Saudi Speed Limits
Practice Test — 30 Questions
Highway, city, school zone and residential limits, plus the Saher camera system and black-points rules. Test your knowledge before your Dallah test.
Saudi speed limits explained
Speed limit questions appear in almost every Dallah computer test. The good news is that there are only about six numbers you actually need to memorise, and they follow a clear logic: the more pedestrians and junctions around you, the lower the limit.
The numbers to memorise
| Road type | Typical limit | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Expressway (signed) | 140 km/h | Only where explicitly posted. Enforcement margin is tighter here. |
| Highway outside cities | 120 km/h | The default. Assume this if no higher limit is signed. |
| Main city roads | 80 km/h | Drops at junctions and near commercial areas. |
| Secondary city streets | 60 km/h | Frequent pedestrian crossings. |
| Residential areas | 40–50 km/h | Children, parked cars, reversing vehicles. |
| School zones | 30 km/h | Often time-restricted — check the plate under the sign. |
| Tunnels and bridges | Posted individually | Frequently lower than the approach road. |
If you cannot see a speed limit sign, apply the default for the road type you are on — 120 km/h outside cities, and the urban default inside them. "There was no sign" is not a defence, and the test will try to catch you on this.
How the Saher system works
Saher is Saudi Arabia's nationwide automated enforcement network. It matters for the test because several questions assume you understand it operates without any police officer present.
- Cameras run 24 hours a day, on highways and inside cities.
- They detect more than speeding — red-light running, mobile phone use, seatbelt violations and lane discipline are all captured automatically.
- Violations link to your vehicle registration and your Absher account, and you typically receive an SMS notification.
- Radar detectors are illegal in Saudi Arabia. Possessing one can lead to confiscation and a fine.
Saher applies a small tolerance before a fine triggers, and the margin differs by road type — it is tighter on 140 km/h roads than on slower ones. Treat the posted number as the maximum. Drivers who aim for "the limit plus the buffer" are the ones who get caught when the margin turns out to be smaller than they assumed.
Black points and what happens after a fine
Speeding fines in Saudi Arabia are tiered — the further over the limit you are, the more severe the penalty. Beyond the money, violations add black points to your licence.
- Reaching 24 black points within one Hijri year suspends your licence.
- Suspensions escalate on repeat: three months, then six months, then a year, then permanent revocation.
- Large speeding excesses can also result in vehicle impoundment on top of the fine.
- Unpaid fines link to your Iqama and can block Iqama renewal, vehicle transfers, and in some cases exit from the Kingdom.
You can check and pay fines through Absher. See our full fines and violations guide for the complete list of amounts.
Four things the test tries to catch you on
- Variable electronic signs. The displayed number is the legal limit at that moment. It can change with traffic, weather, or an incident ahead — and it overrides the fixed sign.
- Advisory speeds on bends. A speed shown on a triangular warning sign is advisory for that hazard, not the same as a circular regulatory limit. Ignoring it is still unsafe and can count against you after a collision.
- Weather. The posted limit is the maximum in good conditions. In rain, fog or a sandstorm, the safe speed is lower — even though the sign has not changed.
- Slowing in advance. You should already be within the new limit at the point the sign takes effect, not braking after you pass it.
How to revise this topic in 20 minutes
Learn the six numbers in the table above first — most sign-reading questions collapse into recognising which category of road you are on. Then read the Saher and black-points sections, since those account for most of the questions that are not about a specific number. Finish by running the 30-question quiz above twice: once to find your gaps, once to confirm you have closed them.
When you are comfortable here, move on to road rules — together these two topics cover the largest share of Section 1 of the real test.
Frequently asked questions
What is the speed limit on Saudi highways?
What is the speed limit in Saudi cities?
Do Saher cameras have a speed tolerance?
How many black points suspend a Saudi driving licence?
Are radar detectors legal in Saudi Arabia?
What happens if there is no speed limit sign on the road?
Should I follow my GPS app or the road sign?
How do I check and pay a speeding fine in Saudi Arabia?
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