Penalty points on your licence: how the system works
Penalty points are endorsements added to your driving record when you are convicted of a motoring offence. Reach 12 or more within three years and you face a totting-up ban of at least six months. Most points stay on your record for four years, and drivers in their first two years face a much stricter limit.
Do everything even faster in our app.
How do penalty points work?
When you are convicted of a motoring offence, points are added to your driving record as an endorsement. The number depends on how serious the offence is, ranging from 2 points for a minor matter up to 11 for the most serious. Speeding, for example, usually carries 3 points.
Points are recorded against your licence electronically. The paper counterpart was abolished in 2015, so your points now sit on the DVLA's record rather than on the licence itself. They act as a running tally that the courts use to decide whether you should keep your licence.
How many points before you get banned?
There are two routes to a driving ban. The first is totting up: if you reach 12 or more points within a three-year period, the court must disqualify you. The second is a single serious offence, such as dangerous driving or drink driving, which can bring an immediate ban regardless of how many points you already hold.
So there is no single magic number. A driver can be banned on their first offence if it is serious enough, while another reaches a ban only after several smaller ones accumulate to 12.
What is the totting up rule?
Totting up is the process of adding together points from separate offences. Once the total reaches 12 within three years, measured by the dates of the offences rather than the convictions, a court must impose a disqualification of at least six months. A second totting-up ban within three years means a minimum of twelve months.
It is sometimes possible to avoid a totting-up ban by arguing "exceptional hardship", for example if losing your licence would cost you your job and your family their income. The court does not have to accept it, and the same argument cannot usually be used twice in three years.
How long do penalty points stay on your licence?
Most endorsements stay on your driving record for four years from the date of the offence, and count towards a totting-up ban for the first three of those years. More serious convictions, such as drink or drug driving and causing death by dangerous driving, stay for eleven years.
You cannot pay to have points removed early, and they do not simply vanish when you renew your licence. You can check exactly what is on your record using the GOV.UK service to view your driving licence information.
What is the new driver points limit?
If you passed your first driving test less than two years ago, you face a much lower threshold. Under the New Drivers Act, reaching 6 or more points within two years of passing means your licence is revoked automatically.
If that happens, you must reapply for a provisional licence and pass both the theory and practical tests again before you can drive unaccompanied. Points picked up while you were learning count towards the six, so they do not reset when you pass. Our guide on learner insurance after passing your test covers the period when this rule bites hardest.
What offences carry penalty points?
A wide range of offences carry points. Common examples include speeding (3 to 6 points), using a handheld phone while driving (6 points), driving without insurance (6 to 8 points), careless driving (3 to 9 points) and drink or drug driving (3 to 11 points, usually alongside a ban).
The number within each range reflects the seriousness of the individual case. Failing to identify the driver of a vehicle, for instance, carries 6 points even though no driving offence is proven, which catches many people out. Construction and use offences, such as driving with defective tyres or brakes, also carry 3 points per defect.
Can you remove points from your licence early?
No. Points run their course and come off automatically once they expire, and there is no way to pay a fee or take a course to clear existing points sooner. Be wary of any service that claims otherwise.
What you can sometimes do is avoid points in the first place. For lower-level speeding, you may be offered a speed awareness course instead of an endorsement, provided you have not taken one in the past three years. The course leaves no points on your record.
What are the endorsement codes on a licence?
Each offence is recorded with a code and the points attached. SP30 is exceeding a speed limit on a public road, CU80 is using a phone while driving, IN10 is driving without insurance, DR10 is drink driving, and TT99 marks a totting-up disqualification.
Insurers ask about these codes when you get a quote, and the code matters as much as the number of points. Our guide on how penalty points affect car insurance explains how each type is priced and how long you must declare it.
Frequently asked questions
How many penalty points before an automatic ban?
Reaching 12 or more points within three years triggers a totting-up disqualification, which a court must impose for at least six months the first time. A single serious offence such as dangerous driving can also bring an immediate ban with fewer points.
What is the totting up rule and how does it work?
Totting up adds together points from separate offences committed within three years. Once they reach 12, the court must disqualify you for a minimum of six months, or twelve months if it is your second totting-up ban within three years.
How long do points remain on your driving licence?
Most endorsements stay on your record for four years from the date of the offence and count towards a ban for the first three years. Drink and drug driving and causing death by dangerous driving stay for eleven years. You cannot remove them early.
Do new drivers have a lower points limit?
Yes. If you passed your first test less than two years ago, reaching 6 points means your licence is revoked, and you must reapply for a provisional and pass both tests again. Points from your learner period count towards the total.
Can I do a speed awareness course instead of taking points?
For lower-level speeding you may be offered a course instead of points, provided you have not attended one in the previous three years and the speed falls within the eligible range. A course leaves no endorsement on your record, though some insurers still ask about it.
Temporary insurance quote
Get a price in under 60 seconds!