Guide Rankings Law Updated June 22, 2026

Speed Limits by State

Empty Texas highway stretching to the horizon under a clear blue sky with a speed limit sign showing 85 mph

Speed Limits by State

Ranking - Law

Texas posts the highest speed limit in the United States at 85 mph on State Highway 130. Hawaii has the lowest maximum at 60 mph. The gap between the two extremes is 25 mph.

Quick Answer

Speed Limits by State

  1. 1

    Texas has the highest posted speed limit of any state at 85 mph on State Highway 130 between Austin and San Antonio. Eight states allow 80 mph on rural interstates: Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

  2. 2

    Hawaii has the lowest maximum highway speed of any state at 60 mph. Eight states cap rural interstate speeds at 65 mph: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

  3. 3

    The most common rural interstate speed limit is 70 mph, shared by 22 states including California, Florida, and Illinois. Ten states allow 75 mph, and nine allow 80 mph or higher.

Map

Speed Limits by State Map 2026

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Texas leads at 85 mph. Eight states allow 80 mph, concentrated in the Mountain West and Great Plains. The Northeast and Hawaii cluster at 60–65 mph.
Speed Limits by State Map 2026
Rank State mph
1 Texas 85
2 Idaho 80
3 Montana 80
4 Nevada 80
5 North Dakota 80
6 Oklahoma 80
7 South Dakota 80
8 Utah 80
9 Wyoming 80
10 Arizona 75
11 Arkansas 75
12 Colorado 75
13 Kansas 75
14 Louisiana 75
15 Maine 75
16 Michigan 75
17 Nebraska 75
18 New Mexico 75
19 Washington 75
20 Alabama 70
21 California 70
22 Florida 70
23 Georgia 70
24 Illinois 70
25 Indiana 70
26 Iowa 70
27 Kentucky 70
28 Maryland 70
29 Minnesota 70
30 Mississippi 70
31 Missouri 70
32 New Hampshire 70
33 North Carolina 70
34 Ohio 70
35 Oregon 70
36 Pennsylvania 70
37 South Carolina 70
38 Tennessee 70
39 Virginia 70
40 West Virginia 70
41 Wisconsin 70
42 Alaska 65
43 Connecticut 65
44 Delaware 65
45 Massachusetts 65
46 New Jersey 65
47 New York 65
48 Rhode Island 65
49 Vermont 65
50 Hawaii 60

Texas leads at 85 mph. Eight states allow 80 mph, concentrated in the Mountain West and Great Plains. The Northeast and Hawaii cluster at 60–65 mph.

Speed Limits by State Table

Max Rural Interstate (mph)

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Print-ready table — Speed Limits by State

Fastest and Slowest Speed Limits by State

Highest

85
Texas flag
Texas #1

Lowest

60
Hawaii flag
Hawaii #50

Top 10 Highest — Max Rural Interstate (mph)

#1 Texas flag Texas
85
#2 Idaho flag Idaho
80
#3 Montana flag Montana
80
#4 Nevada flag Nevada
80
#5 North Dakota flag North Dakota
80
#6 Oklahoma flag Oklahoma
80
#7 South Dakota flag South Dakota
80
#8 Utah flag Utah
80
#9 Wyoming flag Wyoming
80
#10 Arizona flag Arizona
75

Top 10 Lowest — Max Rural Interstate (mph)

#50 Hawaii flag Hawaii
60
#49 Vermont flag Vermont
65
#48 Rhode Island flag Rhode Island
65
#47 New York flag New York
65
#46 New Jersey flag New Jersey
65
#45 Massachusetts flag Massachusetts
65
#44 Delaware flag Delaware
65
#43 Connecticut flag Connecticut
65
#42 Alaska flag Alaska
65
#41 Wisconsin flag Wisconsin
70

States with the Highest Speed Limits

Texas has the highest posted speed limit in the United States at 85 mph on State Highway 130, a toll road between Austin and San Antonio opened in 2012. Standard rural interstates in Texas run 75 to 80 mph. Eight states allow 80 mph on rural corridors: Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and South Dakota post a flat 80 mph on all rural interstates. Idaho, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming apply 80 mph only on specified high-capacity segments while keeping other rural interstates at 75 mph. Montana historically had no numeric daytime limit from 1995 to 1999 before the Montana Supreme Court struck down the standard.

States with the Lowest Speed Limits

Hawaii has the lowest maximum highway speed of any state at 60 mph. Hawaii has no true interstate highways; the H-1, H-2, and H-3 expressways are federally funded routes capped at 60 mph on all sections. Eight states top out at 65 mph on rural interstates: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

All eight of the 65 mph states are in the Northeast, plus Alaska. Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, and Rhode Island have no rural interstate stretches in the traditional sense, as their entire networks pass through dense suburban corridors. Alaska has limited interstate mileage, and its long-distance highway routes are capped at 65 mph.

Quick Answers

What state has the highest speed limit?
Texas has the highest posted speed limit in the United States at 85 mph on State Highway 130, a toll road between Austin and San Antonio. Standard rural interstates in Texas are 75 to 80 mph. No other state posts a limit above 80 mph.
What state has the lowest speed limit?
Hawaii has the lowest maximum highway speed of any state at 60 mph. Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont all top out at 65 mph on rural interstates, ranking 42nd through 49th.
How fast can you drive in Montana?
Montana allows 80 mph on rural interstates and 70 mph for trucks. Montana famously had no numeric daytime speed limit from 1995 to 1999, using a 'reasonable and prudent' standard instead, before the Montana Supreme Court struck it down and the legislature set a 75 mph limit, later raised to 80 mph in 2015.
Why does Texas have an 85 mph speed limit?
Texas's 85 mph limit applies only to State Highway 130, a private toll road opened in 2012 to relieve congestion on I-35 between Austin and San Antonio. The road runs through flat, open terrain with low traffic volume. The Texas Transportation Commission approved the 85 mph designation for that corridor only.
What is the speed limit in New York?
New York has a rural interstate speed limit of 65 mph, ranking 47th in the country. The posted limit drops to 65 mph in urban areas as well, and New York City enforces a 25 mph speed limit on most city streets.
What is the most common speed limit on US highways?
The most common rural interstate speed limit is 70 mph, shared by 22 states including California, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio. Ten states allow 75 mph, eight allow 80 mph, and Texas allows 85 mph on one specific toll road.

Methodology

Rankings use the maximum posted speed limit on rural interstate highways in each state as of June 2026, sourced from the IIHS. Where a state posts different limits on different segments (e.g., 75 mph standard with 80 mph on specified corridors), the highest posted limit determines the state's rank. Urban interstate limits are typically 10–15 mph lower than rural limits and are not used for ranking. Source data: IIHS State Speed Limit Laws, June 2026.

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
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