Most states have a traffic ticket points system that assigns a point value to different kinds of traffic offenses, with more serious offenses being assigned a higher point value. When a person receives a traffic ticket, these points are added to the person's driver's license and become a part of each person's driving record. Accumulating a certain number of points can lead to consequences to drivers, such as the suspension of a person's driver's license and higher insurance premiums. Below is a chart laying out driver's license points by state, including links to information on the various points systems in states that employ them.
Alabama
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency provides information about the driver's license point system on its website.
Alaska
The Alaska Department of Administration Division of Motor Vehicles explains its point system in its Driver Manual [PDF].
Arizona
The Arizona Department of Transportation explains its points assessment in the Driver Services section.
Arkansas
The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration provides information about its administrative point system on its website.
California
The California Department of Motor Vehicles provides the violation point assessment for traffic offenses on its website.
Colorado
The Colorado State Driver Handbook [PDF] provides information about driving in the state, including the point assessment for traffic offenses.
Connecticut
The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles explains its point system in the Assessment of Points Against an Operator's License for Motor Vehicle Law Violations [PDF].
Delaware
The Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles explains the Delaware Point System in the Driver Services section.
District of Columbia
The District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles explains its driver point system on its website.
Florida
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles explains its point system in the Driving Violation Statutes [PDF].
Georgia
Georgia Department of Driver Services explains its point system in the Points and Points Reduction section.
Hawaii
Hawaii doesn't implement a driver's license point system.
Idaho
Idaho's Transportation Department provides information about its violation point system on its website.
Illinois
Illinois explains its point system in the Illinois Offense Table in its Administrative Code.
Indiana
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles provides lists its point system in the Driving Record Points section.
Iowa
The Iowa Department of Transportation's driver's license manual has a section on Protecting Your Driving Privileges that explains its point system.
Kansas
Kansas doesn't have a driver's license point system.
Kentucky
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet website explains the Kentucky Driver Point System.
Louisiana
Louisiana doesn't have a state driver's license point system, but it does participate in the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS).
Maine
Maine's Motorist Handbook and Study Guide [PDF] contains information about its traffic offense point system, which are called demerit points.
Maryland
The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration explains its traffic offense point system in the Point Assessment for Traffic and Other Violations section.
Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, the point system - called surchargeable points - are explained in the Safe Driver Insurance Plan [PDF].
Michigan
The Michigan Secretary of State provides an explanation of its point system in the Driver's License and State ID section.
Minnesota
Minnesota doesn't employ a point system for traffic offenses.
Mississippi
Mississippi doesn't have a driver's license point system.
Missouri
The Missouri Department of Revenue explains its point system in the Form 899 [PDF].
Montana
The Montana Secretary of State explains its point system in the Driver Rehabilitation Point System section of the Administrative Rules of Montana.
Nebraska
The Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles has a point system section on its website.
Nevada
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles explains its demerit point system on its website.
New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles explains its point system in the Demerit Points section of its website.
New Jersey
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission explains its point schedule in the Penalties and Fines section.
New Mexico
Point System Regulations and Schedule (link downloads separate PDF file)New York
The New York Department of Motor Vehicles provides an explanation of its driver point system on its website.
North Carolina
The North Carolina Department of Transportation explains its point system its Driver's Handbook [PDF].
North Dakota
The North Dakota Department of Transportation provides its point schedule on its website.
Ohio
The Ohio Revised Code contains a section that explains how points are assessed for traffic violations.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety explains its point system in the Oklahoma Driver's Manual [PDF].
Oregon
Oregon doesn't currently use a point system. Oregon's Driver Improvement Program outlines what actions can lead to license restrictions or suspensions.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation provides a Point System Fact Sheet [PDF].
Rhode Island
Rhode Island currently doesn't use a point system for traffic offenses.
South Carolina
The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles provides an explanation of its point system on its website.
South Dakota
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety explains its point system on its website.
Tennessee
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security provides the Schedule of Points Values on its website.
Texas
The Texas Department of Public Safety explains its point system in its Driver Responsibility Program.
Utah
The Utah Department of Public Safety provides a section on its point system on its website.
Vermont
The Vermont Statutes Online have a section that explains its motor vehicle violation point system.
Virginia
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles explains its point system in the Moving Violations and Point Assessments section on its website.
Washington
Washington doesn't currently employ a driver's license point system for traffic violations.
West Virginia
The West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles provides an explanation of its point system in the Problem Driver Point System [PDF].
Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has a section that explains the point system on its website.
Wyoming
Wyoming doesn't currently have a formal point system for traffic offenses. Each county can decide how to penalize traffic violations, and the Wyoming Department of Transportation will add each traffic violation to your driving record.
Getting Legal Help
If you have questions about driver's license points or a traffic ticket you've received, you may want to contact a traffic ticket attorney in your area.
For more information about each state's driving rules and regulations, you can visit FindLaw's section on State Traffic Laws.