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Last updated: 19 March 2026

It’s easy to assume national speed limits are the same for every vehicle. In the UK, they’re not. For many vans, your speed limits depend less on what you’re carrying today and more on how your vehicle is classified and its maximum laden weight (the maximum it’s allowed to weigh when fully loaded).

This guide explains the rules that catch van drivers out most often: car-derived vans vs “most vans”, towing a trailer, and heavier vehicles with speed limiters.

First: national speed limits are vehicle-specific (and signs still win)

National speed limits set the default maximum where no lower signed limit applies. Local limits (for example 20mph zones, roadworks or reduced limits on certain dual carriageways) must be followed even if the national limit would be higher. [1]

GOV.UK also distinguishes built-up area defaults: 30mph in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and 20mph in Wales (unless signs show otherwise). [1]

Car-derived vans vs most vans: the key difference

Car-derived vans (CDVs)

A car-derived van is a goods vehicle that’s derived from a passenger car design and has a maximum laden weight not exceeding 2 tonnes. [2]

If your van qualifies as a CDV, it follows the same national speed limits as a car (for example, 60mph on single carriageways and 70mph on dual carriageways and motorways, unless signs say lower). [1][2]

Most vans (light commercial goods vehicles)

GOV.UK is clear that most vans have a lower speed limit than cars and must follow the speed limits for goods vehicles of the same weight. [1]

For goods vehicles not more than 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight, the national limits are: 50mph on single carriageways, 60mph on dual carriageways and 70mph on motorways. [1]

That’s why “my van is limited to 50/60” is often true — but it’s not about today’s load in the back. It’s usually about the vehicle type and weight category.

If you’re towing a trailer

Towing can reduce the national limit even further:

• Cars, motorcycles, car-derived vans and dual-purpose vehicles when towing: 50mph single carriageway, 60mph dual carriageway, 60mph motorway. [1]
• Goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes: motorway 60mph if articulated or towing a trailer (even though the normal motorway limit for this category is 70mph). [1]

Separate rules can also apply (for example, lane restrictions for some vehicles), so always read the Highway Code guidance for your situation.

Heavier vehicles (and why speed limiters matter)

GOV.UK states that a speed limiter must be fitted on goods vehicles with a maximum laden weight of more than 3.5 tonnes. [1]

A practical implication is that your vehicle may not be able to reach the road’s posted limit even where it would otherwise be legal, because the limiter caps the vehicle’s maximum speed. [1]

How to work out which limit applies to your van

• Check whether it’s registered as a car-derived van: this should be recorded under “body type” on the V5C (log book), and it must meet the legal definition (including the 2-tonne maximum laden weight). [2]
• Find the relevant weight description: look for maximum laden weight / gross vehicle weight information on your documents or vehicle plate, then match it to the GOV.UK table for goods vehicles. [1]
• Treat towing as a separate “rule switch”: even if your van normally sits in a higher category, towing can drop the national limit (particularly on motorways). [1]

Sources

1. GOV.UK — Speed limits: View source
2. GOV.UK (DfT) — Car-derived vans and dual purpose vehicles: View source