Points drop off your New York record after 18 months, but the timing depends on when the violation occurred

In New York, traffic violation points remain on your driving record for 18 months from the date of the violation — not from the date you paid the fine or went to court. This means a speeding ticket you received on March 15 will stop counting toward your license suspension on September 15 of the following year, regardless of when you settled it.

The 18-month clock matters because New York suspends your license if you accumulate 11 or more points within any 18-month period. Points from violations older than 18 months no longer count toward that total, even though the violation itself remains visible on your record forever. This distinction — between points that count and violations that show — is what most drivers misunderstand.

Key Takeaways

  • Points expire 18 months from the violation date, not from when you paid the ticket or attended court.
  • Accumulating 11 or more points within any 18-month window triggers a license suspension, but points older than 18 months stop counting toward that total.
  • Your violation record stays on your driving history permanently, but only recent points affect your insurance rates and suspension risk.
  • You can request a point reduction through traffic court if you were speeding 1 to 10 miles per hour over the limit, or you can take a defensive driving course to lower points by up to four.

How the 18-month window works

New York measures the 18-month period from the date the violation occurred, not the date you received the ticket in the mail or the date you paid it. If you were pulled over on January 10, your 18-month window closes on July 10 of the following year. Any points from that violation stop counting on that date.

The state tracks your points in a rolling 18-month window, meaning the oldest violations drop off automatically as time passes. You do not need to request removal or file paperwork — the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) removes them from the active count on its own. However, the violation itself remains part of your permanent driving history and will appear on background checks and insurance inquiries.

If you receive multiple violations within the same 18-month period, each one has its own expiration date. A ticket from January 10 expires July 10 of the next year, while a ticket from March 20 expires September 20 of the next year. The DMV tracks each separately.

What happens if you reach 11 points

Accumulating 11 or more points within any 18-month period triggers a mandatory license suspension. The DMV will mail you a notice of suspension, and your license becomes invalid on the date specified in that notice. You cannot drive legally until the suspension period ends or you complete the requirements to restore your license.

The length of suspension depends on how many points you have. Eleven to 13 points results in a 30-day suspension. Fourteen to 16 points results in a 60-day suspension. Seventeen or more points results in a six-month suspension. These suspensions are automatic — you do not go to court to contest them, though you can request a hearing with the DMV to challenge whether the points were correctly recorded.

Once your suspension ends, you must pay a $100 restoration fee to the DMV and pass a vision test before your license is reinstated. If you accumulate points again within three years of a suspension, the next suspension period is doubled.

Reducing points before they expire

You have two main ways to lower points before the 18-month expiration date: request a point reduction through traffic court, or take a defensive driving course.

Point reduction through court: If you were speeding 1 to 10 miles per hour over the posted limit, you can ask the judge to reduce the violation to a non-moving violation, which carries zero points. This must happen in the traffic court where your ticket was issued. You typically need to appear in person, though some courts allow you to request this by mail. There is no fee, but you still pay the fine associated with the original violation.

Defensive driving course: Completing an approved defensive driving course (also called a point-and-insurance reduction course) reduces your points by up to four. You can take the course only once every 18 months, and it must be completed before you reach 11 points. The course costs between $20 and $50 depending on the provider, and you must present the completion certificate to the DMV. This reduction also lowers your insurance premium by up to 10 percent for three years.

How points affect your insurance rates

Insurance companies in New York use your driving record to set premiums, and they typically look back three to five years. Points from violations older than three years usually do not raise your rates, but violations within the past three years do. A single speeding ticket can increase your premium by 10 to 30 percent depending on the severity and your insurer.

Once points expire from the DMV's active count after 18 months, they no longer affect your suspension risk, but your insurance company may still see the violation on your record and use it to calculate rates. The violation does not disappear from your history — only the points stop counting toward a license suspension.

Checking your current points

You can view your driving record and current point total through the DMV's website or by visiting a DMV office in person. To check online, go to the New York DMV website and select "Check Your Driving Record." You will need your driver's license number and date of birth. The record shows every violation on file, the date it occurred, the points assigned, and the date those points will expire.

Checking your record is free and takes a few minutes. If you see violations you do not recognize or believe points were incorrectly recorded, you can request a hearing with the DMV to challenge them. You have the right to dispute any violation within a reasonable time frame.

Violations that carry no points

Not every traffic violation results in points. Parking violations, equipment violations (broken taillight, expired registration), and non-moving violations do not add points to your license. Only moving violations — speeding, running a red light, unsafe lane change, following too closely — carry points. The number of points varies by violation type and severity.

If you receive a ticket for a non-moving violation, it will not affect your suspension risk or your driving record in the same way, though you still must pay the fine. Some violations can be reduced to non-moving violations through court negotiation, which is why requesting a point reduction is worth exploring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do points disappear from my record after 18 months?

Points stop counting toward a suspension after 18 months, but the violation itself remains on your permanent driving record. Insurance companies and background checks can still see it, but the DMV no longer uses it to calculate suspension risk.

If I get a ticket today, when do the points expire?

Points expire 18 months from the date of the violation, not from the date you received the ticket or paid the fine. If you were pulled over on June 1, the points expire on December 1 of the following year, even if you did not receive the ticket until weeks later.

Can I remove a violation from my record before 18 months?

You cannot remove the violation itself, but you can reduce or eliminate the points through a defensive driving course (up to four points) or by requesting a point reduction in traffic court if you were speeding 1 to 10 mph over the limit. Both options lower your point total before the 18-month expiration.

Will points from an old ticket still raise my insurance rates?

Insurance companies typically look back three to five years, so violations older than that usually do not affect your rates. However, violations within the past three years can increase premiums even after points expire from the DMV's active count.

What if I think the points on my record are wrong?

You can request a hearing with the DMV to challenge any violation or point total you believe is incorrect. Contact your local DMV office or file a request through the DMV website. Bring documentation of the ticket and any evidence supporting your claim.