Introduction
The speed limits in the United States vary drastically depending on location; while some states have speeds of up to 75 miles per hour on highways, others are limited to 60 miles per hour. Some states seek to strike a balance between highway speeds and city speeds, setting limits of 65 or 70 miles per hour for rural areas and then dropping them dramatically for urban settings. In fact, certain municipalities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, have adopted strict speed limits that rarely exceed 35 miles per hour. Speed limits can also be subject to seasonal changes, as certain locations may raise or lower the limit based on various weather conditions or predicted traffic patterns. Despite these differences from one state to another, the majority of states still abide by the general rule that speed limits should not exceed the posted limit—a law that is enforced rigorously throughout much of the country. Additionally, most states have a zero-tolerance policy in place which dictates harsher punishments for those who exceed established speed limits—regardless of whether it is by only five miles an hour or more.
| # | State | Maximum Speed Limit | Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 80 mph | 65 mph |
| 2 | Nevada | 80 mph | 65 mph |
| 3 | South Dakota | 80 mph | 80 mph |
| 4 | Arizona | 75 mph | 65 mph |
| 5 | Arkansas | 75 mph | 65 mph |
| 6 | Colorado | 75 mph | 65 mph |
| 7 | Idaho | 75 mph | 75 mph |
| 8 | Kansas | 75 mph | 75 mph |
| 9 | Louisiana | 75 mph | 70 mph |
| 10 | Maine | 75 mph | 75 mph |
| 11 | Nebraska | 75 mph | 70 mph |
| 12 | New Mexico | 75 mph | 75 mph |
| 13 | North Dakota | 75 mph | 75 mph |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 75 mph | 70 mph |
| 15 | Texas | 75 mph | 75 mph |
| 16 | Utah | 75 mph | 65 mph |
| 17 | Wyoming | 75 mph | 75 mph |
| 18 | Alabama | 70 mph | 65 mph |
| 19 | California | 70 mph | 65 mph |
| 20 | Florida | 70 mph | 65 mph |
| 21 | Georgia | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| 22 | Illinois | 70 mph | 55 mph |
| 23 | Indiana | 70 mph | 55 mph |
| 24 | Iowa | 70 mph | 55 mph |
| 25 | Maryland | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| 26 | Michigan | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| 27 | Minnesota | 70 mph | 65 mph |
| 28 | Mississippi | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| 29 | Missouri | 70 mph | 60 mph |
| 30 | North Carolina | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| 31 | Ohio | 70 mph | 65 mph |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| 33 | South Carolina | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| 34 | Tennessee | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| 35 | Virginia | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| 36 | Washington | 70 mph | 60 mph |
| 37 | West Virginia | 70 mph | 55 mph |
| 38 | Wisconsin | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| 39 | Alaska | 65 mph | 55 mph |
| 40 | Connecticut | 65 mph | 55 mph |
| 41 | Delaware | 65 mph | 55 mph |
| 42 | Kentucky | 65 mph | 65 mph |
| 43 | Massachusetts | 65 mph | 65 mph |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 65 mph | 65 mph |
| 45 | New Jersey | 65 mph | 55 mph |
| 46 | New York | 65 mph | 65 mph |
| 47 | Oregon | 65 mph | 55 mph |
| 48 | Rhode Island | 65 mph | 55 mph |
| 49 | Vermont | 65 mph | 55 mph |
| 50 | Hawaii | 60 mph | 60 mph |
Maximum Speed Limit by State
Alabama
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#18
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#22
Alaska
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#39
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#40
Arizona
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#4
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#23
Arkansas
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#5
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#24
California
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#19
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#25
Colorado
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#6
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#26
Connecticut
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#40
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#41
Delaware
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#41
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#42
Florida
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#20
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#27
Georgia
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#21
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#9
Hawaii
Maximum Speed Limit
60 mph
Ranked in the US
#50
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
60 mph
Ranked in the US
#37
Idaho
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#7
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#2
Illinois
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#22
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#44
Indiana
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#23
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#45
Iowa
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#24
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#46
Kansas
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#8
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#3
Kentucky
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#42
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#28
Louisiana
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#9
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#10
Maine
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#10
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#4
Maryland
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#25
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#11
Massachusetts
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#43
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#29
Michigan
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#26
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#12
Minnesota
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#27
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#30
Mississippi
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#28
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#13
Missouri
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#29
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
60 mph
Ranked in the US
#38
Montana
Maximum Speed Limit
80 mph
Ranked in the US
#1
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#31
Nebraska
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#11
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#14
Nevada
Maximum Speed Limit
80 mph
Ranked in the US
#2
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#32
New Hampshire
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#44
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#33
New Jersey
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#45
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#47
New Mexico
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#12
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#5
New York
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#46
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#34
North Carolina
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#30
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#15
North Dakota
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#13
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#6
Ohio
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#31
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#35
Oklahoma
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#14
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#16
Oregon
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#47
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#48
Pennsylvania
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#32
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#17
Rhode Island
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#48
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#49
South Carolina
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#33
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#18
South Dakota
Maximum Speed Limit
80 mph
Ranked in the US
#3
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
80 mph
Ranked in the US
#1
Tennessee
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#34
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#19
Texas
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#15
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#7
Utah
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#16
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#36
Vermont
Maximum Speed Limit
65 mph
Ranked in the US
#49
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#50
Virginia
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#35
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#20
Washington
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#36
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
60 mph
Ranked in the US
#39
West Virginia
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#37
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
55 mph
Ranked in the US
#51
Wisconsin
Maximum Speed Limit
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#38
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
70 mph
Ranked in the US
#21
Wyoming
Maximum Speed Limit
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#17
Posted Speed Limit in Urban Interstates
75 mph
Ranked in the US
#8