License Points
How long points stay on your license.
Pennsylvania takes three points off for every 12 consecutive months you drive without a new point-carrying conviction. Here is exactly how that clock runs — and what restarts it.
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Short answer: points are not on a fixed calendar. PennDOT removes three points for every 12 consecutive months in which you commit no violation carrying points or a suspension[2] . Six points takes two clean years to clear; nine points takes three. A new point-carrying violation restarts the 12-month clock from the date of that offense. The points come off — the underlying conviction stays on your certified driving history for insurers and employers to see.
The point-removal clock, step by step.
Nearly every mistake drivers make here comes from counting from the wrong date. The clock runs from the date of the violation, not the conviction, and not from the calendar year.
| When | What happens to your points |
|---|---|
| Day of conviction | PennDOT posts the points once the court reports the conviction — usually 2 to 6 weeks after you plead or are found guilty, not on the day you were cited. |
| 12 consecutive violation-free months | Three points come off your record. The clock runs from the date of your most recent point-carrying violation — not from the conviction date, and not from January. |
| 24 months | Another three points come off, assuming no new point-carrying violation restarted the clock. |
| First time you reach zero | PennDOT treats you as a clean-record driver again. A later 6-point accumulation is then treated as a first accumulation, with the lighter sanction. |
| Any new point-carrying violation | The 12-month clock restarts from the date of that offense. This is the part most drivers get wrong — one new ticket erases months of progress toward point removal. |
PA Title 75 points chart — and how long each one takes to clear.
Point values are set by 75 Pa.C.S. § 1535[1] . Removal runs at three points per 12 consecutive violation-free months under § 1537[2] , so a 4 or 5-point ticket takes two clean years to fall off entirely.
| Violation | Points assessed | Time to clear |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding 6–10 mph over (§ 1535) | 2 points | 12 months clean |
| Speeding 11–15 mph over | 3 points | 12 months clean |
| Speeding 16–25 mph over | 4 points | 24 months clean (3 off, then 1 off) |
| Speeding 26–30 mph over | 5 points | 24 months clean |
| Speeding 31+ mph over | 5 points + mandatory § 1538(a) departmental hearing (examiner may impose up to 15 days) | 24 months clean |
| Speeding in an active work zone (§ 1535(e) / § 3326.1) | Points plus an automatic 15-day suspension; fines doubled | 24 months clean after the suspension is served |
| Running a red light or stop sign | 3 points | 12 months clean |
| Failure to yield right of way | 3 points | 12 months clean |
| Improper passing | 3 points | 12 months clean |
| Following too closely | 3 points | 12 months clean |
| Careless driving with serious injury (§ 3714(b)) | 3 points + 6-month suspension | 12 months clean, but the suspension runs first |
| Failure to stop for a school bus (§ 3345) | 5 points + 60-day suspension | 24 months clean after reinstatement |
| Reckless driving (§ 3736) | 0 points — automatic 6-month suspension under § 1532(b)(1) | No points to remove; the suspension itself stays on your history |
Waiting points out is not the same as clearing your record.
Point removal under § 1537 changes your point balance only. The conviction itself stays on your PennDOT driving history and is what your insurance carrier actually rates. If you are still inside the appeal window on the citation, fighting it is the only way to keep both the points and the conviction off — see summary appeals in Harrisburg. And if you are already at or past 11 points, removal timing is beside the point: the suspension is mandatory[4] .
Related points reading.
- How many points before suspension in PA — the 6 and 11-point thresholds
- Points vs. license suspension — which offenses suspend without points
- PennDOT restoration fee — the $70 fee applies to point suspensions too
- Traffic citation defense — keeping the conviction off in the first place
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
The questions drivers actually ask about how long PA points last.
Each block of three points stays until you go 12 consecutive months without committing a new violation that carries points or a suspension. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1537, PennDOT removes three points for every such clean 12-month period. Six points takes two clean years to clear; nine points takes three.
The violation date. Section 1537 measures 12 consecutive months in which you did not commit a point-carrying violation, so the clock runs from the date of the offense itself — even though the points are not posted until the court reports the conviction weeks later.
No. Removal is three points per clean 12-month period, not a full wipe. A driver sitting at nine points needs three consecutive clean years to reach zero.
Yes, if the new citation results in a conviction that carries points or a suspension. The 12-month period has to be consecutive and violation-free, so an offense committed in month 11 sends you back to the start. Non-point convictions such as most equipment and parking offenses do not restart it.
The points themselves do not, but the convictions do. Points come off under § 1537, while the underlying conviction stays on your certified PennDOT driving history and remains visible to insurers, employers, and courts. DUI convictions, § 1532 revocations, and CDL disqualifications are recorded separately from the point system entirely.
Longer than they stay on your license. Carriers rate off the conviction, not the point balance, and most look back three to five years. That is why fighting the citation matters more than waiting out the points.
Order a driver history (Form DL-503) through PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services. It shows your current point total, each conviction with its date, and any pending sanction. Do not rely on a memory of what each ticket carried — point values differ by offense under § 1535.
Not voluntarily. Pennsylvania does not offer a general point-reduction course you can elect. PennDOT may order a special written exam or an on-road exam as a sanction after a 6-point accumulation under § 1538, and passing it removes two points — but that is a consequence of hitting the threshold, not a shortcut you can request in advance.
Related pages
Summary appeals — Harrisburg
Appeal an MDJ guilty verdict to Common Pleas. 30-day deadline.
PA points & suspension guide
Point values, 6/11-point thresholds, and how points come off.
Reckless driving (§ 3736)
Automatic 6-month suspension, jail exposure, CDL impact — Adams, York, Cumberland & Dauphin.
DUI defense
When a traffic stop turns into a DUI arrest.
Criminal defense
Reckless driving, fleeing, and related charges.
Areas we serve
Where we appear across Central PA.
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Sources & statutory citations
- [1]75 Pa.C.S. § 1535 — Schedule of convictions and points; §1535(e) — automatic 15-day suspension for active work-zone speeding.
- [2]75 Pa.C.S. § 1537 — Removal of points — 3 points come off for every 12 consecutive months without a violation; reaching zero once resets the count.
- [3]75 Pa.C.S. § 1538 — Departmental hearing and sanctions on accumulation of points.
- [4]75 Pa.C.S. § 1539 — Suspension of operating privilege on accumulation of 11 or more points.
Statutes are summarized for public reference. Confirm current text at palegis.us. This page is attorney advertising, not legal advice.
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