Louisiana Driving Points are the hidden cost of a speeding ticket — they pile up on your license, and enough of them in a set time window will suspend your right to drive. This guide explains the Louisiana point system in plain English: exactly how many points a speeding ticket adds at each speed bracket, how many louisiana driving points trigger a suspension, how long points stay on your record, and how to check and reduce them.
All figures are estimates for general guidance, verified against Louisiana sources as of June 2026.
In This Louisiana Guide:
How Louisiana Driving Points Work
Louisiana does NOT use a demerit point system. Instead, the OMV (Office of Motor Vehicles) tracks moving violation convictions on your driving record. Consequences are triggered by the number and frequency of convictions, not by accumulated points. The OMV has discretionary authority under RS 32:414 to suspend a license when violations occur “with such frequency as to indicate a disrespect for traffic laws.”
Louisiana Driving Points by Speed Bracket
Here is how many louisiana driving points a speeding ticket typically adds, based on how far over the limit you were going:
| How Fast Over the Limit | Points Added |
|---|---|
| 1-10 mph over | N/A — Louisiana does not assign points to any traffic violation |
| 11-20 mph over | N/A — Louisiana does not assign points to any traffic violation |
| 21+ mph over | N/A — Louisiana does not assign points to any traffic violation |
How long points last: Moving violations remain on your Louisiana driving record for 3 years from the date of final disposition (per RS 32:393). DUI/DWI convictions may remain for up to 10 years.
How Many Louisiana Driving Points Until Suspension?
In Louisiana, Louisiana uses two thresholds: (1) Under RS 32:414, the OMV may suspend your license when moving violations occur with such frequency as to indicate disregard for traffic laws — this is discretionary with no fixed number for general violations; 3 reckless driving convictions within 12 months triggers a mandatory 365-day suspension. (2) Under RS 32:1472, a driver is classified as a habitual offender with 10 or more moving violation convictions within 3 years, resulting in license revocation.
Multiple offenses committed within a 12-hour period count as one offense. Each new speeding ticket pushes you closer to that limit, which is why watching your louisiana driving points matters even when a single ticket seems minor.
How to Check and Reduce Your Louisiana Driving Points
How to check your points: Since Louisiana has no point system, you check your Official Driving Record instead. Order online at https://dps.expresslane.org/officialdrivingrecord for 18 (16 record fee plus 2 e-commerce fee). You will need your full name, address, license number and class, and date of birth exactly as they appear on your license. The portal is unavailable nightly from 11:30 PM to 4:00 AM.
How to reduce your louisiana driving points: You may be able to have one misdemeanor moving violation (Title 32) removed from your record by completing a Louisiana-approved defensive driving course (driver improvement course). IMPORTANT: You must get approval from a Louisiana judge BEFORE enrolling — completing the course without prior court approval will NOT remove the violation.
This option may be used once every 2 years. It cannot be used for DWI, reckless operation, or hit-and-run convictions (Title 14 offenses). Contact the court listed on your citation before your court date to request approval. See our Louisiana traffic school guide for the full point-reduction process.
Reinstating a suspended license: To reinstate a suspended Louisiana license: (1) Complete all court-ordered requirements (fines, community service, substance abuse programs, etc.); (2) Pay the reinstatement fee — 60 for standard suspensions, or 100/200/300 for 1st/2nd/3rd alcohol-related offenses; (3) File SR-22 insurance if required (must be maintained for 3 years); (4) Install an ignition interlock device if ordered (DUI cases); (5) Apply in person at an OMV field office (appointment required at la.omvappointments.com), by phone at (225) 925-6146, by mail to OMV Mail Center P.O.
Box 64886 Baton Rouge LA 70896, or online at expresslane.org.
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Insurance Points vs DMV Points in Louisiana
Insurance companies in Louisiana use their own internal rating systems separate from your OMV driving record. Even though Louisiana has no state point system, your insurer may still assign surcharge points or raise your premiums based on moving violation convictions. Each insurer uses different criteria, so the same ticket may affect rates differently depending on your carrier. A ticket can raise your premium for years — compare cheaper car insurance at Car Cover Guide if a ticket has pushed your rate up.
How Louisiana Driving Points Actually Work
A point system is the state’s way of tracking risky driving. Each moving violation adds a set number of points to your license, and the points stay on your record for a fixed period before they drop off. If you collect too many Louisiana driving points inside that window, the DMV suspends your license — which is why even a minor speeding ticket matters if you already have points.
It is important to separate two different kinds of points. DMV points are what the state uses to suspend your license. Insurance points are a separate system your insurer uses to set your premium, and they often last longer than DMV points. A single speeding ticket can therefore cost you twice: once toward a possible suspension, and again as a higher insurance bill.
Some states do not use points at all and instead apply a surcharge or simply track convictions, but the practical effect is the same — more violations mean a higher chance of losing your license and paying more to drive.
Keeping your Louisiana driving points low protects more than your license — it protects your wallet. Drivers with a clean record qualify for the best insurance rates, while each added violation can move you into a higher-risk tier. If a ticket has pushed your points up, acting quickly to reduce or contest it is usually worth the effort.
What to Do About Your Louisiana Speeding Ticket
Once you have a Louisiana speeding ticket, you generally have three choices, and the right one depends on the points involved, your driving record, and your insurance:
- Pay it — the fastest option, but paying is an admission of guilt that adds points and can raise your premium for years.
- Fight it — contesting can get the ticket reduced or dismissed, especially if the officer does not appear or the evidence is weak. See how to fight a speeding ticket in Louisiana.
- Take traffic school — if you qualify, a state-approved course can keep points off your record. See the Louisiana traffic school guide.
Before deciding, it helps to know the full cost — use our speeding ticket cost calculator and the Louisiana points guide to see how close a ticket puts you to a suspension. There is no single right answer for everyone; the best choice depends on how many points the ticket adds, what your record looks like, and how much your insurance would rise.
Other Louisiana rules to know: (1) Louisiana is one of a small number of states with NO demerit point system — violations are tracked by count and frequency, not points. (2) The OMV has broad discretionary authority to suspend licenses based on a subjective “frequency” standard rather than a fixed numeric threshold. (3) The 12-hour rule: multiple offenses committed within a single 12-hour period count as only one offense for habitual offender purposes.
(4) Court approval is required BEFORE enrolling in defensive driving for violation dismissal — unlike many states where you can simply elect traffic school. (5) Defensive driving dismissal is limited to once every 2 years, which is more restrictive than many states. (6) Habitual offender threshold of 10 convictions in 3 years is significantly higher than most states’ suspension thresholds.
Official Louisiana Sources & Resources
- Louisiana DMV: https://www.expresslane.org/ (Louisiana uses “OMV” — Office of Motor Vehicles — not “DMV.” The OMV is a division of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.)
- Louisiana Point Schedule: N/A — Louisiana has no point schedule because it does not use a point system
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: nhtsa.gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex
Statute reference: RS 32:414 (suspension and revocation of licenses — discretionary suspension for frequent violations, mandatory suspension for 3 reckless driving convictions in 12 months); RS 32:1472 (habitual offender defined — 10+ moving violations in 3 years); RS 32:393 (violation record retention — 3-year duration for standard violations)
This Louisiana driving points guide was last verified against official sources in June 2026. Always confirm your current point total with the Louisiana DMV.
More Louisiana Traffic Ticket Guides
- Louisiana Speeding Ticket Cost
- How to Fight a Speeding Ticket in Louisiana
- Louisiana Traffic School & Dismissal
- Speeding Ticket Cost Calculator
- All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal advice. Fines, points, and procedures are estimates for general guidance and change when state laws change. Always verify the exact amount and process with your state DMV or the court listed on your citation, and consult a licensed traffic attorney in your state for advice on your specific situation.