Vehicle · License points
Driver's License Points in Virginia
How many points each moving violation adds in Virginia, 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 Virginia
The points common violations carry, the totals that trigger a suspension, and how points come off your record.
Virginia demerit values, the balance thresholds, and how long each conviction stays on the record are amended from time to time. Confirm the current figures with the Virginia DMV before relying on them.
| How points add up | What it means |
|---|---|
| Speeding 1-9 mph over: 3 points | Speeding 1 to 9 miles per hour over the posted limit carries 3 demerit points, the lowest demerit tier. |
| Speeding 10-19 mph over: 4 points | Speeding 10 to 19 miles per hour over the limit carries 4 demerit points. |
| Running a red light or stop sign: 4 points | Failing to obey a red light or stop sign carries 4 demerit points. Failure to yield the right of way and following too closely also carry 4 points. |
| Reckless driving: 6 points | Reckless driving carries 6 demerit points, the highest demerit tier, and stays on the record for 11 years. |
| DUI: 6 points | A conviction for driving under the influence carries 6 demerit points, on top of the separate criminal penalties and license actions. |
| Speeding 20 mph or more over: 6 points | Speeding 20 miles per hour or more over the limit is charged as reckless driving in Virginia and carries 6 demerit points. |
| What triggers a suspension | What it means |
|---|---|
| Balance thresholds and windows | For a driver 18 or older, the DMV sends an advisory letter at 8 demerit points in 12 months, requires a driver improvement clinic at 12 points in 12 months, and can suspend the license at 18 points in 12 months or 24 points in 24 months. A suspension runs 90 days, followed by a six-month probation and an 18-month control period. |
| Young drivers under 18 | A driver under 18 must complete a driver improvement clinic after a first demerit-point conviction. After a second demerit-point conviction, the DMV suspends the license for 90 days, and a third leads to a longer suspension. |
| Safe driving points offset demerits | You earn one safe driving point for each full calendar year of driving without a violation or suspension, up to a maximum of 5, and 5 safe driving points for voluntarily completing a driver improvement clinic. Safe driving points reduce your balance but do not erase a conviction. |
| How long points stay | Demerit points remain part of your balance for two years from the date of the offense. The conviction itself stays on your driving record for 3, 5, or 11 years depending on the offense, with reckless driving and DUI staying 11 years. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps to check and manage your points in Virginia. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Check your driving record
Order your driving record from the Virginia DMV so you know your demerit-point balance, your safe driving points, and which convictions still count.
- Consider a driver improvement clinic
Voluntarily completing an approved driver improvement clinic credits 5 safe driving points, which offset demerit points, though the clinic does not erase a conviction.
- Address a ticket before it is a conviction
Demerit points attach when a citation becomes a conviction. You can contest a ticket, and a lawyer referral 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.
→ Virginia DMV, Traffic Violations and PointsThis 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 Virginia get wrong about license points
Virginia runs a Uniform Demerit Point System authorized by Va. Code section 46.2-492 and related sections. Convictions carry 3, 4, or 6 demerit points. Speeding 1 to 9 miles per hour over the limit is 3 points, speeding 10 to 19 over, running a red light or stop sign, and failure to yield are each 4 points, and reckless driving, DUI, and speeding 20 or more miles per hour over are each 6 points. For a driver 18 or older, the DMV sends an advisory letter at 8 points in 12 months, requires a driver improvement clinic at 12 points in 12 months, and can suspend the license at 18 points in 12 months or 24 in 24 months, followed by probation and an 18-month control period. Virginia also uses positive safe driving points: you earn one for each full year without a violation, up to 5, and 5 for voluntarily completing a driver improvement clinic, and those points offset demerits without erasing a conviction. Demerit points stay in your balance for two years, while the conviction stays on your record for 3, 5, or 11 years depending on the offense. This is legal information, not legal advice.
Common questions
How many points suspend your license in Virginia?
The DMV can suspend a driver 18 or older at 18 demerit points in 12 months or 24 demerit points in 24 months. The suspension runs 90 days, followed by a six-month probation and an 18-month control period.
How long do points stay on your record in Virginia?
Demerit points remain part of your balance for two years from the date of the offense. The conviction itself stays on your driving record for 3, 5, or 11 years depending on the offense, with reckless driving and DUI staying 11 years.
How can you reduce points in Virginia?
You earn one safe driving point for each full calendar year without a violation, up to 5, and 5 safe driving points for voluntarily completing a driver improvement clinic. Safe driving points offset demerits but do not erase a conviction.
Are DMV points the same as insurance points in Virginia?
No. Virginia demerit points and an insurer’s own surcharge system are separate. Earning safe driving points or completing a clinic does not force an insurer to lower a rate set under its own rules.
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.