Speed limits in Australia are set by each state and territory. The usual defaults are 50 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h on other roads, and some higher-standard roads are signed at 110 km/h. Western Australia has a 110 km/h rural default, and the Northern Territory has 60 km/h in built-up areas, 110 km/h elsewhere and 130 km/h on marked highway sections. Cameras include fixed, mobile, red-light speed and average-speed systems.
| Road type | Cars |
|---|---|
| Built-up areas, default | 50 km/h (60 km/h in the Northern Territory) |
| Other roads, default | 100 km/h (110 km/h in Western Australia and the Northern Territory) |
| Higher-standard roads | 110 km/h where signed |
| Marked Northern Territory highway sections | 130 km/h where signed |
What are the speed limits in Australia?
The default limit applies where no sign is posted, and a sign always replaces it. In New South Wales the default is 50 km/h in built-up areas, which the government describes as areas with street lights and buildings next to the road less than 100 m apart, and 100 km/h on all other roads. Queensland uses the same defaults and says 110 km/h is allowed only where a sign on a higher-standard road shows it. Main Roads Western Australia lists 50 km/h for built-up areas and 110 km/h for rural or undeveloped areas.
The Northern Territory Government lists a default of 60 km/h in built-up areas and 110 km/h elsewhere. It lists a maximum of 130 km/h on some sections of the Barkly, Stuart, Victoria and Arnhem highways, as indicated by signs.
Your licence can set a lower limit. New South Wales says you must not drive faster than your licence allows, even when a sign shows a higher speed. The maximum is 90 km/h for learners and P1 provisional drivers, and 100 km/h for P2 drivers. School zone limits apply on school days during the times shown on the sign.
What kinds of speed cameras does Australia use?
Australia uses fixed, mobile, red-light speed and average-speed cameras, and each state runs its own programme.
- New South Wales: the government lists average speed, fixed speed, mobile speed and red-light speed cameras. Average speed cameras have been used since 2010 across 31 enforcement lengths, for heavy vehicles, according to its page updated in September 2026.
- Light vehicles in New South Wales: a trial started at two sites on 1 May 2025, on the Pacific Highway near Port Macquarie and the Hume Highway between Coolac and Gundagai. NRMA reported on 2 July 2026 that the trial had been extended and that enforcement continues during an independent review.
- Victoria: point-to-point cameras measure the time between two sites on several high-speed roads. The state says Victoria Police has approved over 2,500 locations for mobile cameras.
Are speed camera apps legal in Australia?
Radar detectors and jammers are prohibited, and we found no specific rule on apps that warn about known camera locations, so check locally. Rule 225 of the Australian Road Rules, the national model, says a person must not drive a vehicle that has in or on it a device for preventing the effective use of a speed measuring device, or for detecting its use, whether or not it is working. New South Wales has its own offence in section 119 of the Road Transport Act 2013, and Western Australia banned any device capable of detecting speed measuring devices from 12 October 2020. Ghost does not detect radar. Checked on 30 October 2026.
What should visiting drivers know?
- All limits are in km/h, and each state and territory has its own road rules.
- Crossing a state or territory border can change the default limit, for example into Western Australia or the Northern Territory.
- If you hold a learner or provisional licence, your licence limit can be lower than the sign.
- The Queensland 110 km/h limit does not apply to heavy vehicles over 12 tonnes or buses over 5 tonnes, which stay at 100 km/h.
Planning another long drive? See our guide to South Africa.
