Vehicle · License points
Driver's License Points in Pennsylvania
How many points each moving violation adds in Pennsylvania, 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 Pennsylvania
The points common violations carry, the totals that trigger a suspension, and how points come off your record.
Pennsylvania point values and the departmental action steps are amended from time to time. Confirm the current figures with PennDOT before relying on them.
| How points add up | What it means |
|---|---|
| Speeding 6-10 mph over: 2 points | Under section 1535, speeding 6 to 10 miles per hour over the posted limit carries 2 points. |
| Speeding 11-15 mph over: 3 points | Speeding 11 to 15 miles per hour over the limit carries 3 points and can bring a short suspension for excessive speed. |
| Speeding 16-25 mph over: 4 points | Speeding 16 to 25 miles per hour over the limit carries 4 points. |
| Speeding 26 mph or more over: 5 points | Speeding 26 miles per hour or more over the limit carries 5 points, and excessive speed can add a 15-day suspension after a hearing. |
| Careless driving: 3 points | A conviction for careless driving under section 3714 carries 3 points. |
| Reckless driving: direct suspension | Reckless driving under section 3736 carries a mandatory license suspension on its own, separate from and on top of any points, so the most serious offenses do not depend on the point count. |
| What triggers a suspension | What it means |
|---|---|
| Action at 6 points, the first time | The first time your record reaches 6 or more points, section 1538 requires you to pass a special written point examination or attend an approved driver improvement school. On satisfactory completion, 2 points are removed from your record. |
| Action at 6 points, the second time | If your record is reduced below 6 points and then reaches 6 or more a second time, the department requires a departmental hearing, which can lead to a license suspension or a further examination. |
| Point reduction over time | Three points are removed from your record for each 12 consecutive months in which you are not under suspension or revocation and do not commit a violation that results in points. Once your record reaches zero and stays there for 12 months, any later points are treated as a first accumulation. |
| Young and junior drivers | A junior driver under 18 who reaches 6 or more points, or is convicted of driving 26 or more miles per hour over the limit, faces a 90-day suspension for a first such occurrence, with stricter action for later ones. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps to check and manage your points in Pennsylvania. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check your driving record
Order your driver record from PennDOT so you know your current point total and how close you are to the 6-point action level.
- Keep a clean 12 months
Because 3 points come off for each 12 consecutive months without a points violation or suspension, a clean year is the main way to lower your count.
- Address a ticket before it is a conviction
Points attach when a citation becomes a conviction. You can contest a ticket, 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.
→ Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania get wrong about license points
Pennsylvania sets its point schedule in 75 Pa.C.S. section 1535 and its departmental action in section 1538. Speeding carries 2 points at 6 to 10 miles per hour over the limit, 3 points at 11 to 15 over, 4 points at 16 to 25 over, and 5 points at 26 or more over, while careless driving carries 3 points. The state does not suspend at one fixed number automatically. Instead, the department acts each time your record reaches 6 points. The first time, you must pass a special written point examination or attend an approved driver improvement school, and 2 points come off on completion. If your record reaches 6 points a second time, the department holds a hearing that can lead to a suspension. Three points are removed for each 12 consecutive months in which you stay clean, and once your record reaches zero and holds for 12 months, later points are treated as a first accumulation. Serious offenses like reckless driving carry a mandatory suspension of their own, separate from points. This is legal information, not legal advice.
Common questions
How many points suspend your license in Pennsylvania?
There is no single automatic number. Under 75 Pa.C.S. section 1538, the department acts each time your record reaches 6 points. The first time brings a test or driver improvement school, and the second time brings a hearing that can lead to a suspension.
How long do points stay on your record in Pennsylvania?
Three points are removed for each 12 consecutive months in which you are not suspended and do not commit a points violation. The underlying conviction stays on your driving record longer than the points remain.
How can you reduce points in Pennsylvania?
Points drop 3 at a time for each clean 12-month period. In addition, completing an approved driver improvement school after your first time at 6 points removes 2 points from your record.
Are DMV points the same as insurance points in Pennsylvania?
No. The PennDOT point count and an insurer’s own surcharge system are separate. An insurance company can raise your rate under its own rules even when your PennDOT count stays low.
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.