How many points on your licence before a ban?

For drivers who want to know how many penalty points lead to a ban.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

You can be banned from driving if you get 12 or more penalty points within 3 years.

A first ban for 12 points is usually 6 months, rising to 12 months and then 2 years for more bans within 3 years.
New drivers lose their licence if they get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing their test.
Learner points that have not expired carry over to your full licence.
Most points stay on your record for 4 years, and drink or drug driving for 11 years.
You can check your points online with your licence number, National Insurance number and postcode.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

12 points in 3 years: ban
New drivers: 6 points in 2 years
First totting up ban: 6 months
Most points stay for 4 years

The 12 point rule

You can be banned (disqualified) from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within 3 years. This is often called "totting up".

Situation	Usual length of ban
12 or more points within 3 years	6 months
A second ban within 3 years	12 months
A third ban within 3 years	2 years

You can also be banned by a court if you are convicted of a driving offence, even without reaching 12 points.

The 6 point rule for new drivers

If you get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing your test, your licence is cancelled (revoked). To drive again, you must apply and pay for a new provisional licence and pass both the theory and practical tests again.

Points you got as a learner that have not expired carry over to your full licence. So a learner with 3 points who gets 3 more soon after passing reaches 6 points and loses their licence.

How many points common offences carry

Offence	Code	Points
Speeding on a public road	SP30	3 to 6
Careless driving	CD10	3 to 9
Driving without insurance	IN10	6 to 8
Failing to stop after an accident	AC10	5 to 10
Drink driving	DR10	3 to 11

The exact number you get depends on the details of the offence.

Worked example

You get 3 points for speeding in March 2025, 3 in June 2026 and 6 for driving without insurance in August 2027. That is 12 points within 3 years, so you can be banned for 6 months.

How long points stay on your record

Type of offence	How long it stays	How long a court can take it into account
Most offences	4 years	3 years
Drink or drug driving offences	11 years	10 years

For most offences the 4 years starts from the date of the offence. For offences that led to a ban, and some serious offences, it starts from the date of conviction.

Getting your licence back after a ban

Ban shorter than 56 days: you do not need to apply for a new licence.
Ban of 56 days or more: you must apply for a new licence before you drive again.

How to check your points

Use the "View your driving licence information" service on GOV.UK. You need your driving licence number, your National Insurance number and the postcode on your licence. This only works for licences from England, Scotland and Wales. If your licence is from Northern Ireland, check nidirect instead.

Related guides

Where this comes from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Check your penalty points

Common questions

How many points can a new driver get before losing their licence?

Your licence is cancelled if you get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing your test, and you must pass both tests again.

How long is a ban for 12 points?

Usually 6 months, or 12 months if it is your second ban within 3 years and 2 years for a third.

Do I need a new licence after a ban?

Only if the ban was 56 days or more. You must apply for a new licence before driving again.

Official sources

1.Penalty points (endorsements)www.gov.uk/penalty-points-endorsements
2.Driving bans (disqualifications)www.gov.uk/driving-disqualifications
3.Penalty points: new driverswww.gov.uk/penalty-points-endorsements/new-drivers
4.How long endorsements stay on your driving recordwww.gov.uk/penalty-points-endorsements/how-long-endorsements-stay-on-your-driving-licence
5.View your driving licence informationwww.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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