How Long Do Points Stay on Your License in Georgia?

Georgia assigns 2 to 6 points per moving violation. Speeding 15-18 mph over the limit adds 2 points. Speeding 19-23 mph over adds 3 points. Reckless driving or speeding 24-33 mph over adds 4 points. Aggressive driving adds 6 points. The state suspends your license when you accumulate 15 points in any 24-month period. That threshold is higher than most drivers expect, which means suspension risk is typically low for a single speeding ticket. Two moderate violations within 2 years puts you at 4 to 6 points. Three puts you at 6 to 9 points. Four or more violations or one major violation combined with minor tickets brings suspension into realistic range. Georgia does not require SR-22 filing for standard point violations. You need SR-22 only if your license is suspended for accumulating 15 points and you apply for reinstatement, or if you are convicted of DUI, reckless driving with serious injury, or driving without insurance. Most drivers with 2 to 8 points on their record do not face filing requirements.

A single 2-point speeding ticket triggers a rate increase of 15% to 30% at your next renewal, depending on your carrier and your prior history. That translates to $15 to $45 more per month for a driver paying $100/month before the violation. The surcharge applies for 3 years on most preferred and standard carriers. Multiple violations compound exponentially, not additively. Two speeding tickets within 2 years typically trigger a 40% to 60% increase. Three violations or one major violation like reckless driving can push your rate up 70% to 100%, and many preferred carriers will non-renew your policy at that threshold. Carriers apply surcharges based on violation severity, not just point count. A 4-point reckless driving citation increases your rate more than two 2-point speeding tickets even though the point total is the same. At-fault accidents with a claim over $2,000 trigger surcharges similar to a 4-point violation, and the surcharge window runs 3 to 5 years depending on the carrier and claim severity.

Georgia allows you to reduce points by completing a state-approved defensive driving course once every 5 years. The course removes up to 7 points from your current total, but it does not erase the underlying violation from your record. Your insurance carrier can still see the conviction and apply a surcharge. You must complete the course before you accumulate 15 points. If your license is already suspended, the course does not count toward reinstatement. The course takes 6 to 8 hours and costs $30 to $80 depending on the provider. You submit your completion certificate to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, and the point reduction appears on your record within 10 business days. The DMV point reduction does not automatically lower your insurance premium. You must contact your carrier after completing the course and request a re-rate based on the updated point total. Some carriers offer a defensive driving discount separate from the point reduction, typically 5% to 10% off your premium for 3 years. That discount stacks with the standard surcharge, so a driver with a 20% surcharge and a 10% defensive driving discount nets a 10% increase rather than the full 20%.

Most Georgia carriers remove the violation surcharge 3 years after the conviction date, not the violation date or the date the points drop off your DMV record. A ticket received in April 2022 with a conviction date in June 2022 should roll off your insurance surcharge schedule in June 2025. The DMV clears the points in June 2024, one year earlier. Your carrier does not automatically notify you when the surcharge expires. You see the rate adjustment at your next renewal after the 3-year mark, assuming you stay with the same carrier. If you shop for a new policy after the surcharge window closes, competing carriers will not see the violation on a motor vehicle report, and you should receive clean-record pricing. Non-standard carriers often extend the surcharge window to 5 years for major violations or multiple violations. If you switched to a non-standard carrier after a reckless driving citation, your rate may not normalize until 5 years post-conviction. The only way to confirm your surcharge schedule is to request a rating breakdown from your current carrier or shop for quotes from preferred carriers after the 3-year mark to see if they offer clean-record pricing.

Preferred carriers like State Farm, GEICO, and USAA typically accept drivers with one or two minor violations, applying a standard surcharge but maintaining coverage. Three violations or one major violation like reckless driving often triggers non-renewal at preferred carriers, forcing you into the standard or non-standard market. Standard carriers like Progressive and Allstate write policies for drivers with 3 to 8 points or one major violation. Rates run 30% to 80% higher than preferred-carrier pricing for the same coverage, but underwriting is more flexible. Non-standard carriers like The General, Acceptance, and Direct Auto specialize in high-point drivers, drivers with suspended licenses in the process of reinstatement, and drivers who have been non-renewed by standard carriers. Shopping after a violation is critical because rate increases vary by 40% to 70% across carriers for the same violation history. One carrier may surcharge a 4-point ticket at 25% while another surcharges it at 50%. Non-standard carriers quote monthly rather than offering 6-month prepay discounts, and they require higher down payments, typically 20% to 30% of the 6-month premium rather than the first month only.

Georgia suspends your license when you hit 15 points in a 24-month period. The suspension lasts until you complete a defensive driving course, pay a $210 reinstatement fee, and apply for reinstatement through the Department of Driver Services. The state does not offer a restricted or hardship license during a points-based suspension. Once your license is suspended for points, Georgia requires you to file SR-22 for 3 years after reinstatement. The SR-22 is a carrier-issued certificate proving you carry continuous liability coverage at or above the state minimum. Your carrier files the SR-22 electronically with the DDS, and you pay a one-time filing fee of $25 to $50 depending on the carrier. If your coverage lapses at any point during the 3-year SR-22 period, your carrier notifies the state, and Georgia suspends your license again. You must reinstate a second time, pay another $210 fee, and restart the 3-year SR-22clock. Most SR-22 drivers in Georgia pay $150 to $300 per month for state minimum liability, roughly double the rate a clean-record driver pays for the same coverage.