Many drivers who receive a speeding ticket or other moving violation in Georgia ask the same question:
“How long will these points stay on my record?”
The answer depends on both Georgia law and the rules in your home state. Every state has its own point system (or none at all), with varying rules about when points expire and how violations are recorded.
Key Takeaways
-
Georgia Points Duration: 2 years from the date they are added.
-
GA Suspension Rule: 15+ points in 24 months for drivers over 21.
-
Permanent Record: Violations may never fully “fall off” in Georgia. The points do but the violation itself may not.
-
State Variability: Some states keep points 1 year, others up to 6 years, or have no system at all.
-
Insurance Effects: Points and/or history can impact rates.
-
Out-of-State Drivers: Your home state’s rules determine your points from a Georgia ticket.
Georgia’s Point System
In Georgia, traffic violation points remain on your record for two years from the date they are added. This operates on a rolling basis—older points drop off once they pass the two-year mark.
For drivers over 21, Georgia law states:
-
License suspension occurs if you accumulate 15 or more points within a 24-month period.
For drivers under 21 and CDL holders, the rules are stricter, and certain violations can cause immediate suspension.
Out-of-State Drivers with Georgia Tickets
If you hold a driver’s license from another state and receive a ticket in Georgia:
-
Georgia will report your violation to your home state.
-
Your home state will apply its own point rules, which may be harsher or more lenient.
-
Always confirm with your DMV or DDS to understand the specific impact
Important Note on Georgia Records
Even though points eventually expire, the violation itself never disappears from your Georgia driving history. Once recorded, it’s permanent—unless a traffic attorney successfully reopens and reduces or dismisses the case. Older tickets are less likely to be reopened.
Insurance companies may:
-
-
Only look at points.
-
Only look at your history.
-
Or look at both when deciding on your rates.
-
State by State Guide: How Long Points Stay on Your Driving Record
The list below shows how long each state keeps points on your driving record before they drop off, always check with your state to confirm the information is indeed still correct as laws change.
- Alabama: Two years
- Alaska: Two points are taken off for every year of violation-free driving.
- Arizona: Three years.
- Arkansas: Three years.
- California: Three years.
- Colorado: Two years.
- Connecticut: Two years.
- Delaware: Two years.
- Florida: Three years.
- Georgia: Two years.
- Hawaii: Has no point system.
- Idaho: Three years.
- Illinois: Has no point system.
- Indiana: Two years.
- Iowa: Has no point system.
- Kansas: Has no point system.
- Kentucky: Two years.
- Louisiana: Has no point system.
- Maine: One year.
- Maryland: Three years.
- Massachusetts: Six years.
- Michigan: Two Years.
- Minnesota: Has no point system.
- Mississippi: No point system.
- Missouri: Eighteen months.
- Montana: Three years.
- Nebraska: Two years.
- Nevada: One year.
- New Hampshire: Three years.
- New Jersey: Three points deducted for every year of violation- free driving.
- New Mexico: One year.
- New York: 18 months.
- North Carolina: Three years.
- North Dakota: Three years; however, one point is deducted for each three-month period of violation-free driving.
- Ohio: Three years.
- Oklahoma: Points reduced to zero if you drive three-consecutive years without a violation.
- Oregon: No point system.
- Pennsylvania: Every 12 months of violation-free driving get you 3 points off.
- Rhode Island: Has no official point system.
- South Dakota: Points do start to fall off after 12 months but it is complicated, contact the South Dakota DMV for more information.
- Tennessee: Two years.
- Texas: Three years.
- Utah: Two years, if you maintain a clean driving record.
- Vermont: Two years.
- Virginia: Two years
- Washington: Has no point system.
- Washington D.C.: Two years.
- West Virginia: Two years.
- Wisconsin: Five years.
- Wyoming: Has no point system.
Does The Violation and the Points Go Away In Georgia?
Be forewarned that though points may recycle over a period of time, a violation on your driving record DOES NOT go away, get “wiped clean”, or roll-off in the state of Georgia. Once it’s paid and recorded, it stays on your record. You can hire a Georgia traffic lawyer to file a motion to open for some tickets, however the older the ticket is, the less likely the judge is to re-open the ticket. Some insurance companies look at specifically points on a driver’s record, others look at the history and there are those that look at BOTH the points and the history when a policy is up for renewal.
We can work to get your ticket reduced if you received the ticket in Georgia and your license was issued in ANY state across the US. If you have questions regarding a ticket you received in Georgia and the points you would receive if your your license is from a different state, you would need to contact a traffic ticket attorney or the DMV in the state where you received your license.
Summary
Georgia keeps traffic violation points for two years on a rolling basis, but the violation itself remains on your record forever. Each state has its own rules, and out-of-state tickets can affect your license back home. If you receive a ticket in Georgia, especially as an out-of-state driver or CDL holder, speak with traffic attorney Scott Fortas and his team. We understand Georgia’s traffic laws and can potentially reduce or remove points before they hit your driving record.
