Aisha was caught doing 38 in a 30 zone on 14 March 2023 and took three points on a fixed penalty. Three and a half years later she is filling in a car insurance renewal and wondering how long do penalty points last, and whether the box asking about convictions still applies to her. The honest answer has two dates in it, not one.
Every endorsement has a period when it can push you towards a ban and a longer period when it simply sits on your record. Below, Aisha and three other drivers show how both dates are worked out, which offences run from the conviction instead of the offence, and what changes for anyone who passed their test recently.
Quick answer: In Great Britain, most penalty points stay on your driving record for 4 years from the offence date and count towards a 12 point ban for the first 3 years. Drink and drug driving endorsements stay for 11 years from the conviction date and count for 10. GOV.UK sets these periods, and expired points drop off automatically.
In This Guide
How long do penalty points stay on your licence?
Penalty points stay on your driving record for either 4 years or 11 years, depending on the offence, and they are removed automatically once that period ends. Speeding, using a phone, careless driving and running a red light all fall into the 4 year group. Drink driving, drug driving and the most serious offences involving drink or drugs fall into the 11 year group.
The starting point differs too, and this is the detail that changes real expiry dates by months. The GOV.UK rules on how long endorsements stay say most 4 year endorsements run from the date of the offence, while reckless or dangerous driving (DD40, DD60, DD80) and any offence that led to a disqualification run for 4 years from the date of conviction. All 11 year endorsements also run from the conviction date.
| Type of endorsement | Counts towards a ban for | Stays on your record for | Clock starts on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most offences (SP30, CU80, TS10, CD10) | 3 years | 4 years | Offence date |
| Dangerous driving (DD40, DD60, DD80) | 3 years | 4 years | Conviction date |
| Any offence that led to a ban | 3 years | 4 years | Conviction date |
| Drink or drug driving (DR10, DR20, DR30, DR31, DR61, DR80) | 10 years | 11 years | Conviction date |
| Death by careless driving under the influence (CD40, CD50, CD60, CD70) | 10 years | 11 years | Conviction date |
The gap between offence and conviction can be months when a case goes to court. If you only know the court date, entering it in our days between dates calculator alongside the offence date shows how far apart the two clocks are, which matters most for an 11 year endorsement.
When do penalty points stop counting towards a ban?
Penalty points from a 4 year endorsement stop counting towards a totting up ban 3 years after the offence, even though they stay visible on your record for a fourth year. GOV.UK calls this the period during which the endorsement is valid, and it is the window a court looks at when you are caught again.
Aisha’s timeline shows the difference. Her SP30 from 14 March 2023 could have counted towards a ban until March 2026. It is still on her record now and will leave it on 14 March 2027. If she were caught speeding today, a court would not add those three points to a new total, but a car hire desk checking her licence would still see them.
For 11 year endorsements the counting window is 10 years. Lewis was convicted of a DR10 drink driving offence on 5 February 2021. That endorsement can be taken into account until February 2031 and leaves his record on 5 February 2032, so he will be answering questions about it for most of the next decade.
What happens if you reach 12 points within 3 years?
If you build up 12 or more penalty points within 3 years, you can be disqualified under the totting up rule, and GOV.UK says that first ban lasts 6 months. A second disqualification within 3 years means 12 months, and a third means 2 years.
Gareth is a delivery driver. He picked up 3 points for speeding on 2 November 2023, another 3 on 10 June 2024, and then 6 points and a £200 fine for holding his phone on 20 September 2026. All three offences fall within 3 years of each other, so he reaches exactly 12 and faces a 6 month ban. Had the phone offence happened on 5 November 2026 instead, just over 3 years after his first speeding offence, those 2023 points would already have dropped out of the window, leaving him on 9.
A few weeks either way can decide a ban, which is why exact dates matter more than rough years. Points differ widely by offence, and the GOV.UK list of endorsement codes gives the range a court can choose from for each one.
| Code | Offence | Penalty points |
|---|---|---|
| SP30 | Exceeding a statutory speed limit | 3 to 6 |
| CU80 | Control of vehicle, including phone use | 3 to 6 |
| TS10 | Failing to comply with traffic lights | 3 |
| CD10 | Driving without due care and attention | 3 to 9 |
| MS90 | Failing to give the driver’s identity | 6 |
| IN10 | Driving without insurance | 6 to 8 |
| DR10 | Driving over the drink drive limit | 3 to 11 |
| DD40 | Dangerous driving | 3 to 11 |
The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and 3 points. A phone offence carries a fixed 6 points and £200, which on its own takes a new driver to the limit described next.
How many points can a new driver get?
A new driver’s licence is cancelled if they get 6 or more penalty points within 2 years of passing their driving test. This is not a ban: the licence is revoked, and the driver has to apply for a new provisional licence and pass both the theory and practical tests again.
Maya passed her test on 1 August 2025. If she is stopped holding her phone at the wheel on 3 September 2026, those 6 points arrive inside her first 2 years and the licence goes. Points she picked up on a provisional licence still count if they have not expired, so a learner who already has 3 points has only 3 to spare after passing. After 1 August 2027 the normal 12 point limit applies to her.
Can you get penalty points removed early?
No, penalty points cannot be removed early, bought off or cleared by a course once they are on your record. They expire on their own at the end of the 4 or 11 year period, and DVLA removes most expired endorsements from the driving record automatically.
The only legitimate way to avoid points is before they are added. For some speeding offences the police may offer a speed awareness course instead of the fine and points, but only if they decide it suits the offence and you have not attended one in the past 3 years. Appealing a conviction in court is the other route, and it is a legal process, not a paperwork fix.
Being asked about points does not stop when they stop counting. GOV.UK states that other people can find out about a 4 year endorsement at any time while it is on your record, and about an 11 year endorsement during its first 5 years. Insurers set their own questions, and many ask about the last five years, so read the wording on each renewal rather than assuming expired points can be left out.
How to check how many points you have
You can check your points online for free, at any time and without contacting DVLA by phone, using the GOV.UK view driving licence service, which needs your licence number, National Insurance number and the postcode on your licence. It lists each endorsement with its code and dates, and it can create a check code for a hire company that lasts 21 days.
Copy the offence date and code into the expiry calculator and you get both key dates in one place. While you are on the service, note the expiry date of the photocard itself, because our driving licence renewal date calculator works out when the 10 year card needs replacing. Council parking tickets carry no points at all, and the PCN discount deadline calculator shows the last day to pay one at the reduced rate before the full charge applies.
Key points
- Most penalty points stay on your driving record for 4 years and count towards a ban for 3 years.
- Most 4 year endorsements run from the offence date, but dangerous driving and offences that led to a ban run from the conviction date.
- Drink and drug driving endorsements stay for 11 years from conviction and count for 10 years.
- Reaching 12 points within 3 years leads to a totting up ban of 6 months for a first disqualification.
- New drivers lose their licence with 6 points within 2 years of passing their test.
Frequently Asked Questions
My points were for speeding in June 2022. Are they still on my record?
No, a speeding endorsement from June 2022 left your record in June 2026, 4 years after the offence date. It stopped counting towards a 12 point ban in June 2025, so it plays no part in any new offence.
I went to court and was convicted four months after the offence. Which date counts?
It depends on the code. A standard 4 year endorsement such as SP30 runs from the offence date, while dangerous driving, drink driving and any offence that brought a ban run from the conviction date, which in your case adds four months.
I have 9 points. Does another 3 point fine mean an automatic ban?
Only if all the offences fall within 3 years of each other. Reaching 12 points within 3 years usually brings a 6 month totting up ban, but if your oldest 3 points are more than 3 years older than the new offence, your total stays at 9.
Will my insurer see points that no longer count?
Yes, a 4 year endorsement stays visible for its whole 4 years, including the year after it stops counting towards a ban. Insurers write their own questions, often covering the last five years, so answer exactly what the form asks.
Aisha now knows her three points stopped counting in March 2026 and leave her record in March 2027, and that her insurer’s question still applies until then. Enter your own codes and dates into the calculator to see both deadlines for every endorsement you hold. Figures checked October 2026.