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Too Many Points On Your License?

Every moving violation conviction in New York adds a set number of points to your driving record, and those points are calculated from the date of the offense — not the date of conviction. That means even a ticket you are still fighting in court can already be counting against you on the calendar. Under rules that took effect on February 16, 2026, the suspension threshold dropped from 11 points in 18 months to 10 points within a 24-month window. Points now follow you for a longer period, and the margin for error is smaller than ever.

Point values vary based on how serious the offense is. Failing to obey a traffic control device or leaving the scene of a property damage accident carries 3 points. Cell phone use while driving carries 5 points, and reckless driving now carries 8 points — up from 5 under the old rules. Speeding more than 40 miles per hour over the posted limit carries 11 points on its own, which is enough to trigger a suspension hearing from a single ticket. Speeding in a construction zone now carries 8 points regardless of how fast you were going, which is another major change from prior law.

Once you reach 6 or more points within an 18-month period, the DMV also automatically initiates a Driver Responsibility Assessment — an additional financial penalty paid directly to the state on top of whatever the court orders. This penalty runs for three years and has nothing to do with the fine on your ticket.

What a Long Island Traffic Attorney Can Do for You

The best time to call an attorney is before you plead guilty. Paying a ticket is the same as pleading guilty, and once that conviction is entered the points go on your record and they stay there for the full 24-month window. Many drivers pay tickets without understanding that they are locking in consequences that could affect their insurance rates, their license status, and their finances for two full years.

An experienced traffic attorney can review the evidence against you and determine whether the case can be dismissed outright or taken to trial for a not guilty verdict. When the evidence is strong and dismissal is unlikely, a skilled attorney can often negotiate the charge down to a lesser offense that carries fewer points — protecting your license and limiting the DMV consequences. In appropriate cases, it may also be possible to arrange for a driver safety course that can reduce the impact of points on your record.

The attorneys at Sharifov & Associates, PLLC are highly experienced in handling traffic offenses throughout Nassau County, Suffolk County, and the greater New York area. If you have received a traffic ticket in New York, do not pay it before speaking with an attorney. The consequences of that conviction may be far greater than the fine on the ticket suggests.

 

If you have been given a ticket for a traffic violation, contact a Long Island traffic lawyer at Sharifov & Associates, PLLC for more information about how you can avoid facing serious consequences such as fines, jail time and license suspension.