Points, surcharges and driver programs

Key points

1. Speeding 1 to 14 mph over the limit is 2 points, 15 to 29 mph over is 4 points, and 30 mph or more over is 5 points.

   Source: Handbook p. 139

   “Exceeding maximum speed 1-14 mph over the limit 2 Exceeding maximum speed 15-29 mph over the limit 4 Exceeding maximum speed 30 mph or more over the limit 5”
   New Jersey Driver Manual, Handbook p. 139

2. Reaching 12 to 14 points in 24 months brings a Notice of Scheduled Suspension by mail.

   Source: Handbook p. 133

   “Motorists who accumulate between 12 and 14 points in a 24-month period or more will receive a Notice of Scheduled Suspension by mail from the MVC.”
   New Jersey Driver Manual, Handbook p. 133

3. With 6 or more points in 3 years you pay a surcharge of $150 for 6 points plus $25 for each extra point.

   Source: Handbook p. 136

   “Motorists who accumulate six or more points within three years are subject to a surcharge of $150 for six points and $25 for each additional point.”
   New Jersey Driver Manual, Handbook p. 136

4. New drivers are on a 2 year probationary period. 2 or more violations totaling 4 or more points require the Probationary Driver Program.

   Source: Handbook p. 134

   “A motorist begins a two-year probationary driver period after receiving a special learner or examination permit. During this probationary period, a motorist convicted of two or more moving violations totaling four or more points”
   New Jersey Driver Manual, Handbook p. 134

5. Finishing a Driver Improvement Program removes 3 points from your record.

   Source: Handbook p. 134

   “A motorist who successfully completes a Driver Improvement Program will have three points removed from his/her record.”
   New Jersey Driver Manual, Handbook p. 134

6. A defensive driving course removes 2 points, but the MVC counts it only once every 5 years.

   Source: Handbook p. 135

   “Two points will be removed from the accumulated points currently on a driver license. (N.J.S.A. 39:5-30.9) • The motorist may qualify for an insurance rate reduction. Contact your insurance agent for more information. The MVC will only recognize a defensive driving course once every five years for point reduction.”
   New Jersey Driver Manual, Handbook p. 135

7. Every year without a violation or suspension, up to 3 points come off your total, but never below zero.

   Source: Handbook p. 137

   “Up to three points will be subtracted from a motorist’s point total every year that the motorist goes without a violation or suspension”
   New Jersey Driver Manual, Handbook p. 137

8. A traffic violation in another state adds 2 points to your New Jersey record.

   Source: Handbook p. 137

   “Two points will be added to a driving record for traffic violations committed in other states.”
   New Jersey Driver Manual, Handbook p. 137

9. Improperly passing a school bus puts 5 points on your record.

   Source: Handbook p. 140

   “N.J.S.A. 39:4-128.1 Improper passing of a school bus 5”
   New Jersey Driver Manual, Handbook p. 140

10. A habitual offender is a driver whose license has been suspended 3 times in 3 years.

    Source: Handbook p. 122

    “A habitual offender is a motorist whose driver license has been suspended three times in three years.”
    New Jersey Driver Manual, Handbook p. 122

Numbers to know

3 questions from the New Jersey practice test

1. 1. How many points accumulated in 24 months trigger a mailed Notice of Scheduled Suspension?

   1. Six to eight points
   2. Twelve to 14 points or more
   3. Twenty points only
   4. Four points exactly
   Show answer

   Twelve to 14 points or more. A motorist who accumulates between 12 and 14 points in a 24-month period or more receives a Notice of Scheduled Suspension by mail from the MVC. Six to eight points is a different threshold used in other point-related consequences. Four points alone does not meet this notice trigger, and the rule does not wait for exactly 20. Look for both parts of the trigger: the 24-month window and the 12-to-14-or-more point range.

2. 2. A driver has six or more points within three years. What surcharge structure applies?

   1. $150 for six points plus $25 for each additional point, for three years
   2. $50 once, regardless of the total
   3. $1,000 each year for three years
   4. No surcharge unless a crash occurred
   Show answer

   $150 for six points plus $25 for each additional point, for three years. Six or more points within three years create a surcharge of $150 for six points plus $25 for each additional point. The surcharge is assessed for the applicable three-year period and is separate from court fines and penalties. A flat $50 payment ignores the point count, while the $1,000 annual amount belongs to a different DUI-related surcharge. A crash is not required for this point-record rule to apply.

3. 3. How often will the MVC recognize an approved defensive driving course for point reduction?

   1. Once every five years
   2. Once every two years
   3. Once every year
   4. Only once in a lifetime
   Show answer

   Once every five years. The MVC recognizes a defensive driving course for point reduction once every five years. The annual and two-year choices allow a course more frequently than the manual permits. A lifetime-only rule is more restrictive than the stated policy. Keep the purpose in view: this interval concerns MVC recognition for point reduction, not how often a driver may voluntarily take a safety class or qualify for an insurance discount.

Source: the New Jersey Driver Manual, Chapter 7: Driver Privileges and Penalties. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.