A question often asked by Arizona drivers is, “how many points can I have on my license before I’m suspended?” The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) points and suspension issues can be complicated.
There are a number of ways points are allotted to an Arizona Driver’s license and when those points add up your license is subject to suspension. Inserted below is a Point Valuation Table that lists points accessed for each type of moving violation in Arizona.
8 Points of Violations will Suspend Your License
Reckless driving convictions requires 8 points be added to your license. DUI convictions always result in 8 points being added to your license, regardless of whether it is a DUI for being impaired ARS 28-1381(A)(1), DUI .08 28-1381(A)(2), extreme DUI (28-1382(A)(1), or super extreme DUI (28-1382(A)(2), or drug DUI 28-1382(A)(3).
A total of 8 points will result in a suspension of your license for three (3) months. That suspension can be avoided with Traffic Survival School (TSS) one time within 12 months.
An important note is that if you are cited for several DUI charges from the same incident, you will not be subjected to 8 points for each DUI charge. However, you could be assigned additional points for other, non-DUI, traffic violations that occurred at the same time. For instance, if the officer stopped you for aggressive driving and charged you for that violation as well as the DUI, a conviction on the DUI and aggressive driving charges would total 16 points. Your license would be suspended for 3 months with no opportunity to escape a suspension by completing TSS. In fact, under that circumstance, you would likely endure a suspension and need to complete TSS. Included with this article is Arizona Administrative Code R17-4-404 regarding Driver Point Assessment and Traffic Survival Schools to assist you in understanding license point assessments.
Point suspensions are different from Admin Per Se suspensions (A.R.S. 28-1385).
Also, suspensions don’t just end when the time period has run out. Specific actions must be taken to restore driving privileges and an Arizona driver’s license. Points and other suspension issues are often very tricky and complicated, particularly in DUI situations. It’s best to speak with a lawyer who is competent and well versed in dealing with the murky and ever changing ADOT/MVD system. I have handled thousands of DUI cases and navigated the ADOT/MVD system for over 10 years. My efforts have saved clients time and money by avoiding suspensions or timing required suspensions, so they are less impactful on one’s busy life. I advise my clients of the actions they must take to successfully complete suspensions so there are fewer problems when suspensions end.
AZ Drivers License Violation Point Table
| Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| DUI | 8 |
| Extreme DUI | 8 |
| Reckless Driving | 8 |
| Aggressive Driving | 8 |
| Leaving the scene of accident, hit-and-run | 6 |
| Failure to stop for a traffic signal, stop sign or to yield the right-of-way, causing serious injury | 4 |
| Speeding | 3 |
| Driving over or parking in a gore area | 3 |
| All other moving violations | 2 |
For full details of the A.A.C. R17-4-404 R17-4-404. Driver Point Assessment please reference the current rules published in Arizona Administrative Register Volume 25, Issue 39, September 27, 2019
