Often when a motorist is convicted of an offence they as part of their sentencing they receive penalty points, or endorsements.
In the event of points being given, the lowest amount that can be received is two points for lesser offences and for serious offences the maximum given is eleven, with the majority of offences warranting three points or more penalty points. In certain cases points are given for multiple occurrences of the same crime(for example if more than one tyre is defective) and penalty points are usually obligatory but the actual number of points is discretionary.
All endorsements have a unique offence code and a record of the points is put onto your counterpart and upon conviction you will need to produce your driving license to the police, the fixed penalty office (FPO) or at your court appearance, so the points can be added.
Depending on the offence the endorsements must stay on your license for either four or eleven years. It is four years if you have committed reckless/dangerous driving, offences resulting in disqualification or have been disqualified from driving until a driving test has been passed, and eleven years if the conviction is related to drinking or drugs and driving, causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, or causing death by careless driving, then failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
If after you have received points, you are convicted for another offence you can still be given points and if in any three year period you receive more than 12 then as part of the totting up system you will lose your license. Furthermore in the first two years of driving this number reduces to six points and so after a period of disqualification you must retake your test.
Learn more about driving offences, stop by Oliver & Co’s site where you can find out all about speeding offences and other motoring offences.