You need a license to drive a car. Colorado uses a point system to track an individual motorist’s history of driving infractions. The Colorado Department of Revenue explains that “your license will be suspended if you accumulate too many points from traffic tickets.” At Bruno Lilly LeClere, PLLC, we help clients navigate complex traffic cases. Our Greeley traffic violation defense lawyer provides a comprehensive overview of the Colorado DMV point system in this article.
An Overview of the Colorado DMV Point System
Driving in our state is considered a privilege, not a legal right. The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is a state agency responsible for regulating drivers, including licensing. The DMV oversees Colorado’s point system. It is designed to monitor and manage driver behavior. Here are the key points that all motorists in Colorado should understand about the DMV point system:
- Drivers Accumulate Demerit Points Based on Conduct: In the context of the Colorado DMV system, points are effectively demerit points. Having a point on your license is a bad thing. It happens when you are found responsible for a traffic violation.
- Point Values are Assigned to Specific Violations: Each traffic violation is assigned a specific point value in Colorado. Serious violations are assigned a greater number of points. The point associated with a particular infection can also vary. For instance, speeding could be between 1 and 12 points—based on how far above the speed limit a person was driving.
- Points Are Accumulated and There Are Consequences: If an adult driver (21 years old and over) accumulates 12 points in 12 consecutive months, or 18 points in any consecutive 24 months, their driving privileges can be suspended. For younger drivers (under 21), the limits are lower: 9 points in 12 months, 12 points in 24 months, and 14 points until 21.
- Points Can Impact Insurance Rates: Accumulating points can also affect your insurance premiums. Indeed, they are likely to have a significant impact. Insurance companies view drivers with higher points as high-risk. In other words, if you have points on your license, you could end up facing higher automobile insurance rates.
- Not Permanent: Reduction and Clearance of Points: It is important to emphasize that points on your license in Colorado are not permanent. Quite the contrary, they are cleared automatically after a certain period of time. For most offenses, points roll off of a person’s driving record two years after the date upon which they were entered. Still, the record of a conviction remains and that could affect insurance rates for far longer than two years.
How Many Points to Suspend a License in Colorado?
If you have too many points on your driving record in Colorado, your license will be suspended as a matter of state law. This raises an important question: How many points do you need to have your license suspended for DMV points in Colorado? The answer depends, primarily, on your age. Here is an overview of the DMV point limits for drivers in Colorado:
- Adult drivers: Colorado classifies drivers who are 21 years of age and older as adult drivers. They will face suspension with 12 points accumulated within 12 months, or 18 points within 24 months.
- Underage Age Drivers: For drivers aged 18 to 20, the threshold is slightly lower: 9 points within 12 months, 12 points within 24 months, or 14 points before they turn 21.
- Minors: Drivers under the age of 18 (16 or 17 years old) in Colorado are subject to the most strict limits. They can have their license suspended for accumulating 6 points in 12 months or 7 points before turning 18.
How Long Do Points Stay on Your Driving Record?
DMV demerit points are not permanent in Colorado. Indeed, points from traffic violations will typically remain on a driving record for 2 years from the date of the conviction. The “conviction” date is the date that the points were entered, not the date that the traffic violation actually occurred. Still, the actual conviction will stay on your record for a longer period of time. Your insurance rates can be adversely affected by traffic violations even after the DMV has removed the points.
How Many Points Can You Have on Your License?
As noted, the number of points that you can have on your driving record in Colorado depends on your age and the period of time that you are considering. For drivers 21 and older, up to 12 points in 12 months, or 18 points in 24 months, may be accumulated without suspension. For drivers aged 18-20, the limit is 9 points in 12 months, 12 points in 24 months, or 14 points until age 21. For younger drivers under 18, the limit is 6 points in 12 months or 7 points before they turn 18.
Why Trust the Colorado Traffic Violation Lawyers at Bruno Lilly LeClere
If you have too many points on your driving record, it could result in the statutory suspension of your driver’s license in Colorado. Our founder attorney Havilah Louise Bruno Lilly and partner Andrew LeClere have the skills, knowledge, and experience to protect the rights of motorists. We handle both criminal and non-criminal traffic offenses. No matter the specific circumstance that you find yourself in, our Colorado traffic offense lawyers will review your case, explain your options, and help you take action to protect your rights and save your driver’s license. Often, the best approach is to prevent points from being entered into your Colorado driver’s record in the first place.
Contact Our Colorado Traffic Violation Defense Attorney Today
At Bruno Lilly LeClere, PLLC, our Colorado traffic violation defense lawyers provide personalized, solutions-driven advocacy. If you have any questions about the Colorado DMV point system, we can help. Contact us today to set up your completely confidential, no-obligation initial appointment. With offices in Greeley, Fort Collins, and Mead, we provide traffic violation defense services throughout the region, including in Weld County, Larimer County, and Boulder County.