How Many Points Are Required to Suspend an Ohio License?
In Ohio, accumulating 12 or more points on your license within a 2-year period will result in license suspension.
Written by Sarah Gray
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Ohio
courts assign license points as punishment for traffic violations like speeding, reckless driving, and DUIs. Accumulation of 12 points on your Ohio license during a 2-year period will result in a 6-month license suspension—and the potential for other fees and driving-remediation requirements.Ohio drivers may have points assigned to their driving record for a number of reasons. Not all traffic violations result in the same number of points, and some don’t result in any at all. But one thing is certain—getting 12 or more points on your Ohio driver’s license within a 2-year period can result in a loss of driving privileges and massive increases in your
car insurance
premiums.How many points can you have on your Ohio license before it’s suspended?
Ohio drivers who accumulate 12 or more points on their license within a 2-year period face an automatic 6-month license suspension. To keep you informed of your points status and to inform you of the multiple steps required to reinstate your license after suspension, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) sends the following to drivers:
6-point warning letter
If you accumulate 6 points on your license within a two-year period, the Ohio BMV will send you a letter listing your violations and the points you’ve accrued for each. The BMV mails the letter to the address on file for the driver, so if you don’t keep your address up-to-date you won’t receive your warning.
12-point suspension letter
If you accrue 12 or more points in a two-year period, your license will be suspended, and you will receive a letter to that effect. The letter will not only list your violations and the points value for each but also the steps required to reinstate your license after the six-month suspension. Reinstatement requirements include:
- Completion of a remedial driving course
- Filing anSR-22
- Paying a reinstatement fee
- Retaking the full Ohio driver's license exam
How the Ohio point system works
Committing traffic violations in Ohio results in traffic tickets. Most tickets will require you to appear in court, and if you’re found guilty of the violation you’re ticketed for, you could see points accrue on your driving record—not to mention fines.
The number of points you’ll accrue for each traffic violation depends on the severity of the violation and whether others were injured or had the potential to be injured by your actions. Take a look at some of the most common citations and their corresponding points values below:
Violation | Points applied |
|---|---|
Driving on a license suspended for nonpayment of child support or court fees, or that has not been properly reinstated after a suspension period | 2 points |
Driving despite a restriction | 2 points |
Driving 5 to 10 mph over the posted speed limit | 2 points |
Driving 30 mph or more over the posted speed limit | 4 points |
Reckless Driving | 4 points |
Driving with a BAC that exceeds the legal limit (under 21 years of age) | 4 points |
Commission of a felony involving a motor vehicle | 6 points |
Operating a vehicle without owner’s consent | 6 points |
Driving with a BAC that exceeds the legal limit (21 and over) | 6 points |
Driving on a license suspended for OVI or accumulation of 12 points for traffic violations | 6 points |
Street racing | 6 points |
Leaving the scene of an accident | 6 points |
Fleeing or eluding law enforcement | 6 points |
Vehicular assault or manslaughter | 6 points |
How to reduce points on your license in Ohio
Of course, the best way to reduce points on your license is to avoid accumulating them in the first place. However, if you’ve already gotten some points on your license there are a few things you can do in Ohio to reduce them.
- Drive safely and without citations for a period of two years. Points and violations stay on your record forever in Ohio, but after two years, they will no longer be counted toward potential suspension.
- Successfully complete a remedial driving instruction course. The only way to actually see points removed from or “credited” on your record is to take an Ohio BMV-approveddriver-safety or remedial driving course. Each time you complete the course, you’ll earn a 2-point credit. The course may be taken once every 3 years, and up to 5 times in a lifetime.
Key Takeaway Points never disappear from your Ohio driving record, but they only count toward possible suspension for two years.
FAQs
Will my car insurance rates increase if I have points on my license?
Unfortunately, yes. Points are accrued due to unsafe driving practices, and unsafe driving means the potential for insurance claims. To offset the potential cost of paying for damages associated with these claims, your insurance provider will likely increase your premiums.
How long do points stay on my license in Ohio?
Points stay on your record indefinitely in Ohio, but completing BMV-approved driver safety courses can accumulate up to 10 points in credit over a lifetime to offset potential suspension and help decrease insurance rates.
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