If you break the rules of the road, you’ll more than likely end up with penalty points on your driving licence. Ultimately, the number of points you’ll receive will depend on the severity of the offence.
In this guide, we’ll explain how long penalty points for various offences stay on your licence, how the points system works – and how to check your driving licence record.
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What are penalty points?
If you commit a driving offence, the courts can fine you and ‘endorse’ your licence. For speeding offences, they also have the option to send you on a speed awareness course, which could help you avoid incurring penalty points.
The endorsement is the name of the entry on your driving record - and it shows what the offence was and when it happened. Each endorsement has a corresponding code and penalty points on a scale of 1-11. The more serious the offence, the more points you’ll get.
For example, in England, Scotland, and Wales, you can receive 3-6 points for driving without a licence. You can also receive 3-11 points for causing death or serious injury. Here’s a full list of endorsements and penalty points.
In Northern Ireland, the procedures and points vary slightly.
How long will points stay on my licence?
The number of penalty points you’ll get depends on the severity of the offence. This also affects how long the points will stay on your licence.
Endorsements must stay on your licence for 4 or 11 years. This can start from the date of the offence or the date you’re convicted. However, they’re only considered ‘valid’ for three years (for a 4-year endorsement) and 10 years (for an 11-year endorsement).
Other people, such as insurers and employers can find out that you have the endorsement at any time throughout a 4-year endorsement. If you have an 11-year endorsement, they can find out about your endorsement during the first five years. If you’re under 18, it’s only visible for the first 30 months.
Once your points expire, they will be automatically removed from your driving record.
Penalty point duration
Examples of offences where penalty points stay on your licence for the standard duration of four years include:
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Failing to stop after an accident.
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Driving while disqualified.
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Driving without due care and attention.
Severe offences where penalty points stay on your licence for 11 years include:
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Driving or attempting to drive when unfit through drugs.
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Causing death through careless driving when unfit through drink.
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Causing death by careless driving and then failing to supply a specimen for alcohol analysis.
Automatic removal of your points from your licence occurs:
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Once the points have expired. They’ll automatically be removed from your driving record.
Penalty point consequences
If you accumulate 12 or more points within three years, you could get a driving ban of at least six months, which emphasises the importance of understanding how long points last.
New drivers face even stricter conditions; if they accumulate six points within two years of passing their test, they could get their licence revoked.
The duration that penalty points remain on your licence is critical for insurance purposes, as insurers generally ask about convictions from the last five years, which has an impact on premiums and coverage options.
Checking penalty points
Checking the penalty points on your driving record is simple. Go to the ‘View or share your driving licence information’ page on the gov.uk website and enter your driving licence number, National Insurance number and your postcode. (Make sure it’s the one on your licence.)