DRIVER PENALTY POINTS: What are ‘endorsements’, how long do they last and how do I get rid of them?
Accruing ‘Penalty Points’ as a professional driver can be frustrating and worrying for a number of reasons.
The main concern if you are driving for a living is the threat of disqualification from driving, which ultimately will cost you your job.
For most motorists they can be disqualified from driving if they build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of 3 years. There are however slightly different rules for new drivers.
The courts can also fine individuals and ‘endorse’ their driving record with penalty points for each offence they are convicted of.
How long do endorsements stay on your driving record?
According to GOV.UK, endorsements stay on a driver's record for 4 or 11 years depending on the type of offence.
Each endorsement can start from either the date they are convicted or the date of the offence.
The endorsement is ‘valid’ for the first:
3 years, for a 4-year endorsement
10 years, for an 11-year endorsement.
A court may take the endorsement into account if both:
the driver commits another offence while it’s valid
the endorsement is still on their driving record when the court considers the case.
Other people, like insurers and employers, may also be able to find out whether individual motorists have an endorsement:
any time during a 4-year endorsement
during the first 5 years of an 11-year endorsement, or the first 30 months if the driver is under 18.
What type of offences qualify for a 4-year endorsement?
An endorsement will stay on a motorist's driving record for 4-years from the date of conviction if the offence:
is for reckless/dangerous driving
results in disqualification.
In all other offences the endorsement will stay on a motorist's driving record for 4-years from the date of offence.
What offences qualify for the higher 11-year endorsement?
Motorists will be handed an 11 year endorsement from date of conviction if the offence is:
drink driving or drug driving
causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs
causing death by careless driving, then failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
How can I get rid of the endorsements after they expire?
Most expired endorsements will automatically be removed from the motorist's driving record when they’re no longer valid.
What offences can prompt an endorsement and how many points will I be handed?
Each and every endorsement will result in ‘penalty points’ ranging between 1 and 11 based on the severity of the offence.
GOV.UK details all the offences that can land motorists points and also shows how many penalty points they are likely to get for them.
Some offences may also involve a disqualification.
