How to Check Points on My Driving Licence Online: UK Penalty Points Guide

Check My Driving Licence Points: Using the GOV.UK Service

You can check points on your driving licence for free using the official DVLA service on GOV.UK. The quickest route is to go to gov.uk/view-driving-licence, where you can view your driving record, including any endorsements and penalty points, in a matter of minutes. There is no charge, and you do not need to ring anyone or wait for a letter.

To use the service, you need three pieces of information:

• Your driving licence number
• Your National Insurance number
• The postcode currently held on your driving licence

All three must match what the DVLA holds on record. If you have recently moved house and not updated your licence, the postcode check will fail, so it is worth updating your address first. Once you are in, you can see your current points, the offence codes attached to them, and the dates they were added.

There is also a second route. If you have a driver and vehicles account, you can access your driving record through gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account. This account lets you manage your licence and your vehicle details in one place, and it is useful if you want to check your record regularly rather than as a one-off.

Many people search for "check my driving licence points" or "view driving licence points" and end up on unofficial websites that charge a fee or ask for unnecessary personal data. There is no need for this. The DVLA check points on driving licence service is free, official, and takes only a few minutes. If you simply want to check how many points on driving licence records show for you, GOV.UK is the only place you need.

How Many Points Do You Have on Your Licence?

Penalty points are added to your driving record when you are convicted of a motoring offence. In most cases this happens through the courts, although some offences can be dealt with by a fixed penalty notice. The official legal term for what appears on your record is an "endorsement" — penalty points is simply the everyday name for the same thing. Both terms are used on GOV.UK, so do not be confused if you see "driving licence endorsements check" mentioned rather than points.

If you want to know how many points on my licence are showing, the GOV.UK service is the definitive answer. It shows every endorsement, the offence code, the number of points, and the date of conviction. Common examples include:

• SP30 — exceeding the statutory speed limit on a public road: typically 3 points
• IN10 — using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks: typically 6 to 8 points
• CU80 — using a hand-held mobile phone while driving: typically 3 points
• TS10 — failing to comply with traffic light signals: typically 3 points

These are common examples rather than a complete list. The number of points attached to an offence depends on the circumstances and, in many cases, on the decision of the court. Some offences carry a range rather than a fixed figure. If you want to check my driving convictions in full, the GOV.UK record will show every endorsement currently active on your licence.

How Long Do Points Stay on Your Licence?

This is one of the most common questions about penalty points driving licence records, and the answer depends on the offence. According to GOV.UK, endorsements must stay on your driving record for either 4 years or 11 years, depending on what you were convicted of.

Four years applies to most standard motoring offences. Speeding, careless driving, and driving without insurance typically fall into this category. The points remain visible on your record for the full four-year period, even though they stop counting towards a totting up disqualification after three years.

Eleven years applies to more serious offences, including drink driving and dangerous driving. These endorsements stay on your record far longer, which can affect insurance premiums and certain types of employment for over a decade.

It is important to understand the difference between points expiring and points being removed. When people ask "how long do points stay on licence" or "how long do penalty points last", they often mean when the points stop counting. The points stop counting towards a ban after three years, but the endorsement itself stays visible on your record for the full 4 or 11-year period. You cannot have points removed early, and there is no process for paying to have them taken off.

Penalty Points for New Drivers: The 6-Point Rule

New drivers are subject to a stricter regime. If you get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing your test, your licence will be cancelled (revoked) by the DVLA. This is not a discretionary matter — it happens automatically once the DVLA is notified.

When your licence is revoked, you must:

• Apply for a new provisional licence
• Pass the theory test again
• Pass the practical test again

You cannot simply pay a fine and carry on driving. Until you have passed both tests again, you are back to provisional status and must follow provisional licence rules, including displaying L plates and being supervised by a qualified driver.

There is another point that catches many new drivers out. Any penalty points on your provisional licence that have not expired are carried over to your full licence when you pass your test. So if you picked up points while learning to drive, those points count towards the 6-point threshold from day one of holding a full licence. This is why the "6 points on licence new driver" rule can be triggered sooner than people expect.

What Happens When You Reach 12 Points?

If you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of 3 years, you can be disqualified from driving. This is known as "totting up". The court will consider your record and, if the threshold is met, impose a disqualification.

For a first totting up disqualification, the minimum period is 6 months. The court has the power to impose a longer ban depending on the circumstances. If you are disqualified, you must not drive until the ban ends, and you may need to apply for a new licence afterwards.

There is a legal argument known as "exceptional hardship" which can be used to avoid a totting up ban in some cases. This is a complex area of law and the threshold is high — the hardship must affect more than just you. If you are facing a totting up disqualification, it is strongly advisable to seek advice from a solicitor who specialises in motoring law. This guide cannot give legal advice, and the outcome of any case depends on the specific facts.

If you want to check if you have points on driving licence records that you were not aware of, the GOV.UK service will show everything. It is worth checking periodically, particularly if you have moved address or changed vehicles, as correspondence can go astray. Keeping an eye on your uk driving licence points record helps you avoid surprises.

How to Share Your Driving Licence Points with an Employer

Employers, car hire companies, and some insurers may ask to see your driving record. You do not have to hand over your licence or your personal details. Instead, you can generate a "check code" through the GOV.UK service at gov.uk/view-driving-licence.

The check code works as follows:

• It is valid for 21 days
• It can only be used once
• It allows the other person to view your record without accessing your personal data

This is the correct way to handle a "check driving licence share code" request. If an employer asks you to check someone's driving licence points on their behalf, they must have that person's permission. It is a criminal offence to obtain someone else's driving licence information without their permission. This applies to employers, recruitment agencies, and anyone else.

If you are in Northern Ireland, the process is different. Endorsement codes and processes are handled by the DVA rather than the DVLA. The GOV.UK view driving licence service covers England, Scotland, and Wales. If you hold a Northern Ireland licence, you should use the DVA's own services.

For other vehicle-related tasks, you may find our guides on how to check if your car is taxed, our free car check, and our road tax cost guide useful. If you are taking a car off the road, see what SORN means, and if you have sold a vehicle, read our guide on how to notify DVLA when you sell your car. You can also renew your vehicle tax and contact the DVLA if you need to speak to someone directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check points on my driving licence for free?

Go to gov.uk/view-driving-licence and enter your driving licence number, National Insurance number, and the postcode on your licence. The service is free and shows your full record, including endorsements and points.

What do I need to check my driving licence points online?

You need three things: your driving licence number, your National Insurance number, and the postcode currently held on your driving licence. All three must match the DVLA's records.

How long do penalty points stay on your licence UK?

Endorsements stay on your record for 4 years for most standard offences, or 11 years for more serious offences such as drink driving and dangerous driving. GOV.UK confirms these periods.

How many points before you lose your licence?

You can be disqualified if you build up 12 or more points within 3 years. This is called totting up. A first totting up ban is a minimum of 6 months.

What happens to new drivers with 6 points?

If you get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing your test, your licence is revoked. You must apply for a new provisional licence and pass both the theory and practical tests again.

Can someone else check my driving licence points?

Only with your permission. You can generate a check code via GOV.UK that is valid for 21 days and can be used once. It is a criminal offence to obtain someone else's driving licence information without their permission.

What are driving licence endorsements?

Endorsements is the official legal term for penalty points and convictions recorded on your driving licence. Penalty points is the common everyday name for the same thing.

Do penalty points from a provisional licence carry over?

Yes. Any points on your provisional licence that have not expired are carried over to your full licence when you pass your test. They count towards the 6-point new driver threshold.