Driver’s License Point System

The New York State Driver’s license point system is how the Department of Motor Vehicles measures the severity of a driver’s misconduct. The point system was enacted as a way to enable the DMV to punish repeated violators of the Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL) and to enable the DMV to enforce VTL 510(d)3. VTL 510(d)3 allows for the suspension or revocation of the driver’s licenses of repeated and unrepentant violators of the VTL.

If you or someone you love is facing suspension of their driver’s license due to serious traffic tickets call our experienced and tenacious New York traffic lawyers today. Our lawyers will explore every legal option and make the strongest possible arguments to beat your ticket.

Only some offenses are ascribed points in the Vehicle and Traffic Law, and of those most only carry 2 or 3 points. Some are far more severe. These points and violations are reported to your insurance carrier and can increase your insurance rate dramatically. If you are facing a violation like speeding greater than 40 miles per hour over the limit, which carries 11 points and a mandatory suspension, tremendous financial costs could be a consequence of not getting representation of our law firm’s experienced and aggressive New York traffic attorneys.

Some of the most severe traffic offenses carry very high point values. The following is a list of specified offenses that carry high point values in the VTL, and their point allocations:

11 Points

• Speeding 40 mph over the limit or faster

8 Points

• Speeding between 30 and 40 miles per hour over the limit

6 Points

• Speeding between 20 and 30 miles per hour over the limit

5 Points

• Reckless driving
• Passing a school bus picking up or dropping off children
• Any traffic infraction relating to a railroad crossing
• All traffic infractions related to using a cell phone or texting while driving

4 Points

• Speeding between 10 and 20 miles per hour over the limit
• Tailgating
• Bad brakes
• Additionally the VTL punishes those who accumulate high numbers of points over 18 month periods.
• If a person accrues between 4 and 7 points within an 18 month period the Department of Motor Vehicles sends that person a letter advising them of what potential consequences may occur in the future if more points continue to accrue.
• 6 or more points results in an imposition of a mandatory driver responsibility assessment.
• If a person accrues between 7 and 10 points within 18 months the person must take a driver’s improvement clinic. If the person does not take the driver’s improvement clinic at the required time their license may be suspended.
• If a person accrues between more than 11 points within 18 months, or 9 points from speeding within 18 months that person may be required to attend a formal hearing where the DMV will investigate why the person is violating the traffic law so often. At this hearing the DMV may suspend or revoke the person’s driver’s license.

Additionally, where a person has committed three or more traffic violations within an unusually short period of time the DMV may open an inquiry into the reasons for the violations and require attendance at a formal hearing. This inquiry and hearing may be opened even if the person has not met the points threshold mentioned above. If the DMV determines that the person will continue to violate the VTL they may suspend or revoke their license. You may never have imagined that simple traffic violations, should they occur within a relatively short timeframe, could cause your driver’s license to be revoked, and cause you to miss time at work because you need to go to the DMV for a hearing. Therefore, it is very important to take tickets that impose points on your driver’s license seriously and hire our tough and most aggressive law firm to handle those tickets.

If you or someone you love are facing traffic tickets that may impose points on their driver’s license, call our hard-hitting and knowledgeable New York traffic lawyers today.