Is there a time limit for receiving a Notice of Intended Prosecution?
Section 1(1) of the Road Traffic Offenders Act requires that a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) must be served within 14 days of the commission of the offence. This means it must be posted to reach the defendant by ordinary post within 14 days. This excludes the day of the offence. It must be served on the last known address of the registered keeper obtained from the Department of Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). It must be noted the 14 day rule applies only to the registered keeper of the vehicle and not subsequently nominated drivers. Exception to the rule: Sections 2(3) and 2(4) of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 provide an exception to the rule. When the name and address of the registered keeper cannot be obtained in order to serve the Notice within the correct timescales, providing the Unit has shown reasonable diligence in trying to obtain this information within 14 days, any conviction will stand and the Notice will be deemed as served.
