
What is the separate Section 172 duty?
Section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 allows the police to require information about the identity of the driver. The recipient ordinarily has 28 days from service to provide the information, although the document itself should be read carefully.
Naming the driver is not, by itself, an admission of the underlying speeding offence. Equally, disputing the NIP or believing it arrived late does not normally suspend the duty to provide driver information. Failing to respond can create a separate and often more serious problem.
What if I was not driving or cannot immediately identify the driver?
If you were not driving, respond accurately in the form and manner required rather than passing the notice informally to somebody else. The legal requirement is directed to the named recipient.
If the driver is genuinely uncertain, do not guess. Start checking promptly. Relevant material may include diaries, work records, messages, receipts, location history, insurance records and who had access to the vehicle. Keep a dated note of the reasonable steps taken and obtain specialist advice before the deadline.
What happens after the driver is named?
The police may take no further action, offer an educational course, issue a conditional offer of fixed penalty or begin court proceedings. A course is discretionary and depends on the circumstances and local policy.
The minimum speeding penalty is normally £100 and three penalty points, but higher speeds or other features can lead to court. The NoticeReady checker can identify the document and organise the dates. It cannot predict which disposal the police will choose.
When should I speak to a motoring solicitor?
Prompt advice is sensible where the first notice appears late, the registered keeper details are complicated, the driver cannot be identified, the response may be overdue, the alleged speed is high, existing points create a disqualification risk or court papers have arrived.
A regulated solicitor can advise on the particular evidence and legal options. NoticeReady provides legal information and preparation support, not representation.
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
What is a Notice of Intended Prosecution?
A Notice of Intended Prosecution, usually called a NIP, warns that prosecution is being considered for a specified road traffic offence. It is not a conviction or a finding of guilt. In camera detected cases it commonly arrives with a separate Section 172 request for driver information.
Does a NIP have to arrive within 14 days?
Where section 1 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 applies, the first notice is ordinarily served on the registered keeper or the accused within 14 days of the alleged offence. Exceptions may apply, and a later notice to a nominated driver can arrive outside 14 days.
Do I have 14 days or 28 days to respond?
The 14 day rule concerns service of the first NIP. The usual 28 day period concerns the separate Section 172 duty to provide driver information. It is important not to confuse them.
Can I ignore the Section 172 request if the NIP arrived late?
No. A possible defect in the NIP does not normally remove the separate duty to respond to a valid Section 172 request. Preserve the dates and obtain advice before relying on late service.
What if the vehicle is leased, hired or registered to a company?
The first NIP may have been sent to the registered keeper, leasing company or employer within 14 days. A later notice naming you can therefore arrive after 14 days without necessarily being invalid.
Does a NIP mean I will be prosecuted?
No. It is a warning that prosecution may follow. After the driver is identified, the matter may end with no further action, a course offer, a conditional fixed penalty or court proceedings, depending on the facts and the relevant policy.
What should I keep after receiving a NIP?
Keep the complete notice, its envelope, copies of every response, proof of posting or online submission, photographs supplied by the police and any later course, penalty or court documents.