Virginia license points
18 points in 12 months
What the rule says happens: suspend the person's license or licenses for a period of 90 days
an accumulation of at least 18 demerit points based on convictions, or findings of not innocent in the case of a juvenile, for traffic violations committed within any 12 consecutive months, or at least 24 demerit points based on convictions, or findings of not innocent in the case of a juvenile, for traffic violations committed within any 24 consecutive months, respectively, the Commissioner shall (i) suspend the person's license or licenses for a period of 90 days
Points for each violation
| Violation, in Virginia’s wording | Points |
|---|---|
reckless driving in violation of § 46.2-852 | 6 |
speeding twenty or more miles per hour above the posted speed limit | 6 |
driving while intoxicated in violation of § 18.2-266 | 6 |
racing in violation of § 46.2-865 | 6 |
speeding between ten and nineteen miles per hour above the posted speed limit | 4 |
following too closely in violation of § 46.2-816 | 4 |
failure to yield the right-of-way in violation of §§ 46.2-820 through 46.2-823 | 4 |
failure to stop when entering a highway in violation of § 46.2-863 | 4 |
aggressive driving in violation of § 46.2-868.1 | 4 |
speeding between one and nine miles per hour above the posted speed limit | 3 |
improper driving in violation of § 46.2-869 | 3 |
improper passing in violation of § 46.2-838 | 3 |
failure to obey a highway sign in violation of § 46.2-830 | 3 |
These are the lines we have. Virginia’s full schedule is at the source links and may list more.
Sources for these lines, word for word
Serious traffic offenses such as driving while intoxicated in violation of § 18.2-266, persons under age twenty-one driving after illegally consuming alcohol in violation of § 18.2-266.1, reckless driving in violation of § 46.2-852, speeding twenty or more miles per hour above the posted speed limit, racing in violation of § 46.2-865, and other serious traffic offenses as the Commissioner may designate, shall be assigned six demerit points.
Relatively serious traffic offenses such as failure to yield the right-of-way in violation of §§ 46.2-820 through 46.2-823, speeding between ten and nineteen miles per hour above the posted speed limit, following too closely in violation of § 46.2-816, failure to stop when entering a highway in violation of § 46.2-863, aggressive driving in violation of § 46.2-868.1 and other relatively serious traffic offenses as the Commissioner may designate, shall be assigned four demerit points.
Traffic offenses of a less serious nature such as improper driving in violation of § 46.2-869, speeding between one and nine miles per hour above the posted speed limit, improper passing in violation of § 46.2-838, failure to obey a highway sign in violation of § 46.2-830 and other offenses of a less serious nature as the Commissioner may designate, shall be assigned three demerit points.
When points lead to a suspension or other action
| Points | Within | The rule’s wording | What happens | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 12 months | see the rule | suspend the person's license or licenses for a period of 90 days | see the rule |
| 24 | 24 months | see the rule | suspend the person's license or licenses for a period of 90 days | see the rule |
| 12 | 12 months | see the rule | the Commissioner shall direct the person to attend a driver improvement clinic | any person who is eighteen years old or older |
| 18 | 24 months | see the rule | the Commissioner shall direct the person to attend a driver improvement clinic | any person who is eighteen years old or older |
| 8 | 12 months | see the rule | an advisory letter | any person who is eighteen years old or older |
| 12 | 24 months | see the rule | an advisory letter | any person who is eighteen years old or older |
| 9 | 12 months | see the rule | the Commissioner shall direct the person to attend a driver improvement clinic | a person under the age of eighteen years |
| 12 | 24 months | see the rule | the Commissioner shall direct the person to attend a driver improvement clinic | a person under the age of eighteen years |
Whether a rule means that many points or more, or more than that many, is in the rule’s own words below.
The rules, word for word
an accumulation of at least 18 demerit points based on convictions, or findings of not innocent in the case of a juvenile, for traffic violations committed within any 12 consecutive months, or at least 24 demerit points based on convictions, or findings of not innocent in the case of a juvenile, for traffic violations committed within any 24 consecutive months, respectively, the Commissioner shall (i) suspend the person's license or licenses for a period of 90 days
Whenever the driving record of any person who is eighteen years old or older shows an accumulation of at least twelve demerit points based on convictions for traffic offenses committed within a period of twelve consecutive months, or at least eighteen demerit points based on convictions for traffic offenses committed within a period of twenty-four consecutive months, respectively, the Commissioner shall direct the person to attend a driver improvement clinic.
Whenever the driving record of any person who is eighteen years old or older shows an accumulation of at least eight demerit points based on convictions for traffic offenses committed within a period of twelve consecutive months, or at least twelve demerit points based on convictions for traffic offenses committed within a period of twenty-four consecutive months, respectively, the Commissioner may mail, by first-class mail, to the last known address of the person an advisory letter
whenever the driving record of a person under the age of eighteen years shows an accumulation of (i) at least nine points based on convictions for traffic offenses committed within a period of twelve consecutive months or (ii) at least twelve points based on convictions for traffic offenses committed within a period of twenty-four consecutive months, the Commissioner shall direct the person to attend a driver improvement clinic
How long points last
Demerit points, assigned to any conviction, or finding of not innocent in the case of a juvenile, shall be valid for a period of two years from the date the offense was committed.
Demerit points are assigned when you are convicted of a traffic violation. The demerit points associated with a conviction remain valid for two years from the date you commit the offense.
DMV demerit points remain on your record for two years from the date that you commit the offense. The dates that demerit points are removed from your driving record are not related to the dates that convictions are removed from your record.
Which date counts
What it means for a particular case is for the agency to say.
Demerit points, assigned to any conviction, or finding of not innocent in the case of a juvenile, shall be valid for a period of two years from the date the offense was committed.
Taking points off: courses and clean driving
One safe driving point shall be awarded for each calendar year of safe driving, but no person shall be permitted to accumulate more than five safe driving points. The Commissioner shall apply these points to offset an equivalent number of demerit points, if any, to the chronologically earliest offense conviction, or finding of not innocent in the case of a juvenile, for which demerit points have been assigned and are valid.
who satisfactorily completes the clinic shall have five demerit points subtracted from his total accumulation of demerit points, except in those instances where a person has not accumulated five demerit points, in which case a reduction in demerit points and/or the award of safe driving points will be made.
Safe driving points shall be awarded or reductions in premium charges, as set forth in § 38.2-2217, shall be received for the completion of a driver improvement clinic only once within a period of two years from the date a person satisfactorily completes the clinic.
A driver may accumulate a maximum of five safe driving points. You may earn five safe driving points by completing a driver improvement clinic.
Tickets from other states
The Commissioner shall assign point values to those convictions received from any other state of the United States, the United States, Canada or its provinces, or any territorial subdivision of any of them, of an offense therein, which if committed in this Commonwealth, would be required to be reported to the Department by § 46.2-383.
Demerit points will also be assigned to your record for traffic convictions incurred in other states.
The point system itself
DMV uses a point system to rate drivers. You receive DEMERIT points for unsafe driving and SAFE DRIVING points for good driving.
More from Virginia’s rules
The Commissioner shall designate the point values assigned to convictions, or findings of not innocent in the case of a juvenile, on a graduated scale not to exceed six demerit points for any single conviction.
When a person is convicted of two or more traffic offenses committed on a single occasion, he shall be assessed points for one offense only and if the offenses involved have different point values, he shall be assessed points for the offense having the greater point value.
or (ii) require such person to enroll in the Intelligent Speed Assistance Program established pursuant to § 46.2-507 for a period of nine months and satisfactorily complete a driver improvement clinic. The Department shall provide such driver subject to the provision of this subsection with the option, in a written notice, either to have his license suspended or to enroll in the Intelligent Speed Assistance Program.
Insurance company points are developed by individual companies and are not related to DMV demerit points.
If you are convicted of a demerit-point traffic violation (or a safety belt or child restraint violation) committed when you were under age 18, you will be required to satisfactorily complete a driver improvement clinic.
After your second demerit point (or a safety belt or child restraint violation) conviction for a violation committed when you were under age 18, DMV will suspend your permit or license for 90 days.
Except for those persons whose licenses are subject to the restrictions of § 46.2-334.01, whenever the driving record of a person under the age of eighteen years shows an accumulation of
How nearby states compare
Side by side, not like for like. Read each state’s own rule before comparing two of them.
- District of Columbia
10 points
DC license suspended, lose driving privileges for 90 days
DC DMV, Driver Point System Chart, read November 12, 2026
- Maryland
5 points in 12 months
the Administration shall suspend the individual’s driver’s license
Maryland Transportation Article 16-404, actions for accumulated points, read November 12, 2026
- New Jersey
12 points
your license will be suspended
New Jersey MVC, Suspensions and Restorations (Points System), read November 12, 2026
Check a ticket in Virginia
Total so far
Reference only, not legal or insurance advice. Confirm with the agency. Full statement.
What this adds up, and what it can’t say
- This is arithmetic on quoted values, and nothing else. It does not predict any outcome.
- The date a state counts from (the violation date or the conviction date) is as quoted. The calculator does not decide it: it uses the date entered for each line.
- Courts and agencies decide actual outcomes, under the full text of the law and the full driving record, which this page does not have.
- Insurance companies use their own separate systems. This calculator works out nothing about insurance.
- A printed figure is compared with a sum only where the same quoted passage prints a period. The comparison says below, equal to or above. Whether a passage means that figure or more, or more than that figure, is in the passage’s own words.
- How periods are counted here is this calculator’s own convention, not a rule from any source. Months and years are calendar months and years counted back from the date chosen. Where the earlier month is shorter, its last day is used. The day reached is the period’s first day, and a line dated on that first day is outside the period. A line dated on the date chosen is inside. For example, a period of one month ending March 31, 2026 has the first day February 28, 2026, so a line dated that day is not counted and a line dated the day after is. An agency may count differently.
- Nothing typed here leaves this page or is stored.
The checker has only the violations in the table above.
Sources for Virginia
- Code of Virginia § 46.2-492, Uniform Demerit Point System
- Code of Virginia § 46.2-493, Demerit points valid for two years
- Code of Virginia § 46.2-494, Safe driving point credit
- Code of Virginia § 46.2-495, Advisory letters
- Code of Virginia § 46.2-498, Driver improvement clinics; voluntary attendance
- Code of Virginia § 46.2-506, Formal hearings; suspension for excessive point accumulation
- Virginia DMV, The Points System
- Virginia DMV, Moving Violations and Point Assessments
- Virginia DMV, Traffic Violations - Drivers Under Age 18
- The licensing agency: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles