Driving licence points explained

There are a range of driving offences for which a driver can incur penalty points on their licence record, a monetary fine, or in many cases both.

Penalty points or endorsements on a driving licence are given when a driving offence has been committed that is listed in Part 3 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (RTOA).

Penalty points

The minimum number of points given at any one time is two and the maximum is 11. Points or endorsements carry an offence code that stays on your driving record along with the penalty points for four or 11 years depending on the conviction.

Endorsements can stay on your driving licence for four or 11 years depending on the offence. And they are set on a scale from one to 11, the more serious the offence, the more points you are given. Driving offences are recognised by codes, and the list of these codes is extensive; they're available on the government website.

Drivers can be disqualified if they receive 12 or more points on their licence within a three-year period, unless they are a new driver. New drivers will have their licence revoked if they receive six or more points within two years of passing their test.

New drivers

If a new driver has their licence revoked for receiving six or more points within the first two years of driving then they are required to apply for a new provisional licence, pass the theory test and practical test in order to regain their full driving licence. This rule was introduced in the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995 and states that if needed the court can order the driver to take an extended driving test before their licence will be returned to them.

The endorsement can stay on your driving record from the date the offence took place or the date the driver was convicted, depending on the type of offence.

How long do points stay on my licence?

Some offences such as reckless/dangerous driving (codes DD40, DD60 and DD80) or those that result in disqualification from driving will remain on your licence for four years from the date of conviction.

Other endorsements will remain on your driving record for four years from the date of the offence.

11-year offences will stay on a driving record for 11 years from the date of conviction.

Once the endorsement is expired it will automatically be removed from your driving record. Thanks to the introduction of digital driving records you no longer need to fill out the paperwork associated with endorsement removal (previously a D1 form).

What is a speed awareness course?

Drivers who are guilty of a speeding offence may be offered the chance to attend a speed awareness course as an alternative to penalty points and fines. The course is intended to alter the attitude of speeding drivers through highlighting the potential consequences of their actions. Courses are only offered to those who meet the criteria, who are only marginally above the speed limit and who have not been convicted of a speeding offence in the last three years.

Your driving record

Insurance companies and your employer are able to find out if you have a driving endorsement on your record with your permission. You can check your licence with the view driving licence service on the government website. This was introduced following the abolishment of the paper counterpart. If you are required to drive as part of your job then you will be asked to generate a check code so your potential employer can view your driving record online.

What is a totting up ban?

A totting up ban (code TT99) is when a driver receives 12 or more points on their licence through a number of offences that have been culminated over a three-year period. The recommended ban period is six months, although courts act with discretion.

Crucially, if culminated points expire before the court date, the driver is still liable to a ban, as the court will take the date the offence took place into account and not the court date.

Can I avoid a totting up ban?

By driving safely and adhering to the rules of the road you can avoid gaining endorsements and therefore a totting up ban. Once the ban has been served the points on the licence are taken off.

Driving fines

Fines can be imposed on a driver committing an offence as a fixed penalty notice, that means by the police at the time of the offence or they can be imposed by a court. The minimum fine imposed at the time of the offence is £100 there is no maximum and fines can be imposed for a number of driving and cycling offences.

Courts have the power to impose unlimited fines for serious driving offences such as careless and inconsiderate driving and driving while disqualified among many other offences.

What's the difference between a revoked licence and a ban?

A revoked licence is taken away and the driver must resit a test, an extended version if needed. When the ban is imposed your licence will be sent to the DVLA when the ban expires the driver’s licence will be returned to them by the DVLA. If the ban was for more than 56 days the licence will be automatically revoked.