How Many Points Lead to a License Suspension: Point Steps and Driver's License Suspension

An accumulation of 36 valid traffic points or more usually leads to a driver's license suspension for 3 months, and renewing the license is conditional on passing a theory exam. Accumulating 72 points or more, or a repeated accumulation of an additional 36 points following a previous disqualification for 36 points within 6 years, can lead to a license suspension for 9 months, a mandatory theory exam, a practical driving test, and examinations at the Medical Institute for Road Safety (MARVAD).

Sanction stages according to the number of points:

• 12 to 22 points – Obligation to pass a basic proper driving course and exam.
• 24 to 34 points – Obligation to pass an advanced proper driving course and theoretical exam.
• 36 to 70 points – Suspension of driver's license for 3 months, and license renewal is usually conditional on passing a theory exam.
• 72 points or more – Suspension of driver's license for 9 months, and license renewal is conditional on passing a theory exam, a practical driving test, and examinations at the Medical Institute for Road Safety (MARVAD).
• 36 points or more for the second time within 6 years – Even if the driver did not actually reach 72 points all at once, returning to the same point level within 6 years can lead to the severe sanction of a 9-month suspension, theory, practical test, and MARVAD medical checkups.

Table of Contents:

• How many points lead to a license suspension?
• How many points lead to a suspension for a new driver?
• What is the meaning of 36 valid points?
• What happens when you accumulate 72 traffic points?
• What is the difference between a 3-month suspension and a 9-month suspension?
• When do traffic points get deleted or stop being valid?
• Can a preventive driving course prevent a suspension?
• Is it possible to cancel points before reaching a suspension?
• Is it possible to appeal a license suspension due to points?
• When to contact a traffic lawyer?

If you were caught committing a traffic violation, you will likely receive a ticket and a requirement to pay a fine, and beyond that – you will accumulate driving points against you. These points are designed to deter drivers from committing further offenses and for the state to track repeat traffic violators. However, unlike the points accumulated in various consumer clubs, here it is recommended to accumulate as few points as possible – because as you accumulate more points, you face various sanctions. In certain cases, even license suspension.

So how many points lead to a license suspension?

The points accumulation system establishes a specific number of points for each offense you commit, depending on its severity. Thus, for minor offenses, such as unlawful overtaking, failure to comply with certain traffic lights, or failure to observe right-of-way laws, you will accumulate 4 points. For offenses that endanger the driver's environment, such as crossing a continuous dividing line, driving against the traffic direction, or driving without a valid vehicle license, you will accumulate 6 points. More severe offenses will lead to an accumulation of 8 points and even 10 points; these are violations like speeding, running a red light, and more. Anyone who accumulates 36 points or more over a two-year period will have their license suspended for 3 months. At the end of this period, they will need to successfully pass a theory exam to get their driver's license back.

A driver who accumulates 72 points or accumulates 36 points once again within a six-year period faces a license suspension for 9 months. After this period, they will not only need to retake a theory exam but also successfully complete a practical test (test) and undergo medical examinations in order to get their driver's license back.

How many points lead to a suspension for a new driver?

According to traffic regulations, a new driver is defined as someone who received their driver's license less than 24 months ago. Among this population, there is a stricter implementation of traffic laws and harsher punishment for breaking the law. Thus, new drivers are required to take a preventive driving course after accumulating only 8 points. This is unlike other drivers who will be required to take a course after accumulating 22 points.

What is the points threshold that obligates a new driver to complete a preventive driving course? If the new driver accumulates more than 22 points, they will need to undergo a preventive driving course, even if they have already taken a course in the past, and will also be required to take an additional practical test. If the new driver accumulates over 36 points, their license will be suspended for 3 months and will be renewed only after passing a theory exam. If the driver accumulates over 72 points, their license will be suspended for 9 months and they will have to issue a driver's license anew – and pass a theory exam, a practical test, and a medical checkup once again.

What is the meaning of 36 valid points?

A driver who accumulates 36 valid points or more will have their driver's license suspended for 3 months. A driver who accumulates 36 points for the second time within 6 years will have their driver's license suspended for 9 months.

For how long is the license suspended after accumulating 36 points?

After accumulating 36 points, the driver's license is suspended for 3 months, and at its conclusion, they will need to pass a theory exam again. If they accumulate 36 points once more within six years, their driver's license will be suspended again, this time for 9 months, at the end of which they will practically need to issue a driver's license from scratch (pass a theory exam, a practical test, and medical checkups).

What happens when you accumulate 72 traffic points?

A driver who accumulates 72 traffic points or more, or a driver who accumulates 36 points twice within six years, faces a driver's license suspension for 9 months. This means that after the suspension period, the driver will need to pass driving tests to obtain the license, including a theory exam, a practical driving test (test), and medical checkups as required.

What is the difference between a 3-month suspension and a 9-month suspension?

What determines the duration for which the license is suspended? The answer lies in the number of points. A suspension for 3 months is for someone who accumulated 36 valid points against them. If the driver accumulates 36 points again within a six-year period, or accumulates 72 points or more, the driver's license will be suspended for a period of 9 months. The difference between these suspension periods is in what will be required of that driver in order to receive their driver's license back. Someone whose license is suspended for 3 months must complete a theory exam at the end of the suspension to receive a license. Someone whose license is suspended for a period of 9 months must pass a theory exam, a practical test, and medical checkups to obtain the license – meaning they must issue a driver's license anew.

Do you need to pass a theory exam after a suspension due to points?

A driver's license suspension due to point accumulation carries substantial implications, one of the main ones being the necessity to retake theoretical and practical driving exams. A driver whose license is suspended for 3 months will need to successfully pass a theory exam again. A driver whose license is suspended for 9 months will need to successfully complete the theory exam, but also a practical driving test (test) and medical examinations.

When are medical examinations at the Medical Institute for Road Safety also required?

When a driver's license is suspended for 9 months, it practically means that they must issue a driver's license anew. This procedure includes passing a theory exam and a practical test, as well as undergoing medical examinations at the Medical Institute for Road Safety.

Do old points count toward a license suspension?

Traffic points are valid from the day the offense was committed for two years for anyone who accumulated fewer than 22 points and met the corrective measures required of them. For a driver who accumulated 22 points or more, the points will be valid for four years as long as corrective measures such as a proper (preventive) driving course have not been carried out. This means that for a driver who accumulated more points, they will remain valid for the purpose of a license suspension for a longer period.

When do traffic points get deleted or stop being valid?

The question of when traffic points are deleted depends on the traffic behavior of the driver. For a driver who accumulated up to 22 points, the points will stop being valid two years from the day the offense was committed, provided the driver executed the corrective measures. Conversely, for a driver who accumulated over 22 points, the points will be valid for four years from the day the offense was committed and will remain in effect as long as the driver did not complete a preventive driving course or meet the corrective measure imposed on them. We note that the counting of the validity of points is from the day the offense was committed and not the day the fine or ticket was received.

Can a preventive driving course prevent a suspension?

Yes, a preventive driving course can prevent a suspension. The purpose of the course is to prevent the accumulation of points, and whoever passes it successfully meets the threshold condition for the deletion clock to start ticking. This prevents the driver from reaching 36 points and the resulting license suspension.

What happens if you don't take a proper driving course in time?

A proper driving (preventive driving) course is mandatory for anyone who accumulated 12 points or more for the basic course, and 24 points or more for the advanced course. Failure to take the course will lead to the suspension of the driver's license within 6 months from the day the notice was delivered to them. Alongside this, an extension of 6 months to complete the course can be requested by contacting the Licensing Authority. An extension can be requested only once.

Is it possible to cancel points before reaching a suspension?

The cancellation of traffic points is within the authority of the police and not the Ministry of Transport. If a driver wishes to appeal the points they accumulated, they are permitted to do so. If the ticket has not yet been paid, a request can be submitted to cancel it or to be tried for it, or to reach a plea bargain with the prosecution to change the offense section.

For someone who accumulated up to 22 points and did not commit an offense for two years, the points will be deleted. For someone who accumulated over 22 points, the points will be deleted after four years and after successfully completing a preventive driving course. A preventive driving course is a condition for deleting points and a necessary step to avoid license suspension.

Is it possible to appeal a license suspension due to points?

A driver who received a notice of license disqualification due to point accumulation can contact the Licensing Authority within 30 days and state their case in a hearing. The application is submitted online, by mail, or physically at one of the licensing office branches. After the application is processed, a summons to a hearing of their arguments will be sent to the driver.

If the Licensing Authority rejects the arguments and decides to keep the disqualification in place, the driver has the right to file an administrative petition in the District Court. The court will examine whether the authority acted lawfully, so unless a technical error occurred in recording the points, the chances of the petition being accepted are low.

Additional Questions and Answers

What is the difference between a license disqualification due to points and a disqualification by a court?

A license disqualification due to points is enforced by the Ministry of Transport as a corrective measure, after the driver accumulated a specific number of points within a defined period. The disqualification carries additional corrective measures, such as the obligation to pass a preventive driving course, a practical test, or a theory exam as a condition for license renewal. Conversely, a license disqualification by a court is imposed as part of criminal proceedings following a conviction for severe traffic offenses such as drunk driving, a road accident with casualties, and more.

What is the difference between an administrative disqualification and a suspension due to points?

An administrative disqualification of a driver's license is executed by the police, where the goal is to protect the public, prevent danger on the road, and immediately remove drivers following a severe offense such as drunk driving, a road accident, speeding, and more. The administrative disqualification is for a limited period (30-90 days depending on the offense) and is executed by a police officer, after conducting a hearing, following the commission of the severe offense. Conversely, a license suspension due to points is under the authority of the Licensing Authority and represents a sanction imposed on drivers who repeatedly commit traffic offenses. The disqualification will be executed for a period of 3 months or 9 months, depending on the accumulated points.

How do you check how many traffic points are recorded in your name?

Finding out the number of points accumulated can be done in several simple ways: through the national identification system, at self-service kiosks in malls and Super-Pharm branches, or via the national telephone hotline of the Ministry of Transport.

What should be done when receiving a ticket with points?

It is important to know that points are accumulated to the driver after paying the ticket/fine, and therefore the meaning of paying the ticket is admitting to the offense attributed to the driver. If the driver is considering appealing the points, it is highly recommended to do so before paying the ticket and through an expert traffic law attorney.

Point Steps and Driver's License Suspension

When should you contact a traffic lawyer?

Upon receiving a traffic ticket/fine that carries point accumulation, and before payment, it may be wise to contact a traffic lawyer. An experienced lawyer can assist in dealing with the authorities to cancel the ticket or to reach a plea bargain that will include changing the offense section to a lighter section, thereby reducing the point accumulation and preventing the license suspension in advance.

Summary