North Carolina Point Systems

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

North Carolina is one of the few states that runs two separate point systems against the same convictions. The DMV Driver License Points system tracks moving violations on the driver's license record and triggers suspensions. The Insurance Points system, governed by the Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP), tracks the same violations on a separate insurance file and drives premium surcharges. Most NC drivers don't realize there are two systems until a single ticket lands them with both a DMV warning letter and a 25% premium increase from their carrier.

DMV Driver License Points

The NC DMV assigns 1 to 5 points for moving violation convictions:

1 point: littering involving a motor vehicle.
2 points: improper equipment, no driver license.
3 points: speeding (less than 10 mph over), failure to yield right of way, running a stop sign, illegal U-turn, no seat belt (driver), driving with no insurance.
4 points: reckless driving, speeding more than 10 mph over a 55 mph limit, hit and run with property damage only, following too closely, driving on the wrong side of the road.
5 points: aggressive driving, passing a stopped school bus, all DWI-related counts.

Points attach on the date of conviction, not citation. Dismissed or amended-down tickets add no points.

DMV point thresholds

Reaching certain DMV point levels triggers DMV action:

7 points in 3 years — a hearing officer may require completion of a driver improvement clinic; clinic completion removes 3 points.
8 points in 3 years following a previous suspension — automatic 30-day suspension and mandatory clinic.
12 points in 3 years — license suspension under §20-16(c). First suspension is 60 days; second is 6 months; third is 1 year.

The 3-year window is rolling. Points stay on the DMV record for 3 years from the conviction date.

Driver Improvement Clinic

NC offers a Driver Improvement Clinic that removes 3 points from the DMV driving record once every 5 years. The clinic is a 4-hour state-approved course delivered by community colleges and certified private providers; tuition is $50 to $90. Drivers can self-enroll voluntarily or be ordered to attend after a hearing. Completion does not remove the underlying conviction from the record; only the points associated with it are reduced.

Insurance Points (SDIP)

NC's Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP) is operated by the North Carolina Rate Bureau on behalf of every auto insurance carrier in the state. SDIP assigns insurance points to convictions and rates premiums by the total. SDIP points and DMV points are not the same: the SDIP chart uses different values, and SDIP includes some violations the DMV doesn't (such as at-fault accidents).

Selected SDIP point values:

1 point: speeding 10 mph or less over the limit (in a 55+ zone), failure to yield, no insurance.
2 points: speeding more than 10 mph over a 55+ limit, illegal passing, running a stop sign or red light, at-fault accident with no injuries.
3 points: at-fault accident with bodily injury, reckless driving, hit and run with property damage.
4 points: aggressive driving, hit and run with personal injury or death.
8 points: manslaughter or negligent homicide involving a vehicle, prearranged speed contest.
10 points: first-time DWI, hit and run causing death.
12 points: repeat DWI, transporting illegal alcohol or drugs.

Insurance premium surcharges

Each SDIP point translates to a fixed-percentage surcharge on the base policy premium:

1 SDIP point — about 30% surcharge on liability and physical damage portions.
2 points — 45% surcharge.
3 points — 60% surcharge.
4 points — 80% surcharge.
8 points — 195% surcharge.
10 points — 260% surcharge.
12+ points — 340% to 400% surcharge — equivalent to a quadrupled premium.

SDIP points stay on the insurance record for 3 years. After 3 years from the conviction date, the points fall off and the surcharge is removed at the next renewal.

Why two systems matter

A single conviction can affect each system differently. A DWI, for example, adds 5 DMV points (well below the 12-point suspension threshold for license-only purposes — although DWI causes a separate 1-year license revocation) but adds 10 SDIP points, which triples the insurance premium. Reckless driving adds 4 DMV points but 4 SDIP points, plus often-significant additional uninsured-driver scrutiny. Drivers fighting tickets in NC District Court should understand both impacts before pleading.

Out-of-state convictions

NC is a member of the Driver License Compact, so most out-of-state moving violations are reported back to the NC DMV and assessed NC-equivalent DMV points. SDIP also picks up out-of-state convictions through the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) report. Drivers cannot dodge NC points by getting cited in another state.

Removing points

The Driver Improvement Clinic removes 3 DMV points but does not remove SDIP points. SDIP points only fall off after the 3-year aging-off period. Drivers can request a SDIP record review by the NC Rate Bureau if they believe a violation has been misclassified — in which case the carrier can be required to refund the surcharge.