Arizona MVD Point System

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

Arizona MVD assigns points to convictions for moving violations and uses the running point total to trigger driver-improvement classes and license suspensions. The two thresholds that matter most: 8 points in 12 months requires Traffic Survival School, and 13 points in 12 months brings a suspension hearing before the MVD Executive Hearing Office.

How points are assigned

Points attach to convictions, not citations — an Arizona civil traffic citation that's resolved through Defensive Driving School (see traffic tickets) doesn't put points on the record. The point values for the most common violations:

8 points — Standard DUI conviction, Extreme DUI, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, aggressive driving, racing on a highway.
6 points — Failure to stop for a school bus with flashing red lights, certain felony driving offenses.
4 points — Excessive speed (criminal speeding under ARS § 28-701.02 — over 85 mph or over 35 mph on certain rural roads), failure to yield resulting in serious injury, parking on a highway.
3 points — Standard speeding, failure to yield, running a stop sign or red light, improper passing, following too closely.
2 points — Most other moving violations including turn-signal violations and equipment violations.

What happens at 8 points in 12 months

When a driver accumulates 8 or more points in any rolling 12-month window, MVD mails a notice requiring attendance at Traffic Survival School (TSS). TSS is an 8-hour course delivered by ADOT-approved providers, both in-person and online. It costs about $135-$165 depending on the provider. Failure to complete TSS within the 60-day deadline triggers an automatic license suspension that lasts until the course is completed and a $10 reinstatement fee is paid.

Completing TSS does not erase any points. The points remain on the record for the full 12-month and 36-month review periods used by MVD and insurance carriers, and the conviction itself remains on the record indefinitely.

What happens at 13 points in 12 months

At 13 or more points within 12 months, MVD initiates an Executive Hearing Office proceeding to review the driver's record. The hearing officer can:

Suspend the license for 3 to 12 months.
Impose probationary driving conditions for up to 12 months.
Restrict the license to work, school, or medical purposes only.
Decline to take action if mitigating circumstances apply.

The driver can present evidence and be represented by counsel. Re-examinations — vision, knowledge, or road test — can be ordered as a condition of continued driving privileges.

Special rules for drivers under 18

Drivers operating on a Class G Graduated License face accelerated point thresholds. A teen driver who accumulates two or more moving violation convictions within any 12-month period sees their license automatically suspended for 30 days on the second violation, plus mandatory completion of Traffic Survival School. A third violation in the same 12-month window suspends the license for the remainder of the under-18 period.

How long points stay on the record

Arizona MVD reviews points using two windows:

12-month window — The 8- and 13-point thresholds for TSS and suspension are calculated only on convictions within the most recent 12 months.
36-month review — Used for habitual-violator referrals and certain commercial-driver actions.

Convictions remain on the Arizona driver record indefinitely — only the point counting falls off. A 5-year-old speeding ticket no longer counts toward TSS or suspension thresholds, but the conviction itself still appears on a certified MVR pulled by an employer or insurance carrier. See Arizona driving records for the MVR types and how to pull your record.

Out-of-state convictions

Arizona is a member of the Driver License Compact and the Non-Resident Violator Compact. Convictions for moving violations that occur in other states are reported to Arizona MVD and recorded on the Arizona driver record at the same point value the violation would carry if it had occurred in Arizona. A Nevada speeding ticket, for example, posts to the Arizona record as a 3-point speeding conviction.

Insurance impact

Insurance carriers use the certified MVR to rate drivers, and Arizona convictions typically affect rates for 36 months from the date of conviction. A standard speeding ticket might raise premiums 10-20%; an Extreme DUI conviction often triples the premium for the SR-22 period and may force the driver into the non-standard market. See Arizona car insurance for how the Arizona FR system interacts with point convictions.