How Long Do Points Stay on a New York Driving Record?
Quick answer: Most New York traffic convictions, and their points, stay on your driving record until the end of the year you were convicted, plus 3 more years. But points only count toward a license suspension for 24 months from the date of the ticket. The Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA), an extra DMV fee, looks at only 18 months.
This page covers New York State tickets, including New York City Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) tickets. New Jersey uses a different system.
Three different clocks
A ticket in New York starts three separate clocks. Each one measures something different.
| What it affects | How long | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
| License suspension (11 or more points) | 24 months | The date you got the ticket |
| Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA) - (6 or more points) | 18 months | The date you got the ticket |
| What shows on your driving record (what insurers see) | End of the conviction year + 3 years | The date you were convicted |
DWI and DWAI convictions stay on your record longer. A DWAI stays 10 years and a DWI stays 15 years from the conviction date.
How long do points count toward a suspension?
If you get 11 or more points within 24 months, the DMV can suspend your license. The 24 months are counted from the date of each ticket, not the date you were convicted. Once 24 months pass from a ticket's date, its points stop counting toward a suspension.
This changed on February 16, 2026. Before that, the window was 18 months.
Delaying your case won't help. Many drivers think that if they postpone their case long enough, the points will "expire." They won't. The DMV uses the date of the ticket, so the points count the same no matter when you're convicted.
How the DRA is different
The DRA is an extra fee the DMV charges when you get 6 or more points within 18 months. You pay it every year for three years:
- $100 a year for the first 6 points
- $25 a year for each point over 6
The DRA still uses an 18-month window. Only the suspension window changed to 24 months.
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Example: two 6-point speeding tickets
| When the second ticket came | Suspension risk? (11+ points in 24 months) | DRA? (6+ points in 18 months) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 months after the first | Yes, 12 points | Yes: $250 a year for 3 years ($750 total) |
| 20 months after the first | Yes, still 12 points within 24 months | No, the tickets are more than 18 months apart |
| 25 months after the first | No | No |
The middle row is the one most drivers miss. Tickets 18 to 24 months apart can no longer trigger the DRA together, but they still add up toward a suspension.
New York point values
New point values apply to violations that happened on or after February 16, 2026. Tickets from before that date keep their old point values.
| Violation | VTL section | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding 1–10 mph over the limit | 1180 | 3 |
| Speeding 11–20 mph over | 1180 | 4 |
| Speeding 21–30 mph over | 1180 | 6 |
| Speeding 31–40 mph over | 1180 | 8 |
| Speeding more than 40 mph over | 1180 | 11 |
| Speeding in a work zone (new) | 1180(f) | 8 (11 if more than 40 mph over) |
| DWI or other alcohol- or drug-related driving (new) | 1192 | 11 |
| Aggravated unlicensed operation (driving while suspended) (new) | 511 | 11 |
| Passing a stopped school bus (changed from 5) | 1174 | 8 |
| Over-height vehicle / bridge strike (new) | 385 | 8 |
| Reckless driving | 1212 | 5 |
| Leaving the scene of an injury crash (changed from 3) | 600(2) | 5 |
| Failure to use due care (changed from 2) | 1146 | 5 |
| Speed contest or racing (new) | 1182 | 5 |
| Helping someone drive while suspended (facilitating AUO) (new) | 511-a | 5 |
| Using a cell phone while driving | 1225-c | 5 |
| Texting / using a portable electronic device | 1225-d | 5 |
| Railroad crossing violation | — | 5 |
| Inadequate brakes | 375 | 4 (2 in an employer's vehicle) |
| Following too closely (tailgating) | 1129(a) | 4 |
| Red light, stop sign or yield sign violation | 1111, 1172 | 3 |
| Failure to yield the right-of-way | 1140–1143 | 3 |
| Improper passing, unsafe lane change, or driving on the wrong side or in the wrong direction | — | 3 |
| Leaving the scene of a property-damage crash | 600(1) | 3 |
| Seat belt or child safety seat violation involving a child under 16 | 1229-c | 3 |
| Any other moving violation (e.g. failure to signal, improper turn, Move Over law) | Various | 2 |
Can a defensive driving course help?
A DMV-approved defensive driving course (the Point and Insurance Reduction Program, or PIRP) can subtract up to 4 points when the DMV checks whether to suspend your license. It can also cut your auto insurance premium by 10%. It does not remove the ticket or the points from your driving record.
Insurance companies see more than points
Many drivers think, "If I'm not close to a suspension, the points don't matter." But insurers look at the convictions on your record, not just your point total. A single conviction can raise your rates, and it can stay visible for about four years.
That's why it's often worth reviewing a ticket before you plead guilty. Once you're convicted, the conviction goes on your record.
The DMV assigns points, not the judge
When you're convicted, the court reports it to the DMV. The DMV then adds the conviction and its points to your record. Point values are set by DMV rules. A judge can't lower them just because you "plead guilty with an explanation."
A judge can accept a plea to a different, lesser charge, if the prosecutor offers one. Or the judge can find you guilty or not guilty at trial. But once you plead guilty to a charge, its points go on your record automatically.
Courts and prosecutors can see more of your history
The DMV keeps a lifetime driving record with everything it has on file about you, beyond the four-year window insurers usually see. In our experience, prosecutors in some counties review a driver's full history before making a plea offer. Judges may also consider older offenses in cases such as DWI.
So a guilty plea that seems minor today can make a future ticket harder to resolve.
What to do next
- Check the date on your ticket. That date starts the 24-month and 18-month clocks.
- Add up any points from tickets in the past 24 months.
- Don't count on delaying your case to make points disappear.
- Before you plead guilty, find out what the conviction will add to your record.
Got a New York traffic ticket? We can help.
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