How Long Do DMV Points Stay on Your Record in California?

How Long Points Remain on Your California Driving Record

In California, the length of time a point stays on your DMV driving record depends on the severity of the underlying violation. The California Vehicle Code distinguishes between minor (one-point) violations and major (two-point) violations, and each category has a different retention period.

Understanding these timelines is important because points on your record affect not only your risk of license suspension under the Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS), but also your insurance rates. Insurance companies typically review your driving record when setting premiums, and points can lead to higher costs for several years.

Point Duration by Violation Type

One-Point Violations: 3 Years

One-point violations remain on your California driving record for 3 years (36 months) from the date of the violation. This category includes common infractions such as most speeding violations, running a red light and making an unsafe lane change. An accident the DMV decides you were responsible for also counts as one point and stays on your record for 3 years.

Under Vehicle Code Section 1808(b), the 3-year period is measured from the violation date, not the conviction date. This is an important distinction because there can be a gap of weeks or months between when the violation occurred and when it appears as a conviction on your record.

Two-Point Violations: 7 to 10 Years

More serious two-point violations remain on your record for much longer. A DUI conviction stays on your DMV record for 10 years from the violation date. Other two-point violations, such as reckless driving, hit-and-run or driving over 100 mph, remain for 7 years. These periods come from Vehicle Code Section 1808(b), which sets how long the DMV discloses a conviction, counted from the date of the violation.

Points vs. Violation Record: An Important Distinction

There is an important distinction between how long a point counts toward NOTS thresholds and how long the underlying violation appears on your driving record. For NOTS purposes, the DMV counts points accumulated within 12, 24, or 36-month windows. However, the violation itself remains visible on your record for the full retention period (3 years, 7 years, or 10 years depending on severity).

This means that even after a point has aged out of the NOTS counting window, the violation may still appear when an insurance company or employer pulls your driving record. For the Good Driver Discount, California law sets its own look-back periods, explained in the next section.

How Points Affect Your Insurance Rates

California law (Insurance Code Section 1861.02) makes your driving safety record the most important factor insurers must use when setting your premium. For the Good Driver Discount, the law looks back 3 years for violation points and 10 years for a DUI conviction (Insurance Code Section 1861.025).

A single one-point violation in the past 3 years does not by itself disqualify you from the Good Driver Discount, but more than one point in that period (such as a second one-point violation, or one two-point conviction for reckless driving, hit-and-run, DUI or driving over 100 mph) does, and so does a DUI conviction in the past 10 years. The Good Driver Discount must be at least 20 percent below the rate you would otherwise be charged (Insurance Code Sections 1861.025 and 1861.02).

Learn more about how traffic tickets affect your insurance premiums. How Traffic Tickets Affect Insurance →

Can You Remove Points from Your Record Early?

California does not offer a way to remove points from your driving record before their retention period expires. Once a conviction is disclosed on your DMV record, the violation and its point stay for the full 3, 7 or 10 years, as applicable.

However, completing traffic school for an eligible one-point violation keeps that conviction off your public record: the DMV keeps it confidential and assesses no point for it (Vehicle Code Section 1808.7). The DMV still has the record, but it does not disclose it to anyone except a court, so your insurance company does not see it. This applies only to the first traffic school conviction in any 18-month period, and not to commercial license holders or to violations in a commercial vehicle.

You can also contest the underlying ticket before any conviction is reported. If you are found not guilty or the charge is dismissed, whether through Trial by Written Declaration or at a court trial, there is no conviction and no point is added to your record.

Summary: Point Retention Periods at a Glance

• One-point violations (most speeding, red light, etc.): 3 years from violation date
• Two-point violations (reckless driving, hit-and-run): 7 years from violation date
• DUI convictions: 10 years from violation date
• Traffic school completion (eligible one-point violations): Conviction is kept confidential and no point is assessed, but the DMV keeps the record
• Found not guilty or charge dismissed: No point is added to your record

Find out how traffic school keeps an eligible conviction confidential. Traffic School and DMV Points →

See the total cost of your ticket, including the base fine, penalty assessments and fees. California Traffic Ticket Calculator →