How Long Do Points Stay on Your License in NC? 2024

Being a driver in North Carolina comes with a lot of responsibility. While North Carolinians are technically eligible to start applying for a driver’s license at the age of 16 and must learn road laws and go through driving practice in order to officially obtain the license, this learning process never really ends. In fact, drivers continue their driver’s education from the time they get their permit or license to the time that they retire from the roads.

Understanding how the traffic laws are evolving in North Carolina is the responsibility of every driver, and with that comes knowing how the driver’s license point system works in the state. The North Carolina point system was created to ensure that drivers are held accountable for any infractions that they may accrue while on the road. Although the maximum amount of time that points associated with a certain infraction can stay on your record is three years, the implications that this will have for each driver may vary based on their driving record.

The North Carolina Driver’s License Point System

Each time that a driver in North Carolina commits a traffic offense, depending on the severity, points will be added to their driver’s license. The number of points that an individual has on their license is transparent and can be accessed by logging into their NC DMV account online.

It is important to note that the NC driver’s license point system is different from that of the point system that car insurance companies use to determine rates. It is generally difficult to know the number of points that will be added to your license for a driving offense, but speeding can usually get you anywhere from two to three points.

There are also instances where you can get DMV points added to your license if the traffic incident was not related to speeding. For example, if you are driving without mandatory liability insurance or fail to report an accident in a case where you should have, you can get three points added to your driver’s license.

Offenses such as not stopping at a stop sign or running a red light can get you three points as well. A hit-and-run or tailgating can result in four points on your driver’s license. It’s important to note that instances of vehicular manslaughter, DUI, highway racing, or even planning to race can result in immediate revocation of your driver’s license — regardless of the existing points that you may have.

NC DMV Points: Penalties and Duration

If a driver gets 12 points within three years and it is their first suspension, then they may get their license revoked for up to two months. A second suspension can last six months, and a third suspension can last one year. After a revocation, if they get more than eight points in a three-year time span, then the time of suspension can be increased.

Points drop off of a driver’s license three years after the driving offense occurred. However, it is possible to take a driver’s improvement clinic every five years to get three points off of a driver’s license. If you are concerned about the number of points on your NC driver’s license, it can be useful to speak with a Wilmington, NC, Traffic Violation Lawyer.

FAQs Abouts How Long Do Points Stay on Your License in NC

How Long Do I Have to Wait to Get All of the Points Off My NC Driver’s License?

If you are an NC driver with points on your driver’s license, you will need to wait three years after your last driving offense took place. For example, if you had three driving offenses, which took place on January 28, 2021, June 10, 2021, and July 4, 2022, then you will have to wait until July 4, 2025, for all of the driver’s license points to be off your record. Keep in mind that if you accrue other driving offenses, this date is subject to change.

Can I Get My License Permanently Taken Away in NC?

It is normally not possible to get your license permanently for speeding, but if you are currently in a suspension period due to speeding and you are caught for a speeding penalty, then more time will be added to your suspension period. If this happens more than three times, then your driver’s license could be permanently revoked. Also, in the case of having more than three DUI charges, you can get your license permanently revoked. However, this can always be disputed in court with a criminal defense lawyer.

How Can I Get Points Taken Off My NC Driver’s License?

In the case that you accrue more than a certain number of points on your driver’s license, and you want to get these points removed before waiting for the three-year mark to pass, you can apply to attend a driver improvement clinic. The application to apply costs $40, and the clinic itself costs $70. Upon successful completion of the clinic and having an appointment with an advisor, you can get three points off of your driver’s license. Each driver can only go to the clinic every five years.

What Driving Offenses Will Get Me the Most Points?

The most points that you can accrue for one driving offense is five points. In the case that you pass a stopped school bus, you can get five points added to your driver’s license. This is because you are putting schoolchildren in serious danger. You can also get five points added to your driver’s license if you get charged with aggressive driving.

Understanding NC Driver’s License Points: Get the Help You Need

If you are struggling to understand the implications that the number of points on your NC driver’s license may have on your status as a driver, then the traffic attorneys at ​​Christina Rivenbark & Associates can help you with your case. Our dedicated attorneys are here to help you understand traffic and speeding laws and optimize your number of NC driver’s license points so that you can stay on the road as a safe driver. Contact our team today to get started.