Speed Limit Laws

June 2009

Setting speed limits has traditionally been the responsibility of states, except for the period of 1973-1994. During that time, the federal government enacted mandatory speed limit ceilings on interstate highways and similar limited access roads through a National Maximum Speed Limit.

Congress repealed the National Maximum Speed Limit in 1995. Since then, 32 states have raised speed limits to 70 mph or higher on some portion of their roadway systems.

Several states have set different speed limits for cars and trucks. Speed limits also may vary depending on whether the roadway is urban or rural. The chart below lists speed limits for both urban and rural interstates, as well as other limited access roads.

NOTE: Some states apply different speed limits to the same type of roadway, depending on various conditions.

 

State	Rural Interstates		Urban Interstates		Other Limited Access Roads
	Cars (mph)	Trucks (mph)	Cars (mph)	Trucks (mph)	Cars (mph)	Trucks (mph)
Alabama	70	70	65	65	65	65
Alaska	65	65	55	55	65	65
Arizona	75	75	65	65	55	55
Arkansas	70	65	55	55	60	60
California	70	55	65	55	70	55
Colorado	75	75	65	65	65	65
Connecticut	65	65	55	55	65	65
Delaware	55	55	55	55	65	65
D.C.	N/A	N/A	55	55	N/A	N/A
Florida	70	70	65	65	70	70
Georgia	70	70	65	65	65	65
Hawaii	60	60	50	50	45	45
Idaho	75	65	75	75	65	65
Illinois	65	55	55	55	65	55
Indiana	70	65	55	55	60	60
Iowa	70	70	55	55	65	65
Kansas	70	70	70	70	70	70
Kentucky	65*	65*	65	65	65	65
	*70 on specific segments based on an engineering and traffic investigation
Louisiana	70	70	70	70	70	70
Maine	65	65	65	65	65	65
Maryland	65	65	65	65	65	65
Massachusetts	65	65	65	65	65	65
Michigan	70	60	70	55	70	55
Minnesota	70	70	65	65	65	65
Mississippi	70	70	70	70	70	70
Missouri	70	70	60	60	65	65
Montana	75	65	65	65	day: 70 night: 65	day: 70 night: 65
Nebraska	75	75	65	65	65	65
Nevada	75	75	65	65	70	70
New Hampshire	65	65	65	65	55	55
New Jersey	65	65	55	55	65	65
New Mexico	75	75	65	65	60-70	60-70
New York	55*	55*	55*	55*	55*	55*
	*Except for certain designated highways
North Carolina	70	70	70	70	70	70
North Dakota	75	75	75	75	70	70
Northern Mariana Islands	None	None	45	25	None	None
Ohio	65	55	65	65	55	55
Oklahoma	75	75	70	70	70	70
Oregon	65	55	55	55	55	55
Pennsylvania	65	65	55	55	65	65
Rhode Island 1	65	65	55	55	55	55
South Carolina	70	70	70	70	60	60
South Dakota	75	75	75	Varies	70	70
Tennessee	70	70	70	70	70	70
Texas	day: 75 night: 65	day: 70 night: 65	day: 70 night: 65	day: 70 night: 65	day: 75 night: 65	day: 75 night: 65
Utah	75	75	65	65	75	75
Vermont	65	65	55	55	50	50
Virgin Islands	40	40	55	55	20	20
Virginia	65	65	65	65	65	65
Washington	70	60	60	60	60	60
West Virginia	70	70	55	55	65	65
Wisconsin	65	65	65	65	65	65
Wyoming	75	75	60	60	65	65

¹ Rhode Island speed limits not set by law, but by state traffic commission.

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.

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