Speed Limit Laws

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 so-called interstate look-alike 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Congress repealed the National Maximum Speed Limit in 1995.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 often 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. These are listed as ranges in the chart below.

 

State

Rural Interstates

Urban Interstates

Other Limited Access Roads

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Alabama 70 70 60-65 60-65 65 65
Alaska 65 65 55 55 65 65
Arizona 75 75 55 55 55 55
Arkansas 70 65 55 55 60 60
California 70 55 65 55 70 55
Colorado 75 75 55-65 55-65 55-65 55-65
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 55-65 55-65 65-70 65-70
Georgia 70 70 55-65 55-65 65 65
Hawaii 60 60 50 50 45 45
Idaho 75 65 75 65 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 70* 70* 65 65 65 65
*On specific segments of the highway upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation
Louisiana 70 70 70 70 55-70 55-70
Maine 65 65 65 65 65 65
Maryland 65 60-65 65 65 55-65 55-65
Massachusetts 65 65 65 65 65 65
Michigan 70 60 65-70 55 65-70 55
Minnesota 70 70 65 55-65 65 55-65
Mississippi 70 70 65-70 55-70 65-70 65-70
Missouri 70 70 60 60 55, 60 or 65 55, 60 or 65
Montana 75 65 65 65 70 or 65 at night 65 or 60 at night
Nebraska 75 75 65 65 65 65
Nevada 75 75 65 65 70 70
New Hampshire 65-70 65-70 65-70 65-70 55-65 55-65
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 65-70 65-70 55-70 55-70 55-70 55-70
North Dakota 75 75 75 75 70 70
Northern Mariana Islands None None 45 25 None None
Ohio 65 55 65 55 55 55
Oklahoma 70-75 70-75 60-70 60-70 60-70 60-70
Oregon 65 55 50-60 50-55 55 55
Pennsylvania 65 65 55 55 65 65
Rhode Island 1 65 65 55 55 55 55
South Carolina 70 70 60-70 60-70 55-60 55-60
South Dakota 75 75 75 Varies 70 70
Tennessee 70 70 55-70 55-70 70 70
Texas 70 or 65 at night (daytime speed limit is 80 and 75 in some counties) 70 or 65 at night 70 or 65 at night 65 70 or 65 at night (daytime speed limit is 75 in some counties) 70 or 65 at night
Utah 75 75 65 65 75 75
Vermont 65 65 55 55 50 50
Virgin Islands 40 40 55 55 20 20
Virginia 65-70 65-70 55-70 55-70 50-65 50-65
Washington 70 60 60 60 60 60
West Virginia 70 70 55-60 55-60 50 in urban areas or 65 in rural areas 50 in urban areas or 65 in rural areas
Wisconsin 65 65 55-65 55-65 65 65
Wyoming 75 75 60-65 60-65 55-65 55-65

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. Most recently reviewed July, 2008.