Photo: Sarah Ewart, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Indiana BMV adds points to your driving record for moving violations. Points stay active for 24 months. Reaching 14 to 18 active points brings a warning, and 20 points brings a suspension. Young drivers face an extra rule: two or more traffic convictions before 21 can lead the BMV to require a driver safety program. This guide explains the point values, thresholds and how to earn a 4-point credit.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Points stay active for 24 months from the conviction date.
- 14 to 18 active points in 24 months: warning notice from the BMV.
- 20 points: a one-month suspension, with longer penalties at higher totals.
- Under 21: two or more traffic convictions can mean the BMV requires a BMV-approved driver safety program (DSP). At 21 or older, the trigger is two or more convictions within 12 months.
- A completed DSP gives a 4-point credit, once every 3 years.
How many points is a ticket in Indiana?
Examples from the Indiana Driver’s Manual and the BMV point schedule (point values range from 0 to 10):
| Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| Speeding 1 to 15 mph over | 2 |
| Speeding 16 to 25 mph over | 4 |
| Speeding 26 mph or more over | 6 |
| Disregarding a stop or yield sign | 4 |
| Using a hand-held device while driving | 4 |
| Unsafe lane movement | 4 |
| Failing to yield to an emergency vehicle | 6 |
| Following too closely | 6 |
| Driving while suspended | 8 |
| Probationary license violation (under 18) | 4 |
Use the BMV’s Driver Record Points page for the full, current schedule. Hands-free law violations have carried points since July 2021.
When does the Indiana BMV suspend your license for points?
| Active points (24 months) | What happens |
|---|---|
| 14 to 18 | Warning notice |
| 20 | One-month suspension |
| Higher totals | Longer penalties set by the BMV point rule |
Older versions of the rule used different thresholds, and some city and third-party pages still quote them. Check the current figures on the BMV Driver Record Points page.
Three moving offenses in 12 months
Separately, if you commit three moving traffic offenses within 12 months, the BMV may require you to attend an administrative hearing.
The under-21 driver safety program rule
The Driver’s Manual says drivers under 21 convicted of two or more traffic offenses may be required to complete a BMV-approved driver safety program. If the BMV mails you that notice, you have 90 days to finish the course or your driving privileges are suspended until it is done. This can happen even if your total points are low. A judge can also order a course after a ticket.
How the 4-point credit works
- Completing and paying for a BMV-approved driver safety program gives you a 4-point credit.
- The credit can be used only once every 3 years.
- It does not remove the citation from your driver history.
Points and your insurance
The BMV asks for proof of insurance (a Certificate of Compliance filed electronically by your insurer) when you:
- are in a crash
- get a pointable moving violation within one year of two others
- commit a serious violation such as a misdemeanor or felony
- get any pointable violation after an earlier suspension for not proving financial responsibility
Points also tend to raise premiums. See car insurance for new drivers.
How a new Indiana driver can stay clear
- Keep to the probationary night, passenger and phone rules; under 18, a breach costs 4 points (see Indiana probationary license rules).
- Treat speed as the main risk: even a small speeding ticket is 2 points and counts as an incident for the under-21 DSP rule.
- Check your official driving record with the BMV after any ticket.
- If you get one ticket, take extra care for the next 24 months.
Common questions
How many points before your license is suspended in Indiana?
Under the current BMV rule, 20 active points within 24 months brings a one-month suspension. 14 to 18 points brings a warning.
How long do points stay on your Indiana record?
They become inactive 24 months after the conviction date. The citation itself stays in your driver history.
I’m 18 and have two speeding tickets. What happens?
Two point-carrying incidents before 21 means you must complete a driver safety program, usually within 90 days of the BMV notice, or face suspension.
Does a driver safety program remove a ticket?
No. It gives a 4-point credit, once every 3 years, but the citation stays on your history.
How many points is a speeding ticket in Indiana?
2, 4 or 6 points, depending on whether you were 1 to 15, 16 to 25, or 26 or more mph over the limit.
Where do I pay reinstatement fees?
Through the BMV. The BMV FAQs list how to pay and the common suspension and reinstatement forms.
Back to learning to drive in Indiana. Compare states: points systems and license suspensions in the US.
Sources
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Driver Record Points” (in.gov/bmv)
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Driver Safety Program” (in.gov/bmv)
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Indiana Driver’s Manual” chapter 5 (in.gov/bmv)
- Indiana Administrative Code, “140 IAC 1-4.5” point system rule (iar.iga.in.gov)
- Indiana General Assembly, “IC 9-30 General Penalty Provisions” (iga.in.gov)
- State of Indiana FAQs, “When does the BMV require proof of insurance from drivers?” (faqs.in.gov)
- Indiana Department of Transportation, “Hands-Free Indiana” (in.gov/indot)