How Many Points to Suspend a Driver’s License

Over 160 people become injured every day in the Commonwealth of Virginia due to car wrecks and accidents.

If you’ve been in an accident or received a ticket, you may have also received points on your license. If these points are accumulating, you need to know how many points to suspend a license in Virginia. No one wants to be surprised by having their license suspended, that can lead to more trouble.

Let’s break down how you accumulate points and how many you can have before your license is in danger of being suspended.

What Are Points?

What a lot of people call points are DMV demerit points. These points are earned by breaking the law. This continues until there are enough points to suspend a license.

How Do You Gain Points?

Demerit points are given out based on traffic and moving violations. You can also receive points on other convictions, such as manslaughter with a motor vehicle. There are three tiers of license suspension points by a violation, which are three, four, and six points each.

Three points are the least in severity. Many of the offenses that can earn you a 3-point demerit are simple moving violations. Things like failing to yield, violating a learner’s permit, and other minor offenses.

Four-point offenses are more severe infractions. These are charges like excessive speeding and interfering with emergency vehicles. Unlike 3-point offenses which stay on your record for 3 years, four-point offenses vary based on the severity from 3-11 years.

Six-point offenses are the final, and most severe offenses that you can commit. Many of these violations are felonies or repeat offenses. Almost all six-point offenses stay on the record for 11 years.

License Suspension

License suspension can come via a penalty assigned by a judge, or when you reach a total number of points in a given time period. At twelve demerit points in 12 consecutive months and your driving privileges will be on probation.

But what about how many points to suspend a license? If you reach 18 points in 18 months or 24 points in 24 months your license can be suspended. Your license will remain suspended until you complete a driver improvement clinic.

Gaining Points

Now that you know how many points to suspend a driver’s license, you need to know what you can do. If you are in an accident or have been charged with a moving violation, you need to consider a traffic attorney. If you’re interested, have a look at what they can do for you.

How Many Points to Suspend a License?

Now that you know the answer to this question, you can figure out where you stand. If you are getting close to the total, you may consider taking action. Hiring a lawyer to help deal with the violations as well as other steps, like a safe driving course.

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