When it comes to your driver's license, getting points isn't a good thing. The more points you have as a driver, the worse you're doing. It takes some time and effort to knock points off of your NC driver's license, but it's well worth it. You'll save money on insurance premiums and lower the likelihood of a suspension. If you do get points on your license, learn how to remove them with this handy guide.
Steps to Get Points off Your North Carolina Driver's License
If you have at least four points (on the eight-point scale) or seven points (on the 12-point scale) on your license, you may be eligible to attend a driver improvement clinic to remove some points. You can attend one of these every five years. Follow these steps to start the removal process.
1. Schedule a Hearing
If you qualify for a driver improvement clinic, the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) will send you a letter in the mail. If you receive one, the first step in getting points off of your license is by scheduling an eligibility hearing. You can request a hearing online, by mail, or in person. There is a $40 driver improvement clinic eligibility fee. The NCDMV will notify you of your hearing date within 30 days.
2. Attend the Hearing
The hearing is an informal proceeding that takes place in front of an administrative hearing officer. They'll listen to the evidence you provide and determine whether or not you meet the requirements to have three points deducted from your driving record.
If you meet the requirements, you have to take a driver improvement clinic. If you wish to take an online driving course instead of the state-sponsored in-person one, you must get permission from the officer at your hearing.
3. Complete the Clinic
Whether you opt for an online or in-person course, you need to successfully finish it. The in-person clinic run by the NCDMV costs $70 to attend. Online course options like those available onIDriveSafely.com are cheaper. Depending on the severity of your infractions, you'll need to complete either a 4-hour or 8-hour defensive driving course.
4. Submit Your Certificate
Upon completion of the required course, you'll receive a Certificate of Completion. You need to submit this to the NCDMV so they can remove your points. You can log in to the MyDMV page to check the status of your points.
How Do Driver's License Points Work in North Carolina?
The NCDMV has assigned a point value to every type of driving infraction. You accumulate these if you keep committing infractions. Your driver's license becomes suspended if you accumulate more than 12 points within a three-year period. Points range from zero to six. Here are some examples:
Non-moving violations — 0 Points
Littering from vehicle — 1 Point
Minor speeding violation — 2 Points
Stop sign violation — 3 Points
Illegal passing — 4 Points
Passing a stopped school bus — 5 Points
Aggressive driving (commercial license) — 6 Points
The Downsides of Having Points on Your License
There are terrible consequences of having points on your driver's license. If you don't keep your driving under control, you're in for the following:
Suspension of your driver's license
If you start to get points on your license, you should definitely look into having them removed before any of these consequences come into play.
Avoid the Points and Keep Your License
Now that you know what can happen if you get too many points on your license, you should know how to avoid them. One of the best ways to learn safe driving techniques is by taking a defensive driving course at IDriveSafely.com. You'll learn to be a smarter driver through our courses, which you can take entirely online.
Updated 2/6/23
