Georgia assigns points for every moving violation, and at 15 points in 24 months your license is suspended. Here's how to remove points before you hit that threshold and what happens to your insurance when you do.
Georgia's Point System: The 15-Point Suspension Threshold
Georgia suspends your license when you accumulate 15 points in any 24-month period. A speeding ticket 15-18 mph over the limit adds 2 points. A speeding ticket 19-23 mph over adds 3 points. An at-fault accident with more than $500 in damage adds 3 points. Reckless driving adds 4 points.
Points stay on your Georgia driving record for exactly 24 months from the violation date, not the conviction date. If you receive a speeding ticket on March 1, 2023, those points remain until March 1, 2025, regardless of when you pay the fine or appear in court.
The Georgia Department of Driver Services calculates your point total on a rolling 24-month window. Points do not reset annually. If you accumulate 10 points between January and June of one year, then add 5 more points in March of the following year, you cross the 15-point threshold and face suspension even though the violations occurred in different calendar years.
How to Remove 7 Points with a Defensive Driving Course
Georgia allows drivers to remove up to 7 points from their driving record by completing a state-approved defensive driving course, but only once every five years. The course must be approved by the Georgia Department of Driver Services and completed through an authorized provider.
You can take the course at any point total — you do not need to wait until you approach the 15-point threshold. Completing the course removes 7 points from your current total immediately upon the DDS receiving your completion certificate, which most providers submit electronically within 2-3 business days.
The 7-point reduction applies only to your DMV record. It does not automatically trigger a rate decrease with your insurance carrier. Most Georgia carriers apply surcharges based on their own underwriting lookback period, typically 3-5 years from the violation date. Completing the course prevents a suspension and may lower your point total enough to avoid non-standard carrier classification, but you must request a policy re-rate at your next renewal to confirm whether the carrier will adjust your premium based on the reduced DMV point total.
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When Points Fall Off Your Record Automatically
Points disappear from your Georgia driving record exactly 24 months after the violation date. No action is required. The Georgia DDS removes them automatically.
If you receive a speeding ticket on April 10, 2023, those points remain on your record until April 10, 2025. If you receive a second ticket on June 15, 2023, those points remain until June 15, 2025. Each violation operates on its own 24-month timer.
Your insurance carrier, however, uses a separate timeline. Most carriers in Georgia apply surcharges for 3 years from the violation date, and some extend lookback periods to 5 years for major violations like reckless driving or DUI. Points falling off your DMV record at the 24-month mark does not automatically remove the violation from your insurance history. The carrier continues to surcharge your premium until their internal lookback period expires, unless you switch carriers or request a re-rate review at renewal.
What Happens to Your Insurance When You Accumulate Points
Georgia insurers increase premiums immediately after a violation appears on your motor vehicle report, typically at your next renewal. A single speeding ticket 15-18 mph over the limit triggers a premium increase of 15-25% with most preferred carriers. A second ticket within 24 months often triggers an increase of 35-50% or a non-renewal notice.
Preferred carriers like State Farm, GEICO, and Progressive typically decline to renew policies for drivers who accumulate 6 or more points in a 24-month period. At that threshold, you shift into standard or non-standard carrier classifications. Standard carriers like Dairyland and National General quote higher base rates but accept multi-point drivers. Non-standard carriers like The General and Acceptance Insurance specialize in high-point policies and charge premiums 40-80% higher than preferred carrier rates.
The surcharge period outlasts the DMV point period. If you receive a speeding ticket in January 2023, your carrier applies a surcharge starting at your next renewal and continues that surcharge for 3-5 years. The points fall off your Georgia DMV record in January 2025, but the carrier does not automatically reduce your rate. You must request a policy review or shop competing carriers to confirm whether your rate has adjusted based on the now-clean DMV record.
Point Violations That Trigger SR-22 Filing in Georgia
Most point violations in Georgia do not require SR-22 filing. A standard speeding ticket, rolling a stop sign, or an at-fault accident with fewer than 15 points does not trigger a filing requirement.
Georgia requires SR-22 filing only when your license is suspended for accumulating 15 or more points in 24 months and you apply for reinstatement. The filing period begins on your reinstatement date and lasts 3 years. The Georgia DDS collects a $210 reinstatement fee and a $25 SR-22 filing fee at the time of reinstatement.
SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility your insurer files directly with the Georgia DDS to prove you carry at least the state minimum liability limits: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. The certificate itself costs $15-$50 depending on your carrier. The larger cost is the insurance premium — carriers classify SR-22 drivers as high-risk and apply surcharges of 30-60% on top of the base rate for your point history.
How to Lower Your Rate After Points Without Waiting 24 Months
Shopping carriers is the fastest way to lower your rate after a violation. Georgia operates as a competitive insurance market with more than 40 carriers writing policies, and each carrier assigns different surcharge schedules to the same violation. A 3-point speeding ticket might trigger a 20% increase with GEICO but only a 12% increase with Progressive.
Request quotes from at least three carriers immediately after your current carrier applies a surcharge at renewal. Standard carriers like Dairyland, National General, and Bristol West specialize in multi-point drivers and often quote lower rates than your current preferred carrier after a violation. Non-standard carriers like Acceptance and The General quote higher base rates but may still beat your post-surcharge preferred carrier premium.
Complete the defensive driving course before shopping if you have 7 or more points. Removing 7 points may keep you below the threshold where preferred carriers decline coverage, allowing you to access lower base rates. Request your Georgia DDS driving record after the course completion certificate is processed, then submit the updated record to each carrier when requesting quotes. Some carriers re-rate your policy mid-term if your point total drops below a classification threshold; others require you to wait until renewal.
What Georgia Considers a Hardship License During Suspension
Georgia does not issue hardship licenses during a points-triggered suspension. If you accumulate 15 points in 24 months, your license is fully suspended for the duration of the suspension period, which ranges from 12 months for a first suspension to 18 months for a second suspension.
The only exception applies to drivers under age 18. Georgia allows drivers under 18 to apply for a limited permit for school, work, or medical appointments during a suspension, but the permit requires proof of enrollment or employment and court approval.
Adult drivers suspended for points must wait out the full suspension period, pay the $210 reinstatement fee, and file SR-22 before driving legally again. Driving on a suspended license in Georgia is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. If caught, the suspension period resets and the DDS adds an additional 6-month extension to your original suspension term.
