How many points for your license to get suspended in Maryland?

How Long Do Points Stay On Your License in Maryland?

Traffic ticket


How many points for your license to get suspended in Maryland

If you paid a ticket without going to court, or were found guilty after you appeared in court, you probably received points on your driving record. These points can make everyday activities, such as getting to school or work, difficult or even impossible. In this article, we will explain the rationale behind the point system, the consequences associated with points, and how long you can expect to deal with those points on driving record in Maryland.

What Is The Point System?

Driving record points are a methodology that the Motor Vehicle Administration uses to monitor how safe of a driver you are. In theory, a person with points on their license is a worse driver than someone who does not have any points. If you receive one point on your license, you can expect your car insurance to increase.

How many points for your license to get suspended in Maryland? Receiving several points will most likely increase your insurance payments dramatically. Once you receive 8-12 points, you are in danger of having your license suspended or revoked entirely. Also, if you drive a vehicle for work, such as a CDL or taxicab, accruing any amount of points can result in termination from your job.

Can I Avoid Getting Points?

It is possible to avoid getting points on driving record in Maryland. Do not pay a ticket before going to court without consulting an attorney. If you do, any points associated with the ticket will be automatically points added to your driving record. Your traffic tickets will not indicate if there are points associated with them. The best you can do is to assume that all tickets do have points associated with them and contact an attorney to find out the truth.

The only way to avoid getting points is to to appear in court for your traffic ticket. You should have an attorney with you who will know how to evaluate the evidence and proceed with a trial if necessary.

If you feel like you need some legal help, contact our Traffic Law attorney to schedule a free case evaluation today.

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How Long Do Points Stay On Driving Record In Maryland?

Obviously, you want to avoid getting points on your license if at all possible. But if you’ve already received points, you are probably wondering how long they will stick around. Maryland law dictates that points stay on your record for two years after the date of the traffic violation.

How does this work? Imagine that you paid a speeding ticket on January 15, 2017. On that date, you would immediately receive those points for speeding on your driving record. They would not come off your driving record until January 15, 2019.  

If you then paid a new speeding ticket on February 1, 2018, you would then have the combined amount of points for both speeding convictions. But, you would only have that combined amount until January 15, 2019, when your points for the first speeding infraction would expire. That would leave you with only the points for the second speeding infraction, until they expired on February 1, 2020. As you can see, going to court to fight your traffic tickets can be a very worthwhile decision.

Contact Us

An attorney can explain these laws more fully and advocate for you in traffic court, which may help to reduce or eliminate your fines. Whatever you do, don’t just pay the ticket without seeking legal counsel. Points on driving record in Maryland can have a huge impact on your quality of life, so don’t take that chance. Contact the experienced traffic attorneys at Zirkin and Schmerling Law for a free consultation at 410-753-4611.