Understand what happens when penalty points are added to your Northern Ireland driving record, how long endorsements remain, when drivers can be disqualified and the special rules that apply to newly qualified drivers.
Motoring offences can result in penalty points, a fine, disqualification or a combination of penalties.
Each endorsable offence has an offence code and a fixed number or range of points. The seriousness of the offence determines the potential penalty.
Three years is important for the totting-up calculation, but an endorsement can remain on your driving record for four or 11 years depending on the offence.
Choose a topic to understand the rules that apply in Northern Ireland.
How to find the endorsements currently recorded against your NI licence.
Understand the four-year and 11-year endorsement periods.
What happens if you reach six points during your first two years.
When accumulated points can lead to a driving disqualification.
How speeding offences can be dealt with in Northern Ireland.
Current points and penalties for illegal hand-held phone use.
Understand the potential points, fines and other consequences.
How the two offences differ and the penalties that can follow.
Short bans, longer disqualifications and when another test is required.
Endorsable and non-endorsable fixed penalties explained.
Understand the codes and point ranges shown on your driver record.
What happens after a driving disqualification ends.
Reaching 12 or more penalty points within three years can result in disqualification.
Six or more points during the two-year probationary period can cause your licence to be revoked.
Depending on the offence, an endorsement generally remains on the driver record for four or 11 years.
Yes. Courts can impose disqualification for individual offences where the law allows or requires it. Twelve points is specifically important to the totting-up system.
Yes. Penalty points can be recorded before you pass your driving test and can later affect the new-driver rules.
Expired endorsements can be removed when you renew or update the licence, or by applying for a replacement.
No. New-driver revocation and court-imposed disqualification are different processes with different requirements.
