New York DMV Point System
New York's DMV point system tracks moving-violation convictions on an 18-month rolling window. Cross 11 points and the DMV holds a suspension hearing; cross 6 points and the Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA) starts. Points decay automatically when violations age out, but the conviction stays on the record long after the points themselves are gone.
How the 18-month window works
Points attach to the date of the violation, not the date of conviction. A ticket from January counts toward your point total until the same calendar day in July of the following year. A traffic ticket pleaded out 12 months after the stop can therefore drop most of the way out of the window before it ever lands on the record.
Common point values
| Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| Speeding 1-10 mph over the limit | 3 |
| Speeding 11-20 mph over the limit | 4 |
| Speeding 21-30 mph over the limit | 6 |
| Speeding 31-40 mph over the limit | 8 |
| Speeding more than 40 mph over the limit | 11 |
| Reckless driving | 5 |
| Failure to stop for a school bus | 5 |
| Improper cell-phone use / texting | 5 |
| Failure to yield right of way | 3 |
| Disobeying a traffic signal or stop sign | 3 |
| Improper lane change | 3 |
| Following too closely | 4 |
| Failure to obey a peace officer's signal | 2 |
| Other moving violation | 2 |
Suspension thresholds
The DMV initiates a suspension hearing when:
- A driver accumulates 11 or more points within 18 months, or
- A driver is convicted of three speeding or misdemeanor traffic violations within 18 months — regardless of point total.
The hearing is held in front of a DMV administrative law judge. The driver can appear in person or by counsel; the burden is on the driver to show why the license should not be suspended. Most outcomes are 30-day suspensions followed by 6 months of probation, but the judge can impose longer suspensions for aggravating factors.
The Driver Responsibility Assessment
Separate from the suspension hearing, the DRA kicks in at the 6-point mark:
- 6-7 points in 18 months: $100/year for 3 years ($300 total).
- Each additional point above 6: $25/year for 3 years ($75 per point).
Missing a DRA payment automatically suspends the license. Reinstatement requires paying the missed installments plus a $50 termination fee — details on the suspended license page.
Reducing points: the PIRP course
The Point and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP) is New York's defensive-driving course. Completing the 6-hour course (online or in-person) does two things:
- Subtracts up to 4 points from your active 18-month total.
- Triggers a mandatory 10% reduction on the liability and collision portions of your auto insurance premium for three years.
The course can be taken once every 18 months. The point reduction is for DMV suspension purposes only; it does not erase the underlying conviction or remove the violation from your abstract.
Junior and probationary drivers
New York drivers under 21 who are still on a junior or probationary license face stricter math. Two convictions or one serious infraction during the probationary period typically results in a 60-day suspension, regardless of point total. Drivers under 18 with a Class DJ also trigger immediate suspension at the 6-point mark, separate from the regular Class D thresholds — see the teen license page for details.
Out-of-state convictions
New York applies points to its own record for moving violations committed in any state that is a member of the Driver License Compact. The conversion follows New York's point schedule, not the issuing state's. Speeding 25 mph over in Florida, for instance, posts 6 points to the New York abstract. Quebec and Ontario convictions also transfer under a separate reciprocity agreement.
Commercial drivers
CDL holders face additional federal disqualification rules separate from the New York point system. A "serious traffic violation" — even one committed in a personal vehicle — can trigger a 60-day CDL disqualification on first offense and 120 days on second. Two DWI/DWAI convictions in a CDL-holder's lifetime trigger lifetime CDL disqualification. See the commercial license guide for the federal layer.