How long do penalty points stay on your driving licence?

Endorsements stay on your licence and driving record for 4 or 11 years, depending on the offence. ^{Footnote [1]} But your penalty points are not ‘valid’ (active) for the whole of the endorsement period.

The endorsement is ‘valid’ (penalty points are active) for the first:

• 3 years after it is issued, but will stay on your licence for 4 years (on a 4-year endorsement).
• 10 years after it is issued, but will stay on your licence for 11 years (on an 11-year endorsement).

The endorsement stays on your record for an additional year after the validity period to ensure it’s visible to insurers and other authorities who might need to check your driving record.

Penalty points can only contribute towards a ‘totting up’ driving ban while they are ‘valid’. Totting up is the name of the system where drivers who accumulate 12 or more points within three years might be disqualified from driving. 

You’ll be banned, or disqualified, from driving if you build up 12 or more points within any 3-year period. ^{Footnote [2]}

But the rules are different for new drivers.  

Penalty points for new drivers   

If you’re a new driver, your licence will be cancelled if you get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing your test. ^{Footnote [3]}

And if you received points on your provisional licence, and they haven’t expired, they’ll carry over to your full licence when you pass your test.^{Footnote [3]}

How long would a driving ban last? 

This is decided by the court, based on how serious they believe the offence is. And your ban can last: ^{Footnote [2]}

• 6 months, if you get 12 or more penalty points within 3 years
• 12 months, if you get a second disqualification within 3 years
• 2 years, if you get a third disqualification within 3 years

This is usually dependent on how much you exceeded the speed limit by, and the severity. You can expect a minimum of 3 points and a £100 fine for a speeding offence. ^{Footnote [4]}