Points And Suspension
G.S. 20-16 — 12 points in three years, or eight in the three years after reinstatement
Points are separate from the fine. A license is lost to points by accumulation over a period, rather than by any one ticket.
Twelve points. The Division may suspend the license of a driver who has accumulated 12 or more points within a three-year period, or eight or more points in the three-year period immediately after reinstatement of a license suspended or revoked for traffic convictions.
- Two or more convictions within 12 months of speeding over 55 and not more than 80 miles per hour, or one such speeding conviction together with reckless or aggressive driving.
- Speeding over 75 miles per hour where the limit is less than 70.
- Speeding over 80 miles per hour where the limit is 70.
Those are among the other grounds on which the Division may suspend without points.
Insurance surcharges, commercial license rules, suspensions for a single serious offense such as impaired driving, and reinstatement fees are set elsewhere and are not on this page. Counting the points on a particular record is a question for the state's licensing agency or a licensed North Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.S. 20-16 — Authority of Division to suspend license
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed North Carolina attorney.