Missouri’s point system decides when you lose your license.
Every moving-violation conviction adds points to your driving record. Enough points in a short time leads to a suspension or a one-year revocation. Points are only assessed after a conviction, which is why keeping a ticket from becoming a conviction matters so much.
Points for common tickets
| Violation | State charge | City or county charge |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding, 1 to 5 mph over | 0 | Often 0 (depends on the city or county ordinance) |
| Speeding, 6 mph or more over | 3 | 2 |
| Careless and imprudent driving | 4 | 2 |
| Most other moving violations (red light, stop sign, improper lane change) | 2 | 2 (1 for a city stop-sign ticket with no accident) |
| No insurance | 4 | 4 |
| Leaving the scene of an accident | 12 | 6 |
| Driving while suspended or revoked | 12 | 12 |
| First DWI | 8 | 8 |
Add 2 more points if the court finds the violation caused injury or property damage.
When you lose your license
| Points on your record | What happens |
|---|---|
| 4 points in 12 months | Warning letter from the Department of Revenue |
| 8 points in 18 months | Suspension: 30 days (first), 60 days (second), 90 days (third or more) |
| 12 in 12 months, 18 in 24 months, or 24 in 36 months | One-year revocation |
After a point suspension or revocation, you will usually need to file an SR-22 proof of insurance for two years. See our license reinstatement guide.
How points come off
Points drop automatically if you drive without a new moving-violation conviction:
- After 1 year: your total is reduced by one-third
- After 2 years: the remaining points are reduced by one-half
- After 3 years: the remaining points are removed
When your license is reinstated after a point suspension or revocation, your total is reset to 4 points. The conviction itself can stay on your driving record after the points are gone, and insurers can still see it.
Keeping points off in the first place
The best way to protect your license is to keep the ticket from becoming a conviction. In most cases, we can negotiate a moving violation down to a no-point violation. For some tickets, a court may also allow a driver-improvement course instead of points, once every 36 months. That option isn’t available to commercial drivers.
Points FAQ
How do I find out how many points I have?
You can request your driving record from the Missouri Department of Revenue. We check it for every client before we negotiate.
Do out-of-state tickets add points in Missouri?
Generally, yes. Missouri receives convictions from other states and can assess points for them.
I’m close to a suspension. What should I do?
Don’t pay your next ticket without talking to a lawyer. One more conviction can be the one that triggers the suspension.
Source: Missouri Department of Revenue, Tickets and Points FAQs.
Talk to a St. Louis traffic lawyer
Send us a photo of your ticket and we’ll tell you what we can do, free. Call or text (314) 526-3779 or contact us online. See all the tickets we handle on our St. Louis traffic ticket lawyer page.
