How many points does it take to suspend a license in New York?
Are you wondering how many points are needed to suspend a license in NY? Only 11 points are needed to suspend a license in NY, but they stay only for 18 months. Since you can rack up the 11 points easily, you can take an online defensive driving course to remove points.
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UPDATED: Jun 13, 2023
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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Jun 13, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our auto insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different auto insurance companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Your New York driver’s license will be suspended if you accumulate 11 points
- You can receive points for speeding, texting and driving, running a red light, and other violations
- A defensive driving course will remove four points from your New York license
If you habitually speed, text while driving, or don’t pay attention to traffic signals, you could quickly rack up points on your New York driver’s license. How many points are needed to suspend a license in NY?
While you need 11 points to suspend your license in NY, you can actually accumulate those pretty quickly. The good news is that you can take a defensive driving course to remove a few of those points.
In addition to paying fines, you’ll also have to pay higher auto insurance rates. In fact, you may even have to buy expensive high-risk auto insurance.
Although your auto insurance rates will be higher with points on your license, you can still obtain the lowest rates possible if you shop around. Every insurance company will evaluate your personal factors differently and offer various rates.
Keep reading to learn how many points you can accumulate on your New York license before it’s suspended. Enter your ZIP code now to compare free auto insurance quotes from companies near you.
How many points are needed to suspend a license in NY?
If you’ve gotten a ticket in NY, you might have to deal with points on your license in addition to fines. New York uses a points system to evaluate driving, and your license will be suspended once you receive 11 points in an 18-month period.
While 11 points may seem like a lot, it can be quite easy to rack those up. This table shows you common reasons why drivers can be assigned points in New York.
New York Driver's License Points
| Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| Speeding (MPH over posted limit) | |
| 1 to 10 | 3 |
| 11 to 20 | 4 |
| 21 to 30 | 6 |
| 31 to 40 | 8 |
| Over 40 | 11 |
| Reckless driving | 5 |
| Failed to stop for school bus | 5 |
| Improper cell phone use | 5 |
| Use of portable electronic device "texting" | 5 |
| Railroad crossing violation | 5 |
| Failed to yield right-of-way | 3 |
| Red Light | 3 |
| Disobeying traffic control signal, STOP sign, or YIELD sign | 3 |
| Improper passing, changing lane unsafely | 3 |
| Driving left of center, in wrong direction | 3 |
| Leaving the scene of property damage incident | 3 |
| Child safety restraint violation | 3 |
| Inadequate Brakes (employer's vehicle) | 2 |
| Most other moving violations | 2 |
| Failure to signal | 2 |
| Improper turn | 2 |
| Disobeying a traffic control device | 2 |
| Tinted window | 0 |
| No seatbelt driver/passenger 16 years or older | 0 |
| Unregistered | 0 |
| Unlicensed | 0 |
| Uninspected | 0 |
| Faulty equipment | 0 |
If you speed more than 40 miles an hour over the speed limit or have multiple infractions, you can acquire those 11 points simultaneously. For example, if you are speeding, texting, and don’t have your child in a car seat, you can get 11 points all at once.
Although some violations — like having tinted windows or not having a license — won’t cost you points, if you receive six or more points in an 18-month window, you will have to pay a Driver’s Responsibility Assessment fee, according to the New York DMV.
Also, if you receive three speeding tickets within 18 months, you will face a mandatory six-month driver’s license suspension. If your speed is considered excessive and accumulates 8 points on your license in NY, a judge can suspend your license as well.
It should also be noted that, if you acquire a ticket in another state or country, those points won’t be added to your New York License. The exception to that rule is if you receive a ticket in Ontario or Quebec.
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How does having points on your license affect your auto insurance rates?
There are many factors that affect your auto insurance, and your driving record has the most significant impact. Your driving record shows the insurance company how hazardous you are to insure. The more violations you have, the riskier you are to cover.
This table shows you just how much your driving record affects your rates. Average annual rates from top companies are listed based on your driving record.
Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates by Driving History
| Companies | Average Annual Rates with a Clean Record | Average Annual Rates with One Accident | Average Annual Rates with One DUI | Average Annual Rates with One Speeding Violation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $3,819.90 | $4,987.68 | $6,260.73 | $4,483.51 |
| American Family | $2,693.61 | $3,722.75 | $4,330.24 | $3,025.74 |
| Farmers | $3,460.60 | $4,518.73 | $4,718.75 | $4,079.01 |
| Geico | $2,145.96 | $3,192.77 | $4,875.87 | $2,645.43 |
| Liberty Mutual | $4,774.30 | $6,204.78 | $7,613.48 | $5,701.26 |
| Nationwide | $2,746.18 | $3,396.95 | $4,543.20 | $3,113.68 |
| Progressive | $3,393.09 | $4,777.04 | $3,969.65 | $4,002.28 |
| State Farm | $2,821.18 | $3,396.01 | $3,636.80 | $3,186.01 |
| Travelers | $3,447.69 | $4,289.74 | $5,741.40 | $4,260.80 |
| USAA | $1,933.68 | $2,516.24 | $3,506.03 | $2,193.25 |
You can see that drivers with a clean record will have much lower rates than drivers with tickets, accidents, or DUI infractions. However, if you have multiple violations, you can expect those already high rates to skyrocket.
How can you remove points on your New York driver’s license?
Once you’ve gotten a ticket, how long do points stay on your license in NY?
While a violation will stay on your New York driving record for up to four years, points only remain for 18 months. If you think you may exceed the 10 points that you are allowed, you can do something about that.
Knowing how to get points off your license can prevent you from having your license suspended.
Drivers can take a Point & Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP), which is an online defensive driving course. This course will deduct four points from your driver’s license.
However, you can only take it once every 18 months, and it will merely take your points count to zero. This means that you can’t bank the reduction for your next ticket if you have less than four points.
The course also doesn’t help if you’ve already had your license suspended or are facing a mandatory suspension.
How Many Points are Needed to Suspend a License in NY: What You Need to Know
If you accumulate 11 points in an 18-month period on your New York driver’s license, your license will be suspended. While some violations — like driving without a license — won’t add points, it can be fairly easy to earn 18 points if you don’t pay attention to speed limits and traffic signals.
You can take an online defensive driving course to remove four points every 18 months. However, this doesn’t help if you are facing a mandatory suspension.
Points on your New York license will also affect your auto insurance rates. Drivers with violations will see much higher insurance rates than will drivers with a clean driving record.
Before you purchase auto insurance with points on your license, shop around. Compare multiple companies to find the best deal available for you.
Now that you know how many points it takes to suspend your NY license, you are ready to find inexpensive auto insurance. Enter your ZIP code now to compare auto insurance quotes from companies near you for free.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) point system work?
The New York State DMV uses a point system to track and evaluate driving violations. Points are assigned to your driving record for certain traffic offenses. The more serious the violation, the higher the number of points assigned.
How many points does it take to suspend a license in New York?
In New York, if you accumulate 11 or more points on your driving record within an 18-month period, your license may be suspended. The length of the suspension depends on the number of points accumulated and your driving history.
How long is a license suspension for accumulating points in New York?
The length of a license suspension in New York due to points accumulation depends on the number of points on your driving record. Here is a breakdown:
- 11 points: License suspension of 31 days.
- 12 points: License suspension of 6 months.
- 13 points: License suspension of 8 months.
- 14 points: License suspension of 10 months.
- 15 points: License suspension of 1 year.
Can I reduce the points on my driving record in New York?
Yes, you can reduce the number of points on your driving record by completing a Point and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP) approved by the New York State DMV. Successful completion of the program can remove up to 4 points from your driving record. However, it’s important to note that the PIRP does not remove convictions or violations from your record.
How long do points stay on your driving record in New York?
Points received for traffic violations remain on your driving record for 18 months from the date of the violation. However, the associated conviction will remain on your driving record for a longer period.
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Jeff Root
Licensed Insurance Agent
Jeff is a well-known speaker and expert in insurance and financial planning. He has spoken at top insurance conferences around the U.S., including the InsuranceNewsNet Super Conference, the 8% Nation Insurance Wealth Conference, and the Digital Life Insurance Agent Mastermind. He has been featured and quoted in Nerdwallet, Bloomberg, Forbes, U.S. News & Money, USA Today, and other leading fina...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.