How long does a speeding ticket stay on your record? In this post, we will discuss how long accidents, traffic ticket convictions, and suspensions and revocations remain on a driver record.
- A traffic ticket conviction or an accident normally remains on a standard driver record during the year that the conviction or the accident occurred, and for the following 5-6 calendar years. It remains on your expanded record forever.
(Note: The DMV uses the date when the offense occurred, not the date of conviction in calculating total points on your license within an 18-month period. Further, for insurance purposes, a conviction remains on your record for 36 months from the date of conviction.
- Please note that the above is different for how long points last. Points on your record only count for DMV purposes for 18 months from the date of offense, and a conviction counts for insurance purposes for 36 months from the date of conviction. These two periods, of course, are different than the period of how long the conviction actually appears on your standard driving abstract.
- A conviction that is alcohol-related or is for driving while impaired by drugs (for example, DWI or DWAI) can affect your for, at least, 10 years. If a driver is convicted of the same violation during that 10 years, the driver can receive additional penalties.
- There are other convictions and accidents of a serious type that can remain on a standard driver record for more than 10 years.
- A suspension or a revocation of a driver license that remains un-cleared can be found on a standard driver record indefinitely.
- If the suspension is for a drug-related offense arising out of Penal Law section 220 or 221, the suspension remains on a standard driver record for 5-6 years from the date the suspension is terminated.
- A suspension or a revocation that was cleared or terminated remains on a standard driver record for 5-6 years from the date the suspension or revocation was terminated. (Note: The DMV uses the year when the suspension or the revocation was cleared or terminated, not the year when the suspension or the revocation began.)
If you need a copy of your driving record, you can get it from DMV or we can obtain it for a small fee.
Did this answer your questions of how long do points stay on drivers license in NY? If you still have more questions related to how long a speeding ticket will stay on your record or how many points to suspend a license in NY? Contact our office today and let us help you with legal guidance. how long do points stay on drivers license in ny
278 Comments. Leave new
Hello Mr. Weiss, I received a ticket for illegal U-Turn in Nov 2018 and my court date is Oct 2022. I really don’t want to go to court, but I don’t want this to affect my insurance if it’s going to be on my record for 5-6 years after CONVICTION”. So, would this be on my standard driving record/insurance record for 5-6 years after the violation date or conviction date? The article is clear that for points calculation, it is about the violation date -but it says “A traffic ticket conviction or an accident normally remains on a standard driver record during the year that the CONVICTION or the accident occurred, and for the following 5-6 calendar years. It remains on your expanded record forever.”
Thank you for clarifying.
Kat,
For insurance purposes, a conviction remains on your record for 36 months from the date of conviction. However, a minor ticket alone (such as an illegal U-turn) cannot affect your auto insurance rates unless you have a second moving violation conviction within that 36 month period.
Matthew Weiss
I received a speeding ticket in NYC on April 28, 2020 Driving 74MPH on Highway with a 50MPH speed limit. My “not guilty plea” court date has been changed by the court every time with my current date for April 13, 2023.
When is the best time that I should take a defensive driver course? Before or after adjudication (assuming I am found guilty)? Also, Since I have never requested a change in date, is there any benefit if I request a delay past the three year mark) Thanks
Ray S,
You can only get the benefit of the Driver Safety Class if you complete it within 18 months of the ticket. So it is too late for you. There is benefit of re-scheduling is to get another chance for the police officer to possibly be a no-show.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
can i get a pardon (expungement ) to clean my driving records for employment purposes
David,
There are no “pardons” from traffic ticket convictions in New York.
Matthew Weiss
Hi, i got my full dmv abstract file and i have 32 summons on file dating back to 1986 so i was denied my drivers permit. Any idea how i can have this corrected in NYS and being so old are they still liable in being paid?
Javier Orengo,
Wow! That’s a lot of tickets. You should go to DMV to discuss these suspensions.
Good luck!
Matthew Weiss
Hi, I have 13 points in total, my first ticket was on 02/15/2020 and my last ticket was on 04/15/2021 and I have 2 more tickets in between bring total to 13 points so far and all of them I still waiting for the judge, PLEASE what is the best thing to do to remove these points??
Muhannad Jamal,
Did you take the NYS Driver Safety Class? If not, do so as it will deduct 4 points from your total.
Matthew Weiss
I took it on 05/10/2020 , Should I take it again now or wait ??
I had two traffic violations one in 12/09/19 for 2Pts and 5 Points on 3/18/20. I recently got another one for speeding which was 4 points, which in total is 11. I scheduled a hearing for the speeding ticket for July 2021, but i completed the defensive driving course after i got the speeding ticket. Will the defensive driving course still take off the points from the speeding or it wont affect the 11 points at all?
Jorge Figueroa,
The NYS Driver Safety Class will count vis-a-vis any points from your recent speeding ticket and the 3/18/20 ticket. It will not deduct any points from the 12/09/19 because that one is more than 18 months old. In your case, however, this distinction doesn’t matter because you’ll end up with less than 11 points total for DMV purposes.
Matthew Weiss
Hi’ my question is? I have 11 points from speeding 06/2018, stop sign 05/2018, caught in intersection traffic 01/2020. All were convictions I did the safety course but I don’t see the points drop off. Do you know why?
Red,
Convictions do not drop off. However, you will get a 4-point deduction from your total by completing the Driver’s Safety Class.
Matthew Weiss
Mr Weiss
I have over $2,000 of parking ticked from 1980s when i were living in NYC. When time come to renew my driver license it were turn down till i pay the fine . I been living in PA for 36 year now but planing to move back to NYC soon . Do i still need to pay those fine before i can transfer my driver license back to NYC?
Danny Chan,
We do not have 4enough information to answer this question but it sounds like you do need to pay those tickets.
Matthew Weiss
I have a NJ license but drive in NY frequently. I’ve previously received tickets in 2017 in NY, both paid for, then recently just got a new speeding ticket. Once that speeding ticket is added onto my record I will have 13 points. Does that mean I’m suspended from driving in NY? Or my license is suspended?
Judy T,
You can be suspended in NY for accumulating 11 or more points, so the answer is yes,
You should plead not guilty as this is the only way to possibly obtain a more favorable outcome.
Matthew Weiss
Fifteen years ago ivwas pulled over for speeding..somehow there was an error that ticket was paud but an assesment fee was not paid and my license was suspended in ny….so 15 years later i get pulled over and get towed…..i thought that six points. Fifteen years later should have been dismissed
Michael A Hood,
There is no statute of limitation for unpaid fines and fees. Sorry.
Matthew Weiss
My last ticket was a failure to obey a traffic device with a conviction date of 1/18/2017. I just found out that on my abstract I have 2 points. I thought those 2 points were supposed to off my record by now being that it was well over 3 years ago.
William S,
Those 2 points are not current so they do not count in the event you get a new ticket. However, the conviction remains on your record.
Matthew Weiss
How long do red light tickets for cyclists remain on your record? As in, when will you no longer get hit with the added penalty for it being your second violation?
Concerned Cyclist,
The time frame is 18 months from the date of offense.
Matthew Weiss
I got a cell phone ticket in Jan 2020. I was not on the phone. Previous to this I had gotten a cell phone ticket in June 2016 and was convicted in feb 2017. I know that those points aren’t valid anymore as it’s been 3 years. How do I fight this cell phone ticket?
A,
You need to plead not guilty to fight this case. Other details about fighting it depend on various facts of your case.
Matthew Weiss
My husband has old driving violation tickets/fines from as far back as 1993. He has had his license active even with owing the money which is substantial but his license got suspended due to child support. Now child support is caught up and the fines/violations from 1993 have come back with a vengeance. He was told he has to pay 14,000 before he can apply to have a license again and the abstract that we ordered shows the last violation was in 2008 when his license was active. Is there anyway to have a payment plan and still get a drivers license even if its solely to get to and from work?
Cherry B,
So sorry but DMV does not do payment plans.
Matthew Weiss
Kindly explain what an “expanded record” is.
Thank you.
Nicholas A. Neuhaus,
An “expanded record” is a motorist’s complete records (from the date of licensure through the present).
Matthew Weiss
This is from the NYDMV website…..How your point total is calculated
you must be convicted of the traffic violation before points are added to your driving record
your point total is calculated based on the date of the violation, not the date of the conviction……I think you are incorrect saying ….. (Note: The DMV uses the year when the conviction occurred, not the year when the violation occurred in assessing points……. Confusing
the points for violations that all occurred within the last 18 months are added to calculate your point total
Jean Gilles,
Thanks for the feedback. We have updated our post to clarify this information.
Much appreciated.
Matthew Weiss
I have a speed in work zone violation from back in 2008, and it still appeared in my drivers abstract. Will it ever get removed? If so, how long does it last in the abstract, mine has been over 11 years.
John C,
NY traffic ticket convictions are never “removed” from your official, expanded driving record.
Matthew Weiss
I have a up-mandatory court date for illegal passing a stopped school bus ticket. What is the likely outcome of the verdict. My last traffic offense occurred in 2006 for speeding on 70/50. I also have a failing for stopping a red light ticket in 1993 and failed to follow a green arrow ticket in 1986. Totally, I got 9 points since 1985. I have no criminal/arrest record.
Chuck,
We cannot predict outcomes. Some courts are particularly touch on school bus tickets. Where did you get it? This will help us recommend a course of action.
Matthew Weiss
Hey I use to live in NYC, I receives a speeding ticket 72/55 almost a year now on my NYC driver license, I now live in Connecticut about to change my driver license, would the points affect my license in Connecticut
Lyana,
Points from a NY conviction will not transfer onto your CT license.
Matthew Weiss
I received a speeding violation ticket on 9/01/2017 and was convicted on 12/11/17 (4 points). I then received another speeding violation on 8/23/2018 and convicted on 8/29/2019 (6 points). Both tickets were paid but was charged a NYS Driving Assessment fee of $600. I cannot understand why that is when I was told the charge is $300 for up to 6 points. The four prior points were over 18 months so should not count. Please help me understand why the fee is $600. Thanks!
Des,
The fee is proper. The violation on 9/01/2017 was issued well within 18 months of the 12/11/17 violation. The date of conviction are irrelevant for calculating DMV point totals.
Matthew Weiss
Hello my name is Naseem Weathersby I have a conviction from 2006 for driving on a cell phone how do I get it off my record? its been years
Naseem Weathersby,
There is no way to remove a traffic conviction from your record in New York State. However, this ticket is very old and no longer affects your DMV point total.
Matthew Weiss
I’ve had speeding tickets in the past. It was early 2004, 3 points. It s no longer on my abstract record from DMV. Why would mine come off and others not?
Jane,
An expanded driving abstract shows a motorist’s ENTIRE history. A regular driver’s abstract only shows the last 5 years or so.
Matthew Weiss
I recently pulled my driving record and I have items on it for suspensions all the way back 2007 for failure to pay the fine. I also have speeding tickets on my record dating all the way back to 2004, another two in 2007 and nothing until 2015. How would I go about getting these removed.
Kyle,
If you email us a copy of your driving record, we can answer this question. Email it to lawyer@nytrafficticket.com and include a return phone number.
Matthew Weiss
My mind is not understanding : 8/8/16 convicted 8/21/19 2pts ass fee $150.00 to pay
11/29/17. Convicted. 12/5/18 3pts
1/5/18. Convicted 1/14/19 5pts Driver assement paid $450
Completed defensive 2/17/17 and 7/20/19
Am I correct only the 8/8/16 2pts will come off?
Pamela,
Our article is pretty clear as to how to calculate points. But let me try and explain it a different way. Points last for DMV purposes for only 18 months. Thereafter, and going forward, those points do not count. However, even if you are convicted years later, the DMV will go back to the date you received your ticket and county how many points did you have, retroactively, during the past and forward 18 months.
In your case, the 8/8/16, 11/29/17 and 1/5/18 violation dates are all within 18 months and therefore would be added together regardless of when you are convicted. Going forward, all three no longer count as they are all over 18 months old.
Matthew Weiss
i had a ticket for December 2017, will be hearing on 07/31/2019. violation was disobeying traffic control device in Manhattan. would you please tell what will be the result in most of the situations.
Thank you
MOHAMMAD HASAN,
Most people lose NYC tickets because they do not plea bargain and have all types of rules to make it easy for the police officer to win.
Matthew Weiss
my license was revoked , i am done with the 6 month period , i had a restricted license were it says on the bottom of it i can reinstate my old license on the 25th of this month , what should i do ?
Sherif Habib,
You go to DMV and pay a fee.
Matthew Weiss
thanks for very good answers sir . my question already answered but i need advice i get ticket in Brooklyn bay ridge for yield pedestrian (even i know this ticket is not i deserve ) get ticket on August 2016 and i have hearing in next 50 days know already more then 24 month
so this is not effect on my driving record or insurance high right ? so if i get guilty and then get 3 point just i have to pay ticket or what is your advice i have to talk with lawyer for fight for my point ? and what is good time to talk to lawyer – sorry for bother you
thanks for your help
Jack,
Answers in bold below.
So this is not effect on my driving record or insurance high right? Wrong. Re-read my article.
So if I get guilty and then get 3 point i have to just pay ticket or what is your advice i have to talk with lawyer for fight for my point ? My advice is to fight this ticket as this is the only way to possibly obtain a more favorable result.
What is good time to talk to lawyer? Call us during business hours at 212-683-7373.
I was convicted on 06-2017 for following too closely (4 points)
I then received and was convicted for a ticket for failing to stop at stop sign (3 points)
got a Cell phone ticket 05-2018 and pleading not guilty which is pending and I have a court date coming up.
I completed a defensive driving course 04-2018
in your professional opinion will my license get suspended?
Dee,
As my article explains, you need to count up the total points (assessed and potential) within 18 months of each other using the dates of offense.
Matthew Weiss
Hi, I already have 9 point in my license record.
Violation 12/04/2016 convicted on 02/08/2017 (2point)
Violation 06/08/2017 convicted on 09/21/2017 (2point)
Violation 11/14/2017 convicted on 03/06/2018 (5point)
two of them have already passed 18 months is this mean that those tickets are no longer counted as current.?
Joel,
The date of offense for all three convictions listed in your post were all issued within 18 months of each other. Therefore, they get added together to make up your total. However, going forward, only the 11/14/17 ticket can affect your DMV total.
Matthew Weiss
I received a cell phone ticket in NYC on 12/28/2015 and I saw a judge on 2/25/2019. I was found guilty and I got 5 points and paid $98. does the point count for from the date I was pulled over in 2015 or the day i was found guilty which was 2019?
if I get suspended in NYC with out of state license , how long till I am able to drive again? would they issue me a restricted license ?
John,
Did you read my article? The answer to your first question was clearly set forth in it. The points count as of 12/28/15 and would be added to any other convictions within 18 months of that date.
If you get suspended in NYC with an out of state license, you will not be able to drive in NY again until the suspension runs out you pay a suspension termination fee. You can get a restricted license in NY if you’ve have not had one in the last 5 years and can show that you need one to drive for work, medial or academic reasons?
Matthew Weiss
I received a ticked for not wearing a seat belt that was on and failure to signal and did signal. I was told tht I would only get a citation for $50 and to just pay it at te court not to worry. This is not so. I am going to gourt on 3/14/19 @ 430 South Ave, in Staten island.
Vivian Biondolillo,
While the seat belt ticket carries 0 points, the failure to signal ticket carries 2. In Staten Island, they do not plea bargain traffic tickets so it is very hard to win. In fact, the Staten Island traffic court is the hardest court in New York State (in my opinion).
Matthew Weiss
I have convictions still on my record since 1985, I think what you have stated is wrong then. It’s been almost 34 years since my first and it is till there….
Eric,
Thanks for the heads up. I have revised the post to clarify the issue.
Matthew Weiss
Mr. Weiss,
I have never received a speeding ticket in NYC before and only my 2nd one in my 20+ years of driving. I reside in NJ and went to NYC recently. I was traveling to the Verrazano Bridge from the Staten Island side on the HOV lane. As I approached the bridge, the HOV lane closed close to the entrance of the bridge and I had to merge right. But there was a car right next to me on my right and a couple of cars behind that car lined up. I had a decision to make to whether slow down (but a car behind me was fast approaching), so I decided to speed up and merge right. In that brief moment (of probably 10 seconds), I went from 58 to 73 on a speed limit of 50. There was a police car sitting right close to the foot of the bridge and he stopped me. He didn’t accept my explanation and issued me a ticket (6 pts). As I’ve never had a NYC speeding ticket before, I would like to know what are the chances of the judge decreasing my points penalty/fine (fine of $203 is more acceptable) if I plead not guilty and schedule a hearing (that’s another thing since I live in NJ, I’m not sure if it’s worth it going to NYC if my chances are slim). Your input is much appreciated.
Ethan,
Your chances of the judge decreasing my points penalty/fine if you plead not guilty and schedule a hearing is zero (0%) percent. In NYC, they do not plea bargain traffic tickets. BTW, NJ will give you 2 points for this ticket on your NJ license if you lose it.
Matthew Weiss
So the outcome from the hearing is either fully guilty or not then? And when you mean by this: “Your chances of the judge decreasing my points penalty/fine if you plead not guilty and schedule a hearing is zero (0%) percent.”, does this mean if I plead guilty now, there’s a chance of lower? (I didn’t think so, so the outcome right for pleading guilty online is: pay the full fine, get the 6 pts and pay $300 assessment but pleading not guilty and getting a scheduled hearing will yield either: a) fully guilty or b) not guilty. Am I on the right path? Thanks again!
Get a lawyer to handle the ticket for you, it’s worth the $300-$500
Paulk, often it helps to have an experienced traffic lawyer (like those our firm) but sometimes you don’t need one. We are candid with everyone who calls us often advising not to hire us (or any other lawyer). So, to us, the decision regarding whether to retain a lawyer depends on the circumstances.
Matthew Weiss
Hello Matthew,
I am currently looking to get a new job that requires a MVR search. I did receive 6 points on my license on separate incidents 7/04/2016 and 6/02/2016. If i am reading correctly although those points still show on my driving abstract, they do not count toward my total number since they over 18 months ago? I currently have 0 points in the last 18 months.
Thomas King,
Correct. You do not have any current points as those two convictions are more than 18 months old.
Matthew Weiss