How many points on your license is a speeding ticket?

If you’re ever caught speeding, you may be wondering how many points you will get on your license for a speeding ticket. Depending on where you live and how fast you were going when law enforcement clocked you, you could get as many as eight points on your license.

Typically, the biggest worry with a speeding ticket is remembering to show up for your court date or pay the fine associated with your violation. But if you accrue enough points on your license, you could be looking at a hefty fine or even a driver’s license suspension. You may also need to find a new car insurance company for speeding tickets in your area.

How many points are on a license?

You start with zero points when you get your driver’s license. As long as you obey the road rules, don’t get into any accidents, and don’t commit any infractions behind the wheel, you can keep your driver’s license points at zero.

If you commit certain violations, you can expect to have points added to your driver’s license. Some of the common two-point violations in most states include:

• Improper lane shifting
• Dangerous parking
• Backing in an unsafe manner
• Speeding up to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit

Comparatively, some of the violations that commonly add four points on a driver’s license include:

• Improper passing
• Improper turning
• Failing to yield the right-of-way
• Driving in the wrong direction
• Tailgating
• Speeding 11 to 20 miles per hour over the speed limit

And common violations that will add six points on a driver’s license often include:

• Passing a stopped school bus
• Reckless driving
• Leaving the scene of a crash with property damage
• Speeding 21 or more miles per hour over the speed limit

Once you have points added to your driver’s license — for the violations listed above or any other infraction behind the wheel — it depends on where you live as to how long they will remain on your license and how many it takes to have your license suspended.

How many points does it take to get your driver’s license suspended?

It takes anywhere from 10 to 22 points to get your driver’s license suspended in many states, and the violations associated with your suspension must occur within a certain amount of time. States will drop points off a person’s driver’s license after a certain number of months.

In some states, you can start to see points removed from your driver’s license in as little as six months, and it can take up to four years to see the points disappear in other states.

There are occasions when the violation is so severe — like a DUI or DWI — that the impact of that offense and the subsequent charges can last much longer. But this typically depends on a state-by-state and situation-by-situation basis. If you have specific questions about your situation, you may want to speak to your state’s department of motor vehicles.

Will points on my license impact my car insurance rates?

There is a high likelihood that getting points on your driver’s license will impact your car insurance rates. This is because the violations associated with the points are added to your driving record.

The table below shows the average car insurance rate increase for different traffic violations.

Car Insurance Rate Increase by Driving Violation

As you can see, something like a hit and run or a DUI will cause your insurance rates to increase by up to 82%. And a DUI can stay on your insurance and driving record much longer than a speeding ticket, depending on where you live.

How can I check the points on my license?

If you want to learn how to check the number of points on a driver’s license, you may be able to do so by visiting your state’s department of motor vehicles website. Suppose you cannot check your points by utilizing your state’s website. In that case, you can call the department of motor vehicles and ask for specific instructions. 

You may be able to check your driving history and the points on your license for free, though some states do charge a fee that may cost anywhere from $6 to $20.

Can I lower points on my driver’s license?

Most people will have the opportunity to lower the points they have accrued on their driver’s license. Some of the best ways to reduce the number of points you have on your license include:

• Take a safe driving course
• Take a defensive driving course
• Practice safe driving habits

Over time, the points you have on your driver’s license will disappear. If you continue to drive safely, you will not have to worry about adding new points to your license in the future.