DMV Point System in Illinois

Unlike most other pursuits in life, when it comes to driving, earning points has nothing to do with winning. In fact, it's just the opposite.

Keep on reading to find out more about the Illinois point system and what you can expect when you rack up too many driving points.

Illinois Point System Basics

When you get written up for a traffic violation in Illinois, you're not just receiving a citation.

Each time you're convicted of a moving offense in Illinois, or you pay your traffic ticket, a certain number of points are added to your IL driving record. How many points depends on the violation's severity.

Start getting pulled over enough, and you'll see consequences.

If you commit 3 violations or more over 12 months, your license will either be:

• Suspended.
  OR
• Revoked.

If you're younger than 21 years old, you'll be lose your license for committing 2 violations or more over 24 months.

The IL Secretary of State (SOS) will determine the exact penalty based on the total number of points you've collected. For more specific information, contact your local SOS office.

And remember: Points on your record could mess with more than your ability to drive. Too many could cause serious damage to your auto insurance rate.

NOTE: Additional penalties may be levied against drivers holding an Illinois commercial driver's license.

IL Point System Schedule

The amount of points a ticket is worth in Illinois runs the gamut—but the state awards higher points for more severe violations, while giving out less points for citations that aren't as serious.

Below are some of the most common moving violations in IL and their correlating number of points:

• Driving:
  • With a non-working head, side, or tail light—10 points.
  • Under the minimum speed limit—5 points.
  • Over the posted limit by:
    • 1 to 10 MPH—5 points.
    • 11 to 14 MPH—15 points.
    • 15 to 25 MPH—20 points.
    • More than 25 MPH—50 points.
• Disregard traffic control device—20 points.
• Reckless driving—55 points.

If you don't see your exact offense above, check out the extensive list of moving violations provided by the Illinois 4 to 5 years or look on your specific traffic ticket for more information.

Reducing Traffic Ticket Points

They say time heals all wounds—and that includes the damage any traffic ticket points have inflicted on your Illinois driving record.

Points will remain on your IL driving record for:

• 4 to 5 years, for lesser violations, such as:
  • Speeding.
  • Not obeying a traffic light.
  • Improper passing/lane usage.
• A minimum of 7 years for tickets that cause a license suspension/revocation.

It may NOT be possible to proactively remove points from your Illinois driver record, however the state may dismiss your traffic ticket if you successfully pass a defensive driving course.

Contact your local IL Secretary of State office for more information on how defensive driving courses work or how long the specific points you've acquired will remain on your record.