Western Australia is the only Australian state where the default open-road limit is 110 km/h, paired with a 50 km/h default in built-up areas and 40 km/h school zones. Its speeding fines are the lowest in the country, but a sweeping 2024 to 2026 safety camera overhaul added AI trailers that catch speeding, phone and seatbelt offences in a single pass, with fines flowing since October 2025.
Western Australia speed limits at a glance
| Road type | Limit |
|---|---|
| Built-up areas (default) | 50 kph (31 mph) |
| School zones | 40 kph (25 mph) |
| Rural roads and highways | 110 kph (68 mph) |
| Motorways / freeways | 110 kph (68 mph) |
About speed limits in Western Australia
Western Australia flips the usual Australian arrangement: outside built-up areas the limit is 110 km/h by default unless a sign lowers it, rather than 100 km/h as in the eastern states. Inside built-up areas the default is 50 km/h. Perth's Kwinana and Mitchell freeways run at 100 km/h, while Forrest Highway between Mandurah and Bunbury and most sealed rural highways carry the full 110 km/h. The scale of the road network is extreme, with single highways such as Great Northern Highway stretching over 3,000 km, and long outback sections are enforced only sporadically by patrols, which historically made cameras rare outside the Perth metropolitan area.
That changed with the safety camera expansion rolled out between 2024 and 2026. Six AI-equipped mobile camera trailers began a trial in January 2025, able to detect speeding, mobile phone use, seatbelt offences and red X lane violations simultaneously, and three fixed camera sites on the Kwinana Freeway were upgraded with the same technology. During the roughly seven month introduction the system detected around 275,000 offences and mailed more than 60,000 caution notices instead of fines. The caution period ended on 7 October 2025, and from 8 October 2025 the cameras began issuing real infringements with fines and demerit points attached.
School zones across WA are 40 km/h, operating on school days from 7:30 to 9:00 in the morning and 2:30 to 4:00 in the afternoon in Perth and most of the state, slightly earlier than the east coast equivalents. WA also applies double demerit points during declared long weekends and holiday periods, including Australia Day, Labour Day, Easter, Anzac Day, WA Day, the King's Birthday and Christmas to New Year, doubling the points for speeding, seatbelt, phone and drink or drug driving offences. The state's only average speed camera zone runs on Forrest Highway, measuring entry and exit times over the distance between camera gantries south of Perth.
At the extreme end WA treats speed as a criminal matter. Driving 45 km/h or more over the limit, or at 155 km/h or faster anywhere, is the offence of driving at reckless speed under section 60A of the Road Traffic Act. Police impound the vehicle for 28 days on the spot, three months for repeat offenders, and the court must disqualify the licence for at least six months, with fines up to $6,000 and imprisonment available for a first offence. Combined with the lowest ordinary fine scale in Australia, the result is an unusual system: cheap tickets for minor speeding, and criminal consequences once the excess becomes extreme.
Enforcement
WA Police patrol the metropolitan freeways and regional highways with radar and lidar, supported by the expanded safety camera network: six AI mobile trailers, upgraded fixed cameras on the Kwinana Freeway and the Forrest Highway average speed zone. Since 8 October 2025 the cameras issue fines for speeding, phone and seatbelt offences, and camera locations are published by the Road Safety Commission.
Tolerance
WA publishes no tolerance figure, and the lowest infringement band starts at 9 km/h or less over the limit, though it carries no demerit points, which softens minor enforcement compared with the eastern states. Expect strict policing in school zones, during double demerit holiday periods and on Forrest Highway, where average speed measurement leaves no room for brief bursts.
Speeding fines in Western Australia
WA's scale is the lowest in Australia and has been stable for years: $100 and no points for 9 km/h or less over, $200 and 2 points for 10 to 19 over, $400 and 3 points for 20 to 29 over, $800 and 6 points for 30 to 40 over, and $1,200 with 7 points beyond 40 over. At 45 or more over, or 155 km/h anywhere, the matter becomes reckless driving with a 28 day impound, court fines up to $6,000 and at least six months disqualification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum speed limit in Western Australia?
110 km/h, which is also the default limit on roads outside built-up areas unless a sign lowers it. WA is the only Australian state with a 110 km/h open-road default; Perth's freeways are generally posted at 100 km/h.
What are the new safety cameras in WA?
Six AI-equipped mobile trailers and upgraded fixed cameras on the Kwinana Freeway that detect speeding, mobile phone use and seatbelt offences at once. After a caution period through 7 October 2025, they began issuing fines and demerit points from 8 October 2025.
What are the school zone times in Western Australia?
School zones are 40 km/h on school days, generally from 7:30 to 9:00 am and 2:30 to 4:00 pm in Perth and most of the state. They do not apply on weekends, public holidays or during school holidays.
When do double demerits apply in WA?
During declared long weekends and holiday periods including Australia Day, Labour Day, Easter, Anzac Day, WA Day, the King's Birthday and Christmas to New Year. Points are doubled for speeding, seatbelt, mobile phone and drink or drug driving offences.
Speed limits in nearby states
- South Australia speed limit — highway, rural, and school-zone limits.
- Northern Territory speed limit — highway, rural, and school-zone limits.
Related tools
- Convert KPH to MPH — convert any speed reading between units.
- Car speed test — verify your speedometer accuracy.
- Live GPS speedometer — see your actual speed in the browser.
- Stopping distance calculator — how far you need to brake from each speed.
- Australia speed limits overview — national defaults and how states differ.