Penalty Points
If you acquire 12 points in a 3-year period then you become liable for disqualification under the "totting-up" procedure; this will be a minimum 6-month period. Disqualification can be avoided if the court can be persuaded that you'll suffer "exceptional hardship". Please note that losing your job is not necessarily considered to be exceptional hardship!
Penalty points count toward totting-up for 3 years, but they are not actually removed from your driving licence for another year, so they stay on your licence for 4 years. The date that counts for the purpose of totting-up is the date of the offence, not the date that the points were actually put on to your licence.
Penalty points can be ordered for various offences, and the totting-up procedure applies regardless of the offence; see below:
Maximum Fines at Present Levels
|
Level |
Maximum fine |
|
Level 1 |
£200 |
|
Level 2 |
£500 |
|
Level 3 |
£1,000 |
|
Level 4 |
£2,500 |
|
Level 5 |
£5,000 |
|
Offence |
Penalty |
Maximum Penalty |
|
SPEEDING |
||
|
Exceeding speed limit |
3 - 6 |
Level 3 E |
|
RTA SECTION 172 |
||
|
Failing to provide satisfactory response |
6 (from 24-Sep-07)
|
Level 3 E |
|
ACCIDENT |
||
|
Failing to stop |
5 - 10 |
Level 5 E and/or 6 months prison |
|
Failing to report to the Police |
5 - 10 |
Level 5 E and/or 6 months prison |
|
ALCOHOL |
||
|
Driving with excess alcohol |
3 - 11 |
Level 5 D and/or 6 months prison |
|
Refusing specimen (driving) |
3 - 11 |
Level 5 D and/or 6 months prison |
|
In charge drunk or excess alcohol |
10 |
Level 4 E and/or 3 months prison |
|
Refusing roadside breath test |
4 |
Level 3 E |
|
DEFECTS |
||
|
Brakes |
3 |
Level 4 E, but for goods vehicles Level 5 E |
|
DISQUALIFIED |
||
|
Driving Whilst disqualified by court order |
6 |
Level 5 E and/or 6 months prison |
|
DOCUMENTS |
||
|
Failing to produce |
- |
Level 3 |
|
DOUBLE WHITE LINES |
||
|
Failure to comply with system |
3 |
Level 3 E |
|
DRIVING |
||
|
Dangerous |
3 - 11 |
Level 5 D and/or 6 months prison |
|
Careless or inconsiderate |
3 - 9 |
Level 5 E |
|
INSURANCE |
||
|
Insurance |
6 - 8 |
Level 5 E |
|
LICENCE OFFENCES AND LEARNER DRIVERS |
||
|
Driving not in accordance with a licence |
3 - 6 |
Level 3; in some cases E |
|
LIGHTS |
||
|
Driving without lights |
- |
Level 3 |
|
TAKEN VEHICLES |
||
|
Aggravated vehicle taking |
3 - 11 |
Level 5 must disqualify at least 12 months and/or 6 months prison |
|
Taking vehicle without consent |
3 - 11 |
Level 5 may disqualify only and/or 6 months prison |
|
Carried in vehicle |
3 - 11 |
Level 5 may disqualify and/or 6 months prison |
|
TEST CERTIFICATE |
||
|
No test certificate |
- |
Level 3, but for goods vehicles and vehicles adapted to carry more than 8 passengers Level 4 |
|
TRAFFIC LIGHTS |
||
|
Failing to comply with |
3 |
Level 3 E |
- D Must disqualify at least 12 months (unless special reasons) and endorse
- E Must endorse (unless special reasons) and may disqualify
Information
Page updated: 22 Sep 2007
