Georgia suspends your license when you accumulate 15 points within a 24-month period if you are 18 or older

Georgia's Department of Driver Services tracks violations on your driving record using a point system. Each type of violation carries a specific number of points. When your total reaches 15 points within any 24-month window, the state automatically suspends your license. This is a hard rule — there is no discretion or appeal based on your circumstances once you hit 15 points.

The 24-month period is a rolling window, not a calendar year. This means the state looks back 24 months from today, counts the points you accumulated during that time, and if the total is 15 or more, your license goes into suspension. As older violations age past 24 months, they stop counting toward the total, which can eventually bring you back below the threshold.

Key Takeaways

  • Fifteen points accumulated within 24 months triggers an automatic license suspension for drivers 18 and older in Georgia.
  • The 24-month period is rolling, meaning violations drop off the count once they pass the two-year mark from the violation date.
  • Common violations carry between 2 and 6 points; serious violations like reckless driving or DUI carry more.
  • You can request a hearing to challenge the suspension, but you must do so within 10 days of receiving the suspension notice.
  • Completing a defensive driving course may reduce points on your record, though this does not prevent an already-issued suspension.

What violations cost in points

Georgia assigns points based on the severity of the violation. Minor infractions like speeding 1 to 10 miles over the limit cost 2 points. Speeding 11 to 14 miles over the limit costs 3 points, and speeding 15 to 18 miles over costs 4 points. Speeding 19 to 23 miles over costs 5 points, and speeding 24 miles or more over the limit costs 6 points.

Reckless driving carries 4 points. Improper passing, following too closely, and failure to yield each carry 3 points. Driving without a valid license, driving with a suspended or revoked license, and hit-and-run carry 6 points each. A DUI conviction carries 4 points, though the suspension that comes with a DUI is separate from the point-based suspension and typically lasts longer.

You can view your current point total by checking your driving record through the Georgia Department of Driver Services website or by visiting a local DDS office in person. Your record shows each violation, the date it occurred, and the points assigned.

How the 24-month rolling window works

The state does not reset your points on January 1st each year. Instead, it looks at any 24-month period. If you received a speeding ticket on March 15, 2023, that violation counts toward your total until March 15, 2025. On March 16, 2025, it falls off and no longer counts.

This matters because you might be close to 15 points and think you are safe, but if you receive another violation before an older one ages out, you can cross the threshold suddenly. For example, if you have 13 points from violations in the past 18 months and you receive a 4-point violation today, you now have 17 points within 24 months and your license will be suspended when ready.

When the suspension takes effect

Once you reach 15 points, the Georgia Department of Driver Services mails you a notice of suspension. The suspension becomes effective 45 days after the date on the notice, giving you a window to request a hearing if you choose to challenge it. During those 45 days, you can still drive legally.

If you do not request a hearing within 10 days of receiving the notice, your license suspension will take effect on day 45, and you cannot legally drive after that date. If you do request a hearing, the suspension is postponed until after the hearing is held and a decision is made.

Requesting a hearing to challenge the suspension

You have the right to request a hearing within 10 days of receiving the suspension notice. The hearing officer will review your driving record and the violations that led to the suspension. However, the hearing is not an opportunity to argue that the violations themselves were unfair — that would have been handled when you received the ticket or citation. The hearing focuses on whether the points were correctly recorded and whether the suspension was properly calculated.

To request a hearing, contact the Georgia Department of Driver Services in writing or by phone. The notice you receive will include instructions and a phone number. You can represent yourself or bring an attorney. The hearing officer will make a decision, which you can appeal to the Superior Court if you disagree with the outcome.

Reducing points through defensive driving

Georgia allows you to reduce points on your record by completing an approved defensive driving course. A course typically reduces 4 points from your record, though you can only use this reduction once every 12 months and no more than 5 times in your lifetime. The course costs money and takes several hours to complete, either in person or online.

Taking a defensive driving course does not prevent a suspension that has already been issued. However, if you are close to 15 points and have not yet been suspended, completing a course could bring you below the threshold and prevent the suspension from happening. You must complete the course and have the reduction recorded on your driving record before you accumulate 15 points.

Getting your license back after suspension

The length of a point-based suspension depends on how many points you accumulated. A suspension for reaching 15 points typically lasts 6 months. However, if you accumulate additional violations while suspended, the suspension period can be extended.

To reinstate your license after the suspension period ends, you must pay a reinstatement fee to the Georgia Department of Driver Services. The fee amount varies. You will also need to provide proof of financial responsibility, which usually means proof of auto insurance. Once you have paid the fee and provided the required documents, you can explore for reinstatement and receive a new license.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do points from out-of-state violations count toward the 15-point suspension in Georgia?

Yes, Georgia counts violations from other states on your driving record. If you received a speeding ticket in Florida or North Carolina, for example, those points transfer to your Georgia record and count toward the 15-point threshold. The points are assigned based on Georgia's point scale, not the other state's scale.

Can I get points removed from my record before they age out?

Points fall off your record automatically after 24 months from the violation date. You cannot remove them earlier, except by completing a defensive driving course, which reduces 4 points one time per 12 months. You cannot petition to have violations removed or expunged from your driving record based on the point system alone.

What happens if I get suspended and then receive another ticket while suspended?

Driving with a suspended license is a separate violation that carries 6 points and is a criminal offense. If you accumulate more violations while suspended, those points will be added to your record and can extend your suspension period when it is time to reinstate. It is illegal to drive during a suspension period.

Does a DUI count as points toward the 15-point suspension?

A DUI conviction carries 4 points on your driving record and does count toward the 15-point threshold. However, a DUI also triggers a separate administrative suspension of your license that is handled independently of the point system. The DUI suspension typically lasts longer than a point-based suspension and begins when ready or after a specific waiting period, depending on whether it is your first offense.

If I move out of Georgia, do the points still count?

Your Georgia driving record follows you. If you move to another state and obtain a license there, your Georgia record remains on file with the Georgia Department of Driver Services. If you still owe a suspension or have an active suspension, you may face issues if you return to Georgia or if the states share information through the Interstate Compact on Driver Licenses.