How To Get A Point Removed From Your Driver’s License
You may have just gotten a speeding ticket or a citation for violating another traffic law. While it might seem like you can pay the fine and move on, the impacts of your ticket could go beyond that. If this happens to you once, you may not notice much more than a small bump in your auto insurance rate for a time. If incidents like this are habitual for you, however, you could be in danger of losing your driver’s license.
Any violation of traffic laws that are considered “moving violations” such as speeding, illegal passing, running a red light, or reckless driving can all result in points accruing against your driving record. Depending on the violation, you can rack up some pretty serious points on your driver’s license. One of the most serious offenses is passing a stopped school bus. Depending on your state’s regulations, accruing a certain number of points in a specific period will result in automatic suspension. Once this happens, it could be very difficult to get your driver’s license back and even easier to lose it again.
Since every state is different, there are various methods of maintaining points. However, nearly every state has a point system and has requirements for how long they stay on your driving record. As a general rule, points can stay on your driving record for three to five years. Your state will have laws determining how long those points will count against you. Insurance companies, however, can go back as far as five years to look for points when determining your premiums. If you have a less than clean driving record, it might be a good idea to investigate point removal on driver’s license. Let’s take a look at how you can reduce points from your driver’s license.
Point Removal
Although the point system in some states can be fairly complicated, there are ways that you get your points reduced. Many states have laws that trigger certain requirements. In North Carolina, for instance, seven points will result in the option to take a defensive driving course that could take away as many as three points. Other states offer similar solutions for point reduction. Additionally, after a certain period, your points will automatically drop off. If you want to be proactive, however, you might be able to take some steps on your own to take care of the points on your driving record.
Removal Request
In some states, like New Jersey, you can request that your driver’s license points be removed. In general, you’ll have to go a full year without getting any traffic violations and new points before you can make the request. This is a courtesy that some states offer as a reward for better driving habits. In many cases, you can have up to three points removed if you meet the requirements and fill out the necessary DMV forms like Yayoins .
Traffic School
Taking a defensive driving course is another method for reducing the points on your record. As discussed, some states will offer this after you accrue a certain amount of points. However, if you wish to do this before getting to that point, you may take the initiative yourself. You might be able to reduce up to three points by taking a state-approved defensive driving course. When you participate in this kind of traffic school, you will need to fill out the required DMV forms to provide proof of course completion. You should also note that if you take a defensive driving course due to a plea bargain or court order, you likely won’t be able to reduce your point total.
The best way to stay clear with your driver’s license is obviously to maintain a clean driving record free from traffic violations. However, if you find that you have received some points, you can submit a request to your DMV or complete a driving course to have some of the points reduced.
