Indiana BMV Point System

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

The Indiana BMV assigns points to most moving violations at the time of conviction. Points stay on the driver's record for two years from the conviction date, and reaching certain totals triggers warnings, license suspensions, or a Habitual Traffic Violator designation. Indiana's system is more linear than Illinois's sliding scale and slightly less aggressive than Pennsylvania's, but the consequences at higher totals are significant.

How Indiana points are assessed

Each moving violation conviction adds a fixed number of points to the driving record. Common point assessments:

Speeding 1-15 mph over the limit: 2 points.
Speeding 16-25 mph over: 4 points.
Speeding 26+ mph over: 6 points.
Reckless driving: 8 points.
Failure to obey traffic signal: 4 points.
Failure to yield right-of-way: 6 points.
Improper passing: 4 points.
Following too closely: 4 points.
Driving on the wrong side of the road: 4 points.
OWI conviction: 8 points (plus the suspension and other sanctions on the OWI laws page).
Leaving the scene of an accident: 6-8 points depending on severity.
Failure to stop for a school bus: 8 points.

Non-moving violations such as parking tickets, registration issues, and equipment failures do not add points. A complete schedule is published in the Indiana BMV Driver Improvement Manual.

Point thresholds and consequences

Indiana point consequences are graduated:

Warning letter: issued at 8 points within 24 months.
Mandatory hearing: 18 or more points within 24 months — the driver receives a hearing notice and must appear before the BMV's Driver Improvement section. The hearing officer can impose a probationary license, an ignition interlock, or a defensive driving requirement.
Suspension: 20 or more points or specific severe-offense convictions within 24 months — automatic license suspension of 30 days to 1 year depending on the violations.
Habitual Traffic Violator (HTV): 10 or more separate moving convictions within 10 years — 5-year license suspension. Two or more major offenses (OWI, reckless homicide, criminal recklessness with a vehicle) within 10 years — 10-year suspension.

Driver Improvement (defensive driving) credit

Indiana drivers can take a state-approved Defensive Driving Course to remove up to 4 points from the record once every three years. The course is available online or in person from BMV-licensed providers, runs four to six hours, and costs $35 to $60. Successful completion is reported to the BMV electronically within five business days. The credit applies only to existing points; it does not prevent points from a future violation. Drivers under court order to attend a Driver Improvement course as part of a sentence cannot use the same course for point reduction.

The 24-month lookback

Points stay on the driving record for two years from the conviction date for most violations. After two years the points expire and no longer count toward suspension thresholds, but the underlying conviction remains on the lifetime Indiana driving record and may still be visible to insurance companies and employers. OWI convictions remain on the active record for 10 years and on the lifetime record permanently.

Hearing process at 18 points

The BMV hearing notice arrives by certified mail within 30 days of crossing the 18-point threshold. The driver has 20 days to request a hearing date or the BMV proceeds with a default order. The hearing is informal — held in a BMV office or by phone — and the driver can present evidence, witnesses, or a defensive driving certificate. Possible outcomes:

No action — the BMV continues to monitor the record without restrictions.
Probationary license requiring defensive driving completion within 90 days.
Ignition interlock requirement for a specified period.
Suspension up to one year, with or without specialized driving privileges.

Drivers can appeal a BMV hearing outcome to the county circuit court within 30 days. See the suspended license page for reinstatement steps if a points-related suspension takes effect, and the traffic tickets page for the deferral programs that can keep a citation off the record entirely.