Points, tickets and licence suspension in Montana

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain the 30-point habitual traffic offender rule.
• You can name the point values for common violations.
• You can explain which small speeding tickets stay off your record.
• You can describe the extra penalties that apply to teen drivers.

What you need to know and understand

• 30 or more points within 3 years makes you a habitual traffic offender, with a 3-year revocation.
• DUI: 10 points. Driving while suspended or revoked: 6 points. Reckless driving: 5 points.
• No liability insurance offenses: 5 points. Speeding: 3 points. Most other moving violations: 2 points.
• Leaving the scene of an injury or fatal crash: 8 points.
• If one event leads to several convictions, only the highest-point conviction counts.
• Paying a fine counts as a conviction under Montana law.
• Seat belt tickets are not recorded on your driving record.

How speeding is treated

Montana handles speeding on its statutory limits in an unusual way. Going no more than 10 mph over in daytime, or 5 mph over at night, on those limits is not recorded on your driving record and cannot raise your insurance. Larger speeding violations can be recorded, and going over 90 mph on an interstate can always be recorded.

This does not apply to special speed zones such as school zones or locally reduced limits, and school zone fines are doubled. Commercial license holders and out-of-state violations are also treated differently.

Extra rules for teen drivers

• Breaking a first-year restriction such as curfew or passenger limits: 20 to 60 hours of community service for a first conviction.
• A second restriction violation: a 6-month suspension with no probationary license.
• Any traffic conviction in the 6 months before applying can delay your driver license.
• Under-21 alcohol or THC offenses bring suspensions of 90 days, 6 months or 1 year depending on how many convictions.

If your license is suspended

1. Stop driving immediately. Driving while suspended adds 6 points and more penalties.
2. Read the MVD notice to find the length of the suspension and what you must do.
3. Complete any required course or treatment.
4. Pay the reinstatement fee before MVD restores your license.
5. Keep your notice and receipts until your license is valid again.

Common mistakes

• Paying a ticket without realizing it counts as a conviction.
• Assuming small speeding tickets are always off the record. School zones and special speed zones are treated differently.
• Driving 'just to work' while suspended. It adds points and can lengthen the suspension.
• Ignoring an MVD letter. Notices are sent to your address on file, so report moves within 10 days.

Test yourself: Points, tickets and licence suspension in Montana

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Learning to Drive in Montana
• Montana 50 Hour Driving Log
• Montana First-Year Restricted License