How long do penalty points stay on your driving licence?
Find out how penalty points could impact your insurance
When playing football or joining the local pub quiz, racking up points is ideal. It’s positively encouraged. But that’s not the case with your driving licence. The winners are drivers with no points.
So, let’s get to the point and figure out how it impacts your car insurance.
What are penalty points?
You receive penalty points when you're convicted of a motoring offence. The goal is to have zero points, meaning there aren’t any ‘endorsements’ or ‘penalties’ on your licence.
“Each endorsement has a special code”, says GOV.UK, “and is given ‘penalty points’ on a scale from 1 to 11. You get more points for more serious offences.” And some penalties come with fines, which range in cost.
So, the endorsement reflects the motoring offence while the penalty is how many points you’ll get on your licence for it if convicted.
Here are a few examples:Footnote [1]
| Endorsement (offence) | Potential penalty points | How long it stays on your licence |
|---|---|---|
| Breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone | 3 to 6 | 4 years from the date of the offence |
| Driving without due care and attention | 3 to 9 | 4 years from the date of the offence |
| Leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position | 3 | 4 years from the date of the offence |
How long do penalty points stay on your licence?
Endorsements and penalty points will stay on your driving record for 4 or 11 years, depending on the offence.Footnote [1]
The endorsement is effective (or valid) for the first:
- 3 years, but will stay on your licence for 4 years, on a 4-year endorsement.
- 10 years, but stays on your licence for 11 years, on an 11-year endorsement.
4 years from date of conviction
An endorsement will stay on a driving record for 4 years if: Footnote [2]
- it is for reckless/dangerous driving
- it results in disqualification or being banned from driving
11 years from date of conviction
An endorsement will remain on your record for 11 years (with 3 to 11 points) if:Footnote [2]
- drink driving or drug driving
- causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or
- causing death by careless driving, then failing to provide a specimen for
Any offences related to causing death or driving whilst under the influence (of drugs or alcohol) will remain on licences the longest, if found guilty.
How do I find out how many penalty points I have on my licence?
To find out how many penalty points you may have, check out GOV.UK to view your driving licence information.
How many points can I build up on my licence?
You’ll be banned, or disqualified, from driving if you build up 12 or more points within any 3-year period. Footnote [3]
But the rules are different for new drivers.
Penalty points for new drivers
If you’re a new driver, your licence will be cancelled if you get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing your test. Footnote [4]
And if you received points on your provisional licence, and they haven’t expired, they’ll carry over to your full licence when you pass your test.Footnote [4]
How long would a driving ban last?
This is decided by the court, based on how serious they believe the offence is. And your ban can last: Footnote [3]
- 6 months, if you get 12 or more penalty points within 3 years
- 12 months, if you get a second disqualification within 3 years
- 2 years, if you get a third disqualification within 3 years
Can penalty points affect my car insurance?
Yes, points on your licence could affect your car insurance premiums. You may find that quotes are more expensive, or some insurers could be less willing to insure you if you have points. Since insurers consider risk (among one of the many items) when calculating premiums, they may view endorsements as a sign of risky behaviour.
If you have points on your licence, by law, you must tell your insurer and declare it when shopping around for a new policy. Hiding this information may mean that your policy is declared void. This means you could earn more penalty points or find yourself prosecuted for driving an uninsured vehicle.
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