How long do points stay on your license?
One to three years in most states that use points.
Updated 13 November 2026
Points are added to your record when you are convicted of a moving violation. After a set period they stop counting toward a suspension.
The conviction behind the points usually stays longer than the points do. See how long a ticket stays on your record.
How long points last, state by state
| State | How long points count |
|---|---|
| Alabama | After a conviction is 2 years old, it no longer counts as points toward a suspension. |
| Arizona | Points are counted for corrective action based on convictions within the most recent 12 months. |
| Arkansas | Points are counted over a 36-month period. |
| California | Traffic convictions and collisions stay on the record for 36 months or longer, depending on the type of conviction. |
| Colorado | Points count toward suspension within 12-month and 24-month periods measured from the date of the violation. |
| Connecticut | Points count against the driving record for 24 months from the date they are assessed. |
| Delaware | Points count in full for 12 months from the violation date, then at half value for the next 12 months. |
| District of Columbia | Points stay on a DC driving record for two years. |
| Georgia | Points count toward suspension for 24 months, measured from the date of the violation. |
| Indiana | Points stay active for two years from the conviction date. |
| Kentucky | Points expire two years from the date of conviction. |
| Maine | Points are erased from the record when the conviction becomes one year old, and each violation-free year earns a credit. |
| Maryland | Points stay on the driving record and are counted over a 2-year period. |
| Michigan | Points stay on the driving record for two years from the conviction date. |
| Missouri | Your point total drops by one-third after 1 year without new points, by one-half after 2 years, and to zero after 3 years. |
| Montana | Conviction points stay on a Montana driving record for three years from the conviction date. |
| Nebraska | Points count toward the 12-point revocation for two years, counted from the date of the last violation. |
| Nevada | Demerit points expire 12 months after the conviction date. |
| New Hampshire | Demerit points appear on a certified copy of the driving record for 3 years from the violation date. |
| New Jersey | The MVC keeps a permanent record of all points earned, but 3 points come off after each 12 months without a violation or suspension. |
| New Mexico | Points are expunged automatically at the end of the twelfth month after the month of the violation. |
| New York | Points count toward the total for 24 months from the violation date and stay on the record as long as the conviction does. |
| North Carolina | All previous points are cancelled when a driving privilege is reinstated, and suspensions look at points from a three-year period. |
| North Dakota | One point comes off for every three months without a new point violation, starting from the date the violation was entered. |
| Ohio | The 12-point total is counted over a two-year period that starts on the date of the first conviction in that period. |
| Oklahoma | A driver with no pointable conviction for three consecutive years has the point total reduced to zero. |
| Pennsylvania | Three points are removed for every 12 consecutive months without a suspension, revocation, or point-producing violation. |
| South Carolina | Points count in full for 12 months, at half value from 12 to 24 months, and not at all after 24 months. |
| Utah | Points from a conviction are removed three years after the violation date, and half are removed after one full year without a moving conviction. |
| Vermont | Points stay on the driving record for two years from the date of conviction. |
| Virginia | Demerit points remain valid for two years from the date you commit the offense. |
| West Virginia | Points are removed two years from the date of conviction, but the conviction stays on the driver record. |
Checked 13 November 2026 against each state's own publications. A state is listed only where we could confirm its rule. States change these rules, and your own record shows what applies to you.
See your own record
Your record shows exactly what is on file for you. Pick the state that issued your license.
Related
- How many points does it take to suspend your license?
Each state sets its own limit, such as 12 points in 12 months in Florida. See how many points suspend a license in your state.
- How to get points off your license
Points come off with time, and in many states with an approved driving course. What works in each state, and what a course does not remove.
- How many points is a speeding ticket?
Usually 2 to 4 points, and more the faster you were going. It depends on your state, and some states do not use points at all.
- Check license points
Your driving record shows the points on your license and the tickets they came from. How to check your license points in any state.