Most states have a traffic ticket points system that assigns a point value to different kinds of traffic offenses, with more serious offenses being assigned a higher point value. When a person receives a traffic ticket, these points are added to the person's driver's license and become a part of each person's driving record. Accumulating a certain number of points can lead to consequences to drivers, such as the suspension of a person's driver's license and higher insurance premiums. Below is a chart laying out driver's license points by state, including links to information on the various points systems in states that employ them.
Alabama |
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency provides information about the driver's license point system on its website. |
Alaska |
The Alaska Department of Administration Division of Motor Vehicles explains its point system in its Driver Manual [PDF]. |
Arizona |
The Arizona Department of Transportation explains its points assessment in the Driver Services section. |
Arkansas |
The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration provides information about its administrative point system on its website. |
California |
The California Department of Motor Vehicles provides the violation point assessment for traffic offenses on its website. |
Colorado |
The Colorado State Driver Handbook [PDF] provides information about driving in the state, including the point assessment for traffic offenses. |
Connecticut |
The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles explains its point system in the Assessment of Points Against an Operator's License for Motor Vehicle Law Violations [PDF]. |
Delaware |
The Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles explains the Delaware Point System in the Driver Services section. |
District of Columbia |
The District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles explains its driver point system on its website. |
Florida |
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles explains its point system in the Driving Violation Statutes [PDF]. |
Georgia |
Georgia Department of Driver Services explains its point system in the Points and Points Reduction section. |
Hawaii |
Hawaii doesn't implement a driver's license point system. |
Idaho |
Idaho's Transportation Department provides information about its violation point system on its website. |
Illinois |
Illinois explains its point system in the Illinois Offense Table in its Administrative Code. |
Indiana |
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles provides lists its point system in the Driving Record Points section. |
Iowa |
The Iowa Department of Transportation's driver's license manual has a section on Protecting Your Driving Privileges that explains its point system. |
Kansas |
Kansas doesn't have a driver's license point system. |
Kentucky |
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet website explains the Kentucky Driver Point System. |
Louisiana |
Louisiana doesn't have a state driver's license point system, but it does participate in the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS). |
Maine |
Maine's Motorist Handbook and Study Guide [PDF] contains information about its traffic offense point system, which are called demerit points. |
Maryland |
The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration explains its traffic offense point system in the Point Assessment for Traffic and Other Violations section. |
Massachusetts |
In Massachusetts, the point system - called surchargeable points - are explained in the Safe Driver Insurance Plan [PDF]. |
Michigan |
The Michigan Secretary of State provides an explanation of its point system in the Driver's License and State ID section. |
Minnesota |
Minnesota doesn't employ a point system for traffic offenses. |
Mississippi |
Mississippi doesn't have a driver's license point system. |
Missouri |
The Missouri Department of Revenue explains its point system in the Form 899 [PDF]. |
Montana |
The Montana Secretary of State explains its point system in the Driver Rehabilitation Point System section of the Administrative Rules of Montana. |
Nebraska |
The Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles has a point system section on its website. |
Nevada |
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles explains its demerit point system on its website. |
New Hampshire |
The New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles explains its point system in the Demerit Points section of its website. |
New Jersey |
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission explains its point schedule in the Penalties and Fines section. |
New Mexico |
Point System Regulations and Schedule (link downloads separate PDF file) |
New York |
The New York Department of Motor Vehicles provides an explanation of its driver point system on its website. |
North Carolina |
The North Carolina Department of Transportation explains its point system its Driver's Handbook [PDF]. |
North Dakota |
The North Dakota Department of Transportation provides its point schedule on its website. |
Ohio |
The Ohio Revised Code contains a section that explains how points are assessed for traffic violations. |
Oklahoma |
The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety explains its point system in the Oklahoma Driver's Manual [PDF]. |
Oregon |
Oregon doesn't currently use a point system. Oregon's Driver Improvement Program outlines what actions can lead to license restrictions or suspensions. |
Pennsylvania |
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation provides a Point System Fact Sheet [PDF]. |
Rhode Island |
Rhode Island currently doesn't use a point system for traffic offenses. |
South Carolina |
The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles provides an explanation of its point system on its website. |
South Dakota |
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety explains its point system on its website. |
Tennessee |
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security provides the Schedule of Points Values on its website. |
Texas |
The Texas Department of Public Safety explains its point system in its Driver Responsibility Program. |
Utah |
The Utah Department of Public Safety provides a section on its point system on its website. |
Vermont |
The Vermont Statutes Online have a section that explains its motor vehicle violation point system. |
Virginia |
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles explains its point system in the Moving Violations and Point Assessments section on its website. |
Washington |
Washington doesn't currently employ a driver's license point system for traffic violations. |
West Virginia |
The West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles provides an explanation of its point system in the Problem Driver Point System [PDF]. |
Wisconsin |
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has a section that explains the point system on its website. |
Wyoming |
Wyoming doesn't currently have a formal point system for traffic offenses. Each county can decide how to penalize traffic violations, and the Wyoming Department of Transportation will add each traffic violation to your driving record. |
Getting Legal Help
If you have questions about driver's license points or a traffic ticket you've received, you may want to contact a traffic ticket attorney in your area.
For more information about each state's driving rules and regulations, you can visit FindLaw's section on State Traffic Laws.
