How long do points stay on my driving licence?

There can be a number of reasons why penalty points may be added to your licence and too many may result in a driving ban that will result in higher insurance costs for number of years.

But how long do points stay on your licence? And how can you check how many points are sill active? Read our guide to find out.

Penalty points on your driving licence are a way that the police and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) can reprimand people who commit traffic offences when behind the wheel.

Drivers can receive up to 12 points on their licence for various offences, including reckless and dangerous driving, drink or drug driving, causing death by careless driving, speeding, running a red light, and driving while using a mobile phone.

The minimum number of points that can be issued per criminal act is three – and the maximum is 11.

However, in serious cases, offenders can have their licence taken away via a driving ban or driving suspension.

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Also known as endorsements, penalty points on your licence can last from 4 to 11 years, depending on the severity of the conviction.

You can be disqualified from driving if you acquire 12 or more points within three years.

For new drivers, there are more serious consequences for fewer points.

Should they get 6 points within two years, they will have their licence revoked.

Your ‘endorsement’ can start from either your conviction or offence date.

Four years from conviction

Points for reckless and dangerous driving will say on a driving record with the DVLA for four years. This is also the case if the offence results in a disqualification.

Codes DD40, DD60 and DD80 will appear on the endorsement record.

Four years from date of offence

In all other cases that result in points on a driving licence, points will stay on the licence for four years from the original date of the offence.

This will be dated on the official documentation issued to the driver.

Eleven years from date of conviction

This is reserved for more serious offences, including drink or drug driving and causing death by careless driving.

Codes for these offences include DR10, DR20, DR30, Dr31, DR61, DR80, CD40, CD50, CD60, and CD70 They will remain on the record for 11 years.

The purpose of the points is to promote safety and correct driving practices when behind the wheel. This is something that is taught to all new and learner drivers – and it is expected that people of all experience levels adhere to the rules of the road.

Breaking these rules comes with serious consequences.

There are two ways to check how many points you have on your licence – by contacting the DVLA or use the Government’s checker tool.

By calling the DVLA, you can get a better understanding of any codes that are on the licence, and how long they will be on there for.

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It is impossible to remove penalty points, or endorsements, from your driving licence once they have been added.

Penalty points will remain on the driving record for four to eleven years. After this time they will expire and the points will be reset to zero.

When it comes to receiving points on a driving licence, there are some likely reasons why they are there.

Here are the most common reasons for getting endorsements on a driving licence in the UK:

• Speeding
• Dangerous driving
• Reckless driving
• Drink driving
• Drug driving
• Driving without insurance
• Using a mobile phone while driving
• Driving while disqualified
• Running a red light or ignoring signage

There are other miscellaneous reasons why a driver could get points on their licence.

Furthermore, having points on a licence will likely impact the price of your car insurance.

Stick to the speed limits and respect the rules of the road and you won’t get in any trouble.