Washington, DC Point System

Drivers who incur too many points could lose their license or privilege to drive in D.C.  The DC DMV may suspend your license or privilege to drive in D.C. if you accumulate 8 - 9 points. A suspension is considered mandatory if you accumulate 10 points. If you accumulate a total of 12 points the DC DMV can revoke your license or privilege to drive. Points last for two years. The DMV is required to delete points added to your record two years after the date of assessment. The DMV is also required to assign one (1) safe driving point annually at the beginning of the calendar year to the driving record of a driver who was not assessed points during the preceding twelve months, up to a maximum accumulation of five (5) points. Safe points expire after 5 years. 

For taxicab and limousine drivers the Department of For Hire Vehicles (DFHV) may suspend, revoke or not renew your D.C. hacker or limousine license if you accumulate 8 points. No points are assessed for hack or DCTC violations. However, a taxicab or limousine driver found liable for Aggressive driving, Offensive or profane language or gestures, Tailgating, Demanding pre-payment or a tip from passenger, Illegal driving maneuvers, Impeding passenger exit from the vehicle, Withholding a passenger’s luggage, Spitting on a passenger or pedestrian, Demanding that a passenger leave the vehicle in an unsafe manner or location or any willful act which endangers the health, or safety of the passenger or public may be subject to hacker or limousine license revocation, suspension or non-renewal. Also, the DFHV may suspend and propose to revoke a taxicab license based on evidence that the vehicle for hire driver has “committed a criminal offense in connection with the operation of a vehicle.”  

If you are found liable for a moving violation at the DMV by a hearing examiner or upon receipt of evidence of a conviction (the DMV considers a guilty plea a conviction - see below) for a traffic offense from a court, or if you pay a ticket you will be assessed points according to the chart below.  Remember, payment of a ticket is an admission of liability. As a consequence, you could also lose your standing to challenge the legality of a traffic stop in a pending criminal case. Points are assessed whenever you pay the ticket, regardless of when the alleged infraction occurred. Points are assessed on your driver record for both DC and non-DC (out of state) moving violations. Having points on your license could increase your insurance premiums.

The D.C. DMV may automatically revoke your license if you are found liable for: DUI, DWI, OWI (or if you are under 21 and operate a vehicle with any measurable amount of alcohol), Leaving the scene of a collision in which personal injury occurs (hit and run), Flee or attempt to elude a police officer, Aggravated reckless driving, Operate a vehicle on a suspended or revoked license, Use the driver license of another person, Receive conviction for an assault or homicide committed with an automobile, Commit a felony crime involving the use of a motor vehicle, Make a false affidavit or statement under any law relating to motor vehicles or Commit any violation while operating a vehicle without the permission of the owner.

If you are found liable for an offense requiring automatic revocation (such as DUI, DWI and OWI) you are precluded from requesting a limited occupational license. The DC DMV also does not issue limited occupational licenses to persons who have commercial licenses. Camera tickets do not carry points.  

The following moving violations are assigned points as follows: 

D.C. DMV POINT SYSTEMS SCHEDULE         18 DCMR 303.2 (2014) 

Operating a motor vehicle in violation of a permit restriction                                        4 points

Violations not listed in this schedule which did not contribute to an accident            2 points

Violations not listed in this section contributing to an accident                                    3 points

Speeding in excess of posted speed limit by 11 -15 miles an hour                                3 points

Speeding in excess of posted speed limit by 16 - 20 miles an hour                             4 points

Speeding in excess of posted speed limit by at least 21 miles an hour or more         5 points

Leaving after colliding: With property damage                                                               8 points

Leaving after colliding: With personal injury                                                                  12 points

Reckless driving                                                                                                                12 points

Operating after suspension or revocation                                                                      12 points

Using permit of another                                                                                                    12 points

DUI alcohol or drugs                                                                                                         12 points

Any felony involving use of a motor vehicle                                                                   12 points

Any misdemeanor involving use of a motor vehicle                                                       6 points

Failing to yield right-of-way to authorized emergency vehicle                                      6 points

Following another vehicle too closely                                                                              2 points

Operating a motor vehicle with an improper class of license                                        2 points

Failing to stop for a school bus or multi- purpose school vehicle

with warning lights or stop signal arm actuated                                                              4 points

Operating a motor vehicle on learner's permit

unaccompanied by licensed Operator                                                                             5 points

Turning off headlights of a vehicle to avoid identification by a police officer              8 points

Fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer                                                               12 points

Making a false affidavit or statement under oath, or

falsely certifying to the truth of any fact or information to the DMV                             12 points

Any violation committed while operating a vehicle

without the permission of the owner                                                                               12 points

Operating a motor vehicle with a permit expired less than 90 days                            2 points

Failing to stop and give right-of-way to a pedestrian                                                     3 points

Colliding with a pedestrian in the process of failing

to stop and give right-of-way                                                                                            6 points

Fail to comply with seatbelt law                                                                                       3 points

Distracted Driving leading to an accident                                                                       3 points

 Your license could be automatically revoked by the DMV if you are "convicted"* of:

• Leave the scene of a collision in which personal injury occurs (hit and run)

• Flee or attempt to elude a police officer

• Aggravated reckless driving

• Operate a vehicle after your driver license has been suspended or revoked

• Use the driver license of another person

• Commit assault or homicide with an automobile

• DUI Alcohol or Drugs

• DUI under 21 years old

• Commit a felony crime involving the use of a motor vehicle

• Make a false affidavit or statement under any law relating to motor vehicles

• Commit any violation while operating a vehicle without the permission of the owner

* Unfortunately, even if an offender has not been sentenced, D.C. regulations define a "conviction" as "a plea of guilty, or a finding of guilt shall be equivalent to a conviction, regardless of whether the penalty is rebated, suspended, or probated."

Also, although juveniles are not criminally adjudicated in juvenile court, a juvenile found guilty ("found to be involved") of any of the above mentioned offenses is also subject to license revocation.