Delaware Point System: How Driving Points Work

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

The Delaware point system adds points to your driving record for moving violation convictions, under the Delaware DMV’s Problem Driver Program in Regulation 2208. Points count at full value for 12 months from the violation date and at half value for the next 12 months. The DMV takes action at 8, 12, and 14 or more calculated points within 24 months.

Key Facts

  • Who adds the points: the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), not the court. See how the system works.
  • Point values: speeding is 2, 4 or 5 points, a stop sign or red light is 3, and reckless or aggressive driving is 6. See the point chart.
  • How long points count: full value for 12 months, then half value for 12 more. See how long points count.
  • DMV action: an advisory letter at 8 points, a course or suspension at 12, and suspensions from 14 points up. See DMV actions.
  • Defensive driving: a 3-point credit that applies only to future violations and does not lower your total. See the 3-point credit.

How the Delaware Point System Works

The Delaware DMV runs a Problem Driver Program under Regulation 2208. That rule gives each moving violation a set point value. When you are convicted, the DMV adds those points to your driving record.

The court does not add points. The JP Court Traffic FAQs say plainly, “The Court does not assess points.” The court decides the ticket, and the DMV then applies the points.

A conviction can come from a court ruling. It can also come from paying the ticket.

Under 21 Del. C. 709, paying through the Voluntary Assessment Center (VAC) “is an admission of guilt, a waiver of the right to a hearing, and a complete satisfaction of the violation.”

Delaware Driving Points Chart

Regulation 2208 section 4.1 and the DMV Point and Speed System page list these values. Regulation 2208 marks some violations as ones that “May result in additional actions including suspension.”

ViolationPointsRegulation 2208 note
Speeding 1-9 mph over the limit2None
Speeding 10-14 mph over the limit4None
Speeding 15-19 mph over the limit5None
Speeding 20 mph or more over the limit5May also lead to suspension
Reckless driving6None
Aggressive driving6May also lead to suspension
Passing a stopped school bus6May also lead to suspension
Operation of a vehicle causing death6May also lead to suspension
Disregarding a stop sign or red light3None
Other moving violations2None

The “other moving violations” row covers moving violations under Chapters 27, 41 and 42 of Title 21. Our guide to Delaware speeding ticket points explains the speeding rows in more depth.

Violations Not Named in the Chart

The chart does not name every violation. Beyond the rows above, it gives one value for “other moving violations.” This article gives no value for a violation the chart does not name.

If your ticket is not named, ask the DMV. Driver Improvement can answer point questions at 302-744-2509.

Handheld Phone Tickets Carry No Points

A handheld phone ticket is the clear exception.

Under 21 Del. C. 4176C(e), “No motor vehicle points shall be assessed for a violation of this section.” A fine still applies. Our guide to the Delaware cell phone law covers that law.

When a Conviction Brings No Points

Two official rules lead to no points on the record. Each one has limits.

The First Minor Speeding Ticket

Regulation 2208 section 4.2.1 covers speeding 1-14 mph over the limit. No points are assessed for the first such violation within any three-year period.

The ticket must be paid through the VAC or as a mail-in. The DMV adds that this “Only applies to Class D license holders” and that “CDL holders will receive points.”

Probation Before Judgment

The JP Court Traffic FAQs say that under probation before judgment (PBJ) “there is no conviction and no points are assessed.” Under 11 Del. C. 4218, PBJ is not open to CDL holders charged with a motor vehicle offense. It is also not open to a person granted PBJ for an offense under the same title within five years of the current offense.

Whether either rule fits your ticket depends on your case. The court on your ticket, the DMV or a Delaware attorney can answer for your situation.

How Long Points Count

Points do not keep their full weight forever. Under Regulation 2208 section 4.13, points count “at full point value for the first twelve months from the date of the violation.” They count at “(1/2) point value for the next 12 months.”

The DMV acts only on convictions within the 24-month period after the offense date. The DMV Driver Improvement FAQ repeats this rule. The DMV calls the result your calculated points.

Here is a simple example, not a real case. A 4-point speeding conviction counts 4 points for the first 12 months. It counts 2 points in months 13 to 24, and the DMV stops counting it after that.

Our guide on how long points stay on a Delaware license walks through more timing examples.

What the DMV Does at Each Point Level

Regulation 2208 section 4.6 ties DMV action to your calculated points within 24 months. In short:

  • 8 points: the DMV sends an advisory letter.
  • 12 points: a Behavior Modification course within 90 days, or a 2-month suspension if the course is not finished or the driver chooses the suspension.
  • 14 points: a 4-month suspension.
  • 16 points: a 6-month suspension.
  • 18 points: an 8-month suspension.
  • 20 points: a 10-month suspension.
  • 22 points: a 12-month suspension.

At 14 points or more, getting your license back also needs a Behavior Modification course finished within the previous 2 years. Our guide to how many points suspend a Delaware license covers each step, the occupational license and reinstatement.

The Behavior Modification course is a separate, DMV-required course. It is not the voluntary defensive driving course. Our guide to the Delaware Behavior Modification course explains how the two differ.

How a Delaware moving violation becomes points on your record, from the ticket and conviction to the DMV's calculated total and its action levels

Serious Speeding Has Its Own Rules

Very high speeds can bring action on their own, separate from the point levels. Regulation 2208 section 4.7 sets these rules:

  • 20 to 24 mph over: an advisory letter, if you have fewer than 12 calculated points.
  • 25 mph over: a 1-month suspension, plus 1 more month for each additional 5 mph.
  • 50 mph or more over, or 100 mph or more: a 1-year suspension.

The DMV Driver Improvement FAQ adds that at 25 to 29 mph over, a driver may take the Behavior Modification course in place of the suspension. At 30 mph or more over, the suspension is mandatory.

Tickets From Other States

A ticket outside Delaware can still add Delaware points. Under Regulation 2208 section 4.4, out-of-state convictions are posted to your Delaware record. Points are assessed “as though the offense was committed in this State.”

So the chart above applies to those convictions too. They count toward the same 24-month total as a Delaware ticket.

Defensive Driving and the 3-Point Credit

A defensive driving course approved by the Delaware DMV gives a 3-point credit. Under Regulation 2208 section 4.2.2, the credit is entered on your driving record after you finish the course. It “is effective on the date of course completion.”

The credit has firm limits. The DMV Point and Speed System page says it “is only applied to future violations, in certain circumstances.” The same page says it “does not decrease your overall point values.”

A few more rules apply:

  • The credit “will not be applied retroactively once an action item is in effect.”
  • The course “remains valid for three years from the completion date.”
  • The credit does not affect the 8-point advisory letter.
  • Under section 4.2.3, the credits “shall not be considered when determining the eligibility of a school bus operator.”

No Delaware course takes away points you already have. Our guide on how to get points off your license in Delaware explains what the credit does and does not do.

How to Check Your Points

Your driving record lists your convictions. You can order a 3-year, 5-year or full record from the DMV. The DMV offers it in person, online through MyDMV, or by mail.

Our guide to the Delaware driving record covers the fee and each step. For questions about your points or a DMV letter, call Driver Improvement at 302-744-2509.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the DMV pages we checked on October 28, 2026, two details stood out.

First, the DMV Point and Speed System page lists aggressive driving at 6 points with no suspension mark. Regulation 2208 marks it as one that “May result in additional actions including suspension.”

Second, neither the DMV page nor Regulation 2208 names careless driving or failure to yield in its chart.

Key numbers in the Delaware point system, from the 12 plus 12 month count to the 8, 12 and 14 point action levels

Common Mistakes

Each item below is checked against Regulation 2208, the Delaware Code or a DMV page:

  • Thinking the court adds points. The court does not assess points. The DMV does.
  • Thinking points drop off at 12 months. They count at half value for 12 more months.
  • Thinking a course lowers your total. The 3-point credit applies only to future violations, in certain circumstances.
  • Expecting the credit to stop an advisory letter. It does not affect the 8-point letter.
  • Assuming the mail-in rule covers CDL holders. The DMV says CDL holders will receive points.
  • Forgetting out-of-state tickets. They are posted to your Delaware record with Delaware points.

How Requirements Can Vary

Delaware’s point system, defensive driving course rules and insurance discount come from state law and state regulations (Regulations 2208, 2224 and 607, and section 2503 of Title 18 of the Delaware Code) and apply statewide. How your ticket is handled is up to the court on your ticket. The fines in the Delaware Code do not include court costs and assessments, so the amount due is on your ticket.

Laws, regulations and DMV fees can change. Check your ticket, any DMV letter, the Delaware DMV website and the Delaware Code before you take a course or pay a ticket.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many points is a speeding ticket in Delaware?

It depends on how far over the limit you were. Speeding 1-9 mph over is 2 points, 10-14 over is 4, and 15 or more over is 5. A first ticket for 1-14 mph over within 3 years, paid by mail or through the VAC, brings no points for Class D license holders.

How many points does it take to lose your license in Delaware?

At 12 calculated points, the DMV calls for a Behavior Modification course within 90 days. A 2-month suspension applies if the course is not finished or the driver chooses it. At 14 points, a 4-month suspension applies, and the length grows at 16, 18, 20 and 22 points.

Do Delaware points go away?

Points count at full value for 12 months from the violation date and at half value for the next 12 months. The DMV acts only on convictions within 24 months after the offense date.

Does a defensive driving course take points off my record?

No. A course approved by the Delaware DMV gives a 3-point credit that applies only to future violations, in certain circumstances. The DMV says it “does not decrease your overall point values.”

Do out-of-state tickets add points in Delaware?

Yes. Regulation 2208 section 4.4 says out-of-state convictions are posted to your Delaware record. Points are assessed “as though the offense was committed in this State.”

Does a cell phone ticket add points in Delaware?

No. 21 Del. C. 4176C(e) says no motor vehicle points are assessed for a handheld phone violation. A fine still applies.

Conclusion

The Delaware point system gives each moving violation a set value, counts it in full for 12 months and at half value for 12 more, and brings DMV action at 8, 12 and 14 or more points. Drivers who need a defensive driving course now should pick one from the DMV’s approved course list. For those who want to learn about the voluntary course later, the Delaware defensive driving course at Driving Logic is coming soon.

The PBJ limits summarized here are not exhaustive. Prior convictions and the charge can also affect eligibility; the court decides whether PBJ is available under section 4218.

Sources

Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, an online driver education course provider serving drivers in several U.S. states.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Delaware course rules, point values, fines and penalties depend on your ticket, court, DMV notice and case facts, and they can change. Use official Delaware DMV, Delaware Code and court sources, and consult a qualified Delaware attorney for advice about your own case.