How many points can you get on your license?

How many points can you get on your license? Depending on where you live, you can have up to 44 points on your license before you lose driving privileges. However, most states will suspend a license after 10-12 points. How long points stay on your record also depends on where you live.

How many points do you have on your license? We can help answer that. State laws determine how many and when points are applied to your license, and our guide will break down speeding ticket points, DUI/DWI points, and more to help you determine how many points you have. 

The more points you have, the higher your auto insurance rates. You may be considered a high-risk driver until points expire from your driving record. How long you have to wait varies by state. Keep reading to find out how to get points off your license and where you can buy affordable high-risk auto insurance in the meantime.

How long do points stay on your driving record?

How long points stay on your driving record depends on where you live and the kind of infraction you’re charged with. More serious offenses will incur more points than a minor infraction. For example, reckless driving can rack up double or triple the points of a minor offense, like running a stop sign. 

How many points is a speeding ticket? Depending on where you live, speeding tickets collect two points, on average.

Read More: How Car Insurance Works

However, if you live in Colorado, speeding tickets are four points. One speeding ticket can put you halfway there when license suspension starts with nine points in Colorado.

How many points for a speeding ticket? How many points are on your license? Search the table below for your state. You’ll also see how long points stay on your license.

If you live in Massachusetts, DMV points are only used for insurance purposes. License suspensions and revocations are decided on a per-case basis based on the offense and your driving record.

Can’t find your state on the table? The following nine states don’t use DMV points:

• Hawaii
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Washington
• Wyoming

Instead of points, drivers in these states will automatically lose their licenses when charged with major traffic violations, including reckless driving and DUIs.

Other states will drop points from your license, but the infraction will stay on your record permanently. If you live in the following states, expect to pay more for car insurance after a speeding ticket: 

• Alabama
• Colorado
• Montana
• Nevada
• Ohio

Local insurance companies in these states will always be able to see what’s on your record, no matter how far back they look. However, you can still find affordable car insurance rates when you comparison shop online with multiple companies. 

Do points on your license impact car insurance rates?

All traffic violations can raise your car insurance rates. Certain companies offer perks, such as accident forgiveness, to help first-time offenders avoid increased rates right away. But if you have multiple points on your license, you may be considered a high-risk driver. 

How much does high-risk car insurance cost? Take a look at the table below to see how different offenses impact auto insurance rates:

Traffic Violations and Their Impact on Insurance Rates

Even one speeding ticket can drive up your rates by $300 or more. If you need to find more affordable car insurance after a ticket, try getting quotes from at least three different companies before you buy. The statistics car insurance companies track can vary, and you may find one company doesn’t consider your traffic violation as serious as another. 

As you can see in the table below, average auto insurance rates vary by company:

Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates Based on Driving Record

Geico won’t raise your rates for one speeding ticket, but Liberty Mutual and Allstate charge $300 more. However, a DUI on your record will double your rates with nearly every insurer. That’s because DUIs often result in immediate license suspension in most states. In addition, drivers with a suspended license need SR-22 car insurance to be reinstated, which will automatically increase your rates.

How do you get points off your license?

Fortunately, in most states, points automatically disappear after a few years. More serious offenses will last longer, but overall you can expect points to stick around for three to five years.

Figuring out how to get points off your license in your state is more difficult. Most states don’t have point reduction programs, and drivers have to wait for a year or more before paying standard car insurance rates again. In the meantime, you can slowly move from high risk to standard car insurance by driving a safer vehicle and improving your credit score. 

In states with point reduction programs, drivers can take defensive driving courses to remove DMV points.

Drivers must complete courses within three to five years of the infraction, and the DMV must approve programs to apply to your driving record. These programs send proof of completion directly to the DMV on your behalf to remove those points as quickly as possible.

Where can you find out how many points you have on your license?

Visit your local DMV to get a copy of your driving record. You can also request a copy over the phone or email, but it will take longer. The DMV will also connect you with appropriate defensive driving programs.

How many points can you get on your license?

On average, drivers can have up to 12 points on their license before it’s suspended. However, DMV point requirements vary by state. So check with our local DMV if you’re curious about how many points you have on your license.

In general, speeding tickets will add two points to your license. Reckless driving adds another six points on average.

Drivers with few or no points on their license pay the lowest car insurance rates. However, if you have multiple infractions on your driving record or had your license suspended in the past, insurance companies will consider you a high-risk driver. 

You’ll pay more for car insurance — high-risk drivers with DUIs pay $266 per month on average. But the good news is that points will not stay on your record forever. Points expire after three to five years in most states, and you will start to see your insurance rates go down. In the meantime, consider taking a defensive driving course and improving your credit score to lower your car insurance rates.