The 15-Point Threshold and the Earlier Trigger Most Drivers Miss
You've picked up a speeding ticket or two, maybe a following-too-closely citation, and now you're counting points to see how close you are to losing your license. Georgia's Department of Driver Services suspends your license when you accumulate 15 points in any 24-month period. That's the hard ceiling. But Georgia's point system creates consequences well before you hit 15.
At 4 points in any 12-month period, Georgia requires you to complete a defensive driving course. Miss that window and your license suspends anyway, even if you're nowhere near 15 points. The 4-point trigger resets independently of the 24-month accumulation window, so drivers tracking only the 15-point threshold often miss the earlier intervention requirement until DDS sends a suspension notice.
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15 points
Accumulating 15 points in any 24-month period triggers automatic license suspension. The clock starts from the violation date, not the conviction date, and runs on a rolling 24-month window.
Georgia Department of Driver Services
How Georgia Counts Points and When the Clock Starts
Georgia assigns points based on the violation type, not the posted speed. Speeding 15-18 mph over the limit is 2 points. Speeding 19-23 mph over is 3 points. Speeding 24-33 mph over is 4 points, and 34 mph or more over the limit is 6 points. Reckless driving is 4 points. Following too closely, improper lane change, and failure to obey a traffic control device are each 3 points.
The 24-month window starts on the violation date, not the conviction date or the date you paid the ticket. If you were cited on March 10, 2024, that violation's points count toward your total until March 10, 2026, regardless of when the court processed your case. Points drop off automatically after 24 months; you do not file anything to remove them.
The 4-point defensive driving trigger operates on a separate 12-month rolling window. If you accumulate 4 or more points in any 12-month span, DDS mails a notice requiring you to complete a state-approved defensive driving course within 120 days. Completing the course does not remove the points, but it satisfies the intervention requirement and prevents suspension for that trigger.
The 4-point-in-12-months defensive driving requirement is a separate suspension trigger. Ignoring the notice suspends your license even if your 24-month total is under 15.
What Happens When You Hit 15 Points
DDS mails a suspension notice to the address on file. The suspension begins on the effective date stated in the notice, typically 10 days after mailing. You must surrender your physical license to any DDS Customer Service Center or mail it to DDS headquarters in Atlanta. Driving on a suspended license is a misdemeanor in Georgia, punishable by up to 12 months in jail and fines up to $1,000 for a first offense.
Georgia offers a Limited Driving Permit after serving part of the suspension. You are eligible to apply for the permit once you have served the greater of 120 days or one-third of the suspension period. The permit allows driving for work, medical appointments, school, substance-abuse support meetings, court or probation obligations, community service, and transporting unlicensed household members. DDS may restrict the times and routes you can drive.
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Reinstatement After a Points Suspension
After the one-year suspension period ends, you must pay a $200 reinstatement fee to DDS before your license is restored. The fee is non-refundable and must be paid in full; DDS does not offer payment plans for reinstatement fees. You also must provide proof of insurance meeting Georgia's minimum liability requirements: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 property damage.
If you held a Limited Driving Permit during the suspension, that permit expires when the full suspension period ends. You must complete the reinstatement process to drive without restrictions. Points that triggered the suspension remain on your record for the full 24 months from the violation date, even after reinstatement. New violations during that window add to your existing total and can trigger a second suspension.
Georgia does not require an SR-22 filing for a points suspension alone. If your suspension resulted from a DUI, at-fault crash without insurance, or multiple no-insurance convictions, DDS may require an SR-22A filing for three years after reinstatement. The SR-22A is Georgia's certificate of financial responsibility and must be maintained continuously; any lapse triggers a new suspension.
Georgia Reinstatement Fee
$200
The base reinstatement fee for a points suspension is $200, paid to DDS before your license is restored. Additional fees apply if your suspension involved other violations or if you held a Limited Driving Permit.
Georgia Department of Driver Services
How Points Affect Your Insurance Rates
Georgia insurers re-rate your policy at renewal based on your driving record at the time of renewal. A single 2-point speeding ticket typically raises your premium, but the increase varies by carrier and your existing risk tier. Multiple violations in a short window move you into a higher-risk tier, and some carriers non-renew policies after three or more moving violations in 24 months.
A points suspension appears on your motor vehicle record as a major violation. Carriers treat suspensions the same way they treat DUIs and at-fault crashes: you move into the non-standard or high-risk tier, and your premium increases substantially. Some standard carriers will not write a new policy for a driver with a suspension on record; you may need to shop non-standard carriers until the suspension ages off your record.
Compare Carriers That Write Georgia Drivers With Points
If you are approaching the 15-point threshold or have already been suspended, your next step is comparing carriers that write policies for drivers with points on record. Georgia has 38 carriers writing auto insurance in the state, and not all of them accept drivers with recent suspensions or multiple violations. Non-standard carriers such as Acceptance, Bristol West, Dairyland, Direct Auto, GAINSCO, Infinity, Kemper, and The General specialize in high-risk drivers and typically offer quotes where standard carriers will not.
Get quotes from at least three carriers. Rates vary widely based on how each carrier weights violations, and the lowest-cost carrier for a clean record is rarely the lowest-cost carrier after a suspension. Comparing multiple carriers is the only way to find the best rate for your specific record.