Driving offences that lead to the most points on your licence

More than 2.7 million drivers across England, Scotland and Wales currently have at least three points on their driving licences as a result of motoring offences.

What is the maximum number of points on a driving licence?

Mike Potter, CEO of DriveElectric commented: “Accumulating 12 points on your driving licence in less than three years can get you disqualified from driving.

"On top of that, getting points on your licence will also result in an increase of your insurance policy, as your insurance provider will want to be informed about all motoring convictions in the past three years (in some cases, this may be five years). 

"For these reasons, as well as to ensure the safety of other drivers, it is important to keep in mind which offences would get you the most points on your licence.” 

Offences that lead to the most points on a driving licence

1. Driving with alcohol or drug level above the limit: up to 11 points
2. Causing death or injury driving while disqualified, unlicensed or uninsured: up to 11 points
3. Causing death by careless driving: up to 11 points
4. Culpable homicide while driving: up to 11 points
5. Dangerous driving: up to 11 points
6. Motor racing on the highway: up to 11 points
7. Failing to stop after an accident: up to 10 points
8. Careless and inconsiderate driving: up to 9 points
9. If your vehicle is uninsured against third-party risks: up to 8 points

Other driving offences that lead to high penalty points include driving while disqualified (six points), exceeding speed limits (up to six points) and using a mobile phone while driving (up to six points).

You can also get three points on your licence if your vehicle has defective brakes, defective tyres, defective steering, or other defective accessories, or has too many passengers or not complying to traffic directions and signs (this includes lights signals, double white lines, not stopping at a stop sign)

Not stopping at pedestrian crossings and driving with uncorrected eyesight can both lead to three penalty points respectively.

Recommended reading

• What gets checked on an MOT? See the annual list of tests and checks
• Most stolen motorbike models in the UK revealed in new data

• 10 ways you could be invalidating your car insurance

How do I check my penalty points?

You can find out how many points you have on your driving licence by following these simple steps:

• Visit the Government’s dedicated website 
• Enter your information: you will need your driving licence number, your national insurance number, and the postcode on your licence.
• Head over to the ‘penalties and disqualifications’ tab.

Any penalty points you’ve collected on your licence will expire after three years.

However, this doesn’t mean that the offence will be erased from your driving record in the same amount of time.

In fact, this could take up to 11 years.