What are penalty points and how quickly they can land you a driving ban?

When you commit a motoring offence on the roads, courts can fine you and endorse your driving record with penalty points. 

Penalty points are put on your driving record and remain there for between four and 11 years, depending on the severity of the offence. 

Building up too many points can see you lose you licence. 

Drivers can be disqualified if they collect 12 penalty points over a period of three years. 

There are, however, different rules for new drivers. 

Motorists who have held their licence for two years or less must only collect six penalty points to see it revoked. 

This means one solitary offence for using your phone while driving could see you receive an instant ban. 

Penalty points can be issued in frequency between one and 11 - with one being for minor offences and 11 for the most serious. 

Acquiring penalty points can not only accumulate over time and see you lose your licence but they can also affect your insurance.

Car insurance premiums can often increase if the driver has penalty points.

Here are a number different offences and the penalty point endorsements they carry:

Disqualified driver

Codes BA10 and BA30 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

BA10: Driving while disqualified by order of court - 6 points

BA30: Attempting to drive while disqualified by order of court - 6 points

Codes BA40 and BA60 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the conviction.

BA40: Causing death by driving while disqualified - 3 to 11 points

BA60: Causing serious injury by driving while disqualified - 3 to 11 points

Careless driving

Codes CD10 to CD30 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

CD10: Driving without due care and attention - 3 to 9 points

CD20: Driving without reasonable consideration for other road users - 3 to 9 points

CD30: Driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users - 3 to 9 points

Drink

Codes DR10 to DR61 must stay on a driving record for 11 years from the date of the conviction.

DR10: Driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit - 3 to 11 points

DR20:Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink - 3 to 11 points

DR30:Driving or attempting to drive then failing to supply a specimen for analysis - 3 to 11 points

DR31:Driving or attempting to drive then refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity - 3 to 11 points

DR61: Refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity in circumstances other than driving or attempting to drive - 10 points

Insurance offences

Code IN10 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

IN10: Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks - 6 to 8 points

Licence offences

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

LC20: Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence - 3 to 6 points

LC30: Driving after making a false declaration about fitness when applying for a licence - 3 to 6 points

LC40: Driving a vehicle having failed to notify a disability - 3 to 6 points

LC50: Driving after a licence has been cancelled (revoked) or refused on medical grounds - 3 to 6 points

Speed limits

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

SP10: Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits - 3 to 6 points

SP20: Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle (excluding goods or passenger vehicles) - 3 to 6 points

SP30: Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road - 3 to 6 points

SP40:Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit -3 to 6 points

SP50: Exceeding speed limit on a motorway - 3 to 6 points

To view a full list of penalty point endorsements then visit the DVLA website here.