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

In California, points from most moving violations stay on your driving record for 39 months from the date of the violation, while points from serious offenses like DUI, reckless driving, and hit-and-run remain for 10 years. How long points stay on your driving record in California depends entirely on which tier the violation falls into, and the schedule is fixed — there’s no way to petition the DMV to clear points early.¹

One-Point Violations: 39 Months

A typical speeding ticket, red-light violation, unsafe lane change, or at-fault collision counts as one point. That point stays on your record for 39 months — just over three years — measured from the date of the violation itself, not the date of the conviction.

The DMV handbook phrases it as “36 months or longer, depending on the type of conviction,” but for standard one-point moving violations the working number is 39 months. Convictions from other states get reported back and land on your California record the same way, so a speeding ticket picked up on a Nevada road trip ages off on the same clock.¹

Two-Point Violations: Up to 10 Years

Serious offenses carry two points and stay much longer. DUI convictions remain on your record for 10 years.² Hit-and-run and reckless driving convictions can stay for up to 10 years as well. Driving on a suspended or revoked license is also a two-point offense.³

That 10-year window matters for more than just how your record looks. If you’re convicted of a second DUI within it, the courts treat the new case as a repeat offense with significantly steeper penalties. A DUI from eight years ago that feels like ancient history still counts as a prior.

Failure to Appear Is Its Own Mark

Skipping a court date after receiving a ticket doesn’t just leave the underlying violation open. The failure to appear goes on your record as its own entry, the DMV can suspend your driving privilege until you resolve it, and an FTA can be used as additional evidence of negligence if the DMV is weighing a suspension.¹⁴

Traffic School Doesn’t Shorten the Timeline, But It Hides the Point

You can’t get points removed early, but you can keep a one-point violation from reaching your insurer. Completing a DMV-licensed traffic school course prevents the point from showing up on the version of your driving record that insurance companies can access. The violation still appears on your official DMV record for the usual 39 months; insurers just can’t see it.⁵

To qualify, you need a valid non-commercial license, the ticket has to carry only one point, and you can’t have attended traffic school for another violation within the past 18 months (measured violation date to violation date).¹

Some tickets are automatically excluded: any violation involving alcohol or drugs, equipment violations like a broken taillight, speeding more than 25 mph over the limit, misdemeanors, and any ticket requiring a mandatory court appearance.⁵

The cost adds up. On top of the ticket fine, courts charge a state-mandated, non-refundable administrative fee of $52 to attend traffic school, plus an online processing surcharge if you pay that way, plus the course fee itself. A typical one-point ticket handled through traffic school often lands between $300 and $500 all in.

How Points Add Up: The NOTS Thresholds

Even though each point ages off eventually, what happens in the meantime depends on how many are on your record at once. The DMV’s Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS) tracks running totals and escalates through three levels.⁶

Level I warning letter: 2 points in 12 months, 4 in 24 months, or 6 in 36 months. The DMV also sends a warning when a major two-point conviction hits your record.
Level II notice of intent to suspend: 3 points in 12 months, 5 in 24 months, or 7 in 36 months.
Level III order of probation and suspension: 4 points in 12 months, 6 in 24 months, or 8 in 36 months. At this level, the DMV formally designates you a negligent operator and issues a one-year probation with a six-month suspension. The order takes effect 34 days from the date it’s mailed, which is your window to request a hearing.⁶

The rolling 12-, 24-, and 36-month windows are the reason the 39-month expiration matters. Once a one-point violation ages off, it stops counting toward the NOTS totals, and a driver who was one ticket away from a suspension can be back in the clear.

How to Check Your Current Point Total

You can pull your own California driving record through the DMV’s website for a $2 fee. The record includes convictions, collisions, and any departmental actions on file.⁷

A few practical notes before you start. Have your printer ready, because you only get one chance to print the record after paying — close the confirmation page and you’ll have to pay again. Credit and debit card payments include a 1.95% processing fee; paying directly from a bank account avoids it.⁷

If you’ve received a Level I or Level II NOTS letter, the $2 check is worth it. Knowing your current count tells you exactly how much room you have before the next threshold, and which of your existing points is closest to aging off.

1
California State Department of Motor Vehicles. California Driver Handbook – Section 7: Laws and Rules of the Road (Continued)
2
California State Department of Motor Vehicles. California Driver Handbook – Section 9: Alcohol and Drugs
3
State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver Negligence
4
State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Negligent Operator Treatment System Hearings
5
Judicial Branch of California. Traffic School – California Courts Self Help Guide
6
State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Negligent Operator Actions
7
California State Department of Motor Vehicles. Request Your Driver’s Record