Vehicle · License points
Driver's License Points in New York
How many points each moving violation adds in New York, how many points suspend your license and over what period, and how points come off your record. Cited to the statute.
How license points add up in New York
The points common violations carry, the totals that trigger a suspension, and how points come off your record.
New York lowered the suspension threshold to 10 points in 24 months and raised point values for the most serious violations effective February 16, 2026, and the rules are amended from time to time. Confirm the current figures with the New York DMV before relying on them.
| How points add up | What it means |
|---|---|
| Speeding 1-20 mph over: 3 to 4 points | Speeding 1 to 10 miles per hour over the limit is 3 points. Speeding 11 to 20 over is 4 points, and following too closely, known as tailgating, is also 4 points. The standard speeding tiers did not change on February 16, 2026. |
| Speeding 21 mph or more over: 6 to 11 points | Speeding 21 to 30 miles per hour over the limit is 6 points, 31 to 40 over is 8 points, and more than 40 over is 11 points. Speeding in a work zone is 8 points regardless of how far over the limit. |
| Cell phone or texting: 5 points | Using a hand-held cell phone or portable electronic device, or texting while driving, is 5 points. Disobeying a traffic signal, stop sign, or yield sign is 3 points. |
| Reckless driving or passing a stopped school bus: 8 points | Reckless driving is 8 points, and passing a stopped school bus is 8 points. Both increased from 5 points effective February 16, 2026. |
| Alcohol or drug offense: 11 points | An alcohol- or drug-related conviction or incident is 11 points, and aggravated unlicensed operation is 11 points. Either one alone comes within a point of the suspension review threshold. |
| What triggers a suspension | What it means |
|---|---|
| Suspension threshold and window | The DMV may suspend a license when a driver accumulates 10 points within a 24-month period. Effective February 16, 2026, the threshold changed from 11 points in 18 months to 10 points in 24 months, and point values for the most serious violations increased. |
| Driver Responsibility Assessment | A driver who receives 6 or more points within 18 months owes a Driver Responsibility Assessment, a fee paid to the DMV over three years that is separate from any fine or suspension. |
| Point reduction through the PIRP course | Completing an approved Point and Insurance Reduction Program course subtracts up to 4 points for suspension-threshold purposes and reduces certain insurance premiums by 10 percent. It does not remove the points or the conviction from your record. |
| How long points stay | Points count toward the suspension total only while the violation falls within the last 24 months, measured from the violation date. After 24 months the points no longer count, though the conviction stays on the record longer. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps to check and manage your points in New York. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check your driving record
Order your driving abstract from the New York DMV so you know your current point total and which violations still fall inside the 24-month window.
- Consider a PIRP course
An approved Point and Insurance Reduction Program course subtracts up to 4 points for suspension purposes and lowers certain premiums by 10 percent, without erasing the conviction.
- Address a ticket before it is a conviction
Points attach when a ticket becomes a conviction. You can contest a citation, and a bar find-a-lawyer service can point you to help if a suspension is at stake.
Points follow from a conviction, and a suspension can cost you your license and raise your insurance. A licensed traffic attorney can explain your options; the state bar can refer you to one.
→ New York State Bar Association, Find a LawyerThis is general legal information, not legal advice. Point values, thresholds, and reduction rules turn on the exact statute and your record, so confirm your situation with the DMV and, if needed, a lawyer.
What drivers in New York get wrong about license points
New York uses the Driver Violation Point System, authorized by Vehicle and Traffic Law section 510 and set by regulation. Effective February 16, 2026, the DMV lowered the suspension threshold to 10 points within a 24-month period, changed from 11 points in 18 months, and raised point values for the most serious violations. Speeding 1 to 10 miles per hour over the limit is 3 points, 11 to 20 over is 4 points, 21 to 30 over is 6 points, 31 to 40 over is 8 points, and more than 40 over is 11 points, while speeding in a work zone is 8 points regardless of speed. Using a hand-held cell phone or texting is 5 points, reckless driving is 8 points, and passing a stopped school bus is 8 points. An alcohol- or drug-related conviction or incident is 11 points, and so is aggravated unlicensed operation. The DMV may suspend your license when you reach 10 points, and a driver who reaches 6 or more points in 18 months also owes a Driver Responsibility Assessment, a separate fee paid over three years. Completing an approved Point and Insurance Reduction Program course subtracts up to 4 points for suspension-threshold purposes and cuts certain premiums by 10 percent, without erasing the points or the conviction. Points count only while a violation stays inside the 24-month window. This is legal information, not legal advice.
Common questions
How many points suspend your license in New York?
The DMV may suspend your license when you accumulate 10 points within 24 months. Effective February 16, 2026, the threshold dropped from 11 points in 18 months to 10 points in 24 months, and points for the most serious violations increased.
How long do points stay on your record in New York?
Points count toward the suspension total only while a violation falls within the last 24 months, measured from the violation date. After 24 months the points no longer count, though the conviction stays on the record longer.
How can you reduce points in New York?
Completing an approved Point and Insurance Reduction Program course subtracts up to 4 points for suspension-threshold purposes and reduces certain insurance premiums by 10 percent. It does not remove the points or the conviction from your record.
Are DMV points the same as insurance points in New York?
No. The DMV point count and an insurer’s own rating are separate. A PIRP course lowers certain premiums for three years, but an insurer can still raise a rate under its own rules, and a Driver Responsibility Assessment is a separate DMV fee.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.