Motoring offences charging information

We offer advice and representation at competitive rates. This is an important consideration as public funding is rarely available for minor motoring offences. We are flexible in the service we provide to fit with your needs. For example, we can give you advice prior to a court appearance, represent you in court on a fixed fee basis or take formal instructions for handling the whole case.

The fees detailed below relate only to minor road traffic offences – these are cases that will be heard only in a Magistrates' Court. The fees do not include advice on more serious offences which are tried in the Crown Court.

We offer a fixed fee for up to one hour of advice to consider whether a driving summons has been properly issued and provide advice in relation to plea.  The fixed fee differs depending upon the solicitor and fees range from £240 per hour plus VAT to £450 per hour plus VAT.

The fixed fee is applicable to minor offences such as:

• speeding offences
• driving using a mobile telephone
• failing to observe a road sign
• receipt of a notice of intended prosecution

The fixed fee does not apply to more complex driving offences.

If you are charged with a minor motoring offence and intend to plead guilty we can offer a fixed fee to represent you in court in some instances. 

If you are to attend a Magistrates’ Court in London we can offer a fixed fee to include up to four hours work. The fixed fee differs depending upon the solicitor advising and fees range from £720 plus VAT to £1,400 plus VAT.

The fixed fee would include:

• taking your instructions
• preparing a plea and mitigation to present before the court

Please note that a fixed fee includes attending court for a single sentence hearing only.  If for some reason the sentence does not go ahead and is adjourned to another date that is not included within the fixed fee.

Courts that are further afield will require more specific estimates to take travel requirements into account.

There are of course always some sentences which are more complex and require further preparation. Such cases will fall outside of the above time estimate and a separate fee estimate can be provided.

Trials where you plead not guilty are more complex. Even in minor road traffic cases there are a number of variables that need to be considered. However, if the matter is straightforward then the usual estimate of the time in preparing for and representing you at trial is somewhere in the region of 10–15 hours’ work.

Our hourly rates are dependent upon the level of experience of the lawyer advising, ranging from £240 per hour plus VAT to £450 per hour plus VAT.

Our work would include:

• advising on the evidence
• taking your instructions
• preparing for trial
• taking statements from potential defence witnesses
• conferences with counsel
• the instruction of experts that may be require

These fees do not include counsel’s fees for representing you at the trial hearing and any preliminary hearings, or the fees of any expert witness instructed.

These estimates and hourly fees are based on you attending a Magistrates’ Court in London. If you are to attend a Court that is further afield we will provide a specific estimate to take travel requirements into account.

There are of course always cases which are more complex. Such cases will fall outside of the above time estimate and a specific fee estimate will be provided.

There are occasions where under certain circumstances you may be guilty of a road traffic  offence but the court may be persuaded not to impose a period of disqualification (or to impose a shorter period of disqualification) or penalty points.

The usual estimate of time involved in preparing for a “Special Reasons” hearing is in the region of 5–10 hours. Our hourly rates are dependent upon the level of experience of the lawyer advising, ranging from £240 per hour plus VAT to £450 per hour plus VAT.

Our work would include:

• the instruction of experts
• taking of defence witness statements
• conferences with counsel
• Preparing for the Court hearing

These fees will not include counsel’s fees for representing you at the Court hearing where special reasons are considered, or any preliminary hearings, or any expert witness’s fees.

There are of course always cases which are more complex. Such cases will fall outside of the above time estimate.  In such cases a separate fee estimate will be provided.