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Driving conviction codes explained

Unsure of any of the driving licence conviction codes for motoring offences in the UK?

Here we provide a complete list of driving conviction codes and explain what happens if you receive a driving conviction, including the impact it could have on your car insurance.

Lights on police car

How do I get a driving conviction or penalty points?

There are 2 main ways in which you can have points added to your licence:

  • A fixed penalty notice
  • A court conviction

For less serious offences, such as relatively ‘minor’ speeding offences, you might be given an on-the-spot fine by a police officer. Or you might get the notification through the post.

If you accept it, you don’t have to go to court.

But if you challenge it, or if the offence is more serious, you need to appear in front of magistrates. If you’re found guilty, you might end up with points and a fine.

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Accident offences (AC)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence:

Code Offence No. of points
AC10
Failing to stop after an accident 
5-10 
AC20
Failing to give particulars or to report an accident within 24 hours 
5-10 
AC30
Undefined accident circumstances
4-9

 

Disqualified driver (BA)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence:

Code Offence No. of points
BA10
Driving while disqualified by order of court
BA30
Attempting to drive while disqualified by order of court 
6

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of conviction:

Code Offence No. of points
BA40
Causing death by driving while disqualified
3-11 
BA60
Causing serious injury by driving while disqualified 
3-11

 

Careless driving (CD)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of the offence:

 
 
Code Offence No. of points
CD10
Driving without due care and attention 
3-9 
CD20
Driving without reasonable consideration for other road users 
3-9
CD30 
Driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users 
3-9

The following stay on a driving licence for 11 years from date of conviction:

Code Offence No. of points
CD40
Causing death through careless driving when unfit through drink
3-11 
CD50
Causing death by careless driving when unfit through drugs
3-11
CD60 
Causing death by careless driving with alcohol level above the limit
3-11
CD70
Causing death by careless driving then failing to supply a specimen for analysis
3-11

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of conviction:

Code Offence No. of points
CD80
"Causing death by careless, or inconsiderate, driving "
3-11 
CD90
"Causing death by driving: unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured drivers "
3-11

 

Construction and use offences (CU)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence:

Code Offence No. of points
CU10
Using a vehicle with defective brakes 
CU20
"Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of use of unsuitable vehicle or using a vehicle with parts or accessories (excluding brakes, steering or tyres) in a dangerous condition "
CU30
Using a vehicle with defective tyre(s)
3
CU40
Using a vehicle with defective steering 
CU50
Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of load or passengers 
CU80
Using a mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle 
3-6

 

Reckless/dangerous driving (DD)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of conviction:

Code Offence No. of points
DD10
Causing serious injury by dangerous driving
3-11 
DD40
Dangerous driving 
3-11 
DD60
Manslaughter or culpable homicide while driving a vehicle
3-11 
DD80
Causing death by dangerous driving
3-11
DD90
Furious driving 
3-9

 

Drink driving

The following stay on a driving licence for 11 years from date of conviction:

Code Offence No. of points
DR10
Driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit
3-11 
DR20
Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink
3-11 
DR30
Driving or attempting to drive then failing to supply a specimen for analysis
3-11
DR31
Driving or attempting to drive then refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity 
3-11 
DR61
Refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity in circumstances other than driving or attempting to drive 
10

The following stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence or 4 years from date of conviction where a disqualification is imposed.

 
Code Offence No. of points
DR40
In charge of a vehicle while alcohol level above limit
10 
DR50
In charge of a vehicle while unfit through drink
10 
DR60
Failure to provide a specimen for analysis in circumstances other than driving or attempting to drive
10
DR70
Failing ailing to provide specimen for breath test 
4

 

Drug driving (DG)

The following stay on a driving licence for 11 years from date of conviction

Code Offence No. of points
DG10
Driving or attempting to drive with drug level above the specified limit
3-11 
DG60
Causing death by careless driving with drug level above the limit
3-11
DR80
Driving or attempting to drive when unfit through drugs
3-11

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence, or 4 years from date of conviction where the driver is disqualified:

Code Offence No. of points
DG40
In In charge of a vehicle while drug level above specified limit 
10 
DR90
In charge of a vehicle when unfit through drugs 
10

 

Insurance offences (IN)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence:

Code Offence No. of points
IN10
Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks 
6-8

 

Licence offences (LC)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence:

Code Offence No. of points
LC20
Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
3-6 
LC30
Driving after making a false declaration about fitness when applying for a licence 
3-6 
LC40
Driving a vehicle having failed to notify a disability
3-6
LC50
Driving after a licence has been revoked or refused on medical grounds
3-6

 

Miscellaneous offences (MS)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence:

Code Offence No. of points
MS10
Leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position
3
MS20
Unlawful pillion riding 
MS30
Play street offences
2
MS50
Motor racing on the highway
3-11
MS60
Offences not covered by other code
3
MS70
Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight
3
MS80
Refusing to submit to an eyesight test
3
MS90
Failure to give information as to identity of driver etc
6

 

Motorway offences (MW)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence:

Code Offence No. of points
MW10
Contravention of special roads regulations (excluding speed limits) 
3

 

Pedestrian crossings (PC)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence:

Code Offence No. of points
PC10
Undefined contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations 
PC20
Contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations with moving vehicle 
PC30
Contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations with stationary vehicle
3

 

Speeding (SP)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence. If you want to work out how much your speeding fine would be, check out our speeding fine calculator.

Code Offence No. of points
SP10
Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits
3-6
SP20
Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle (excluding goods or passenger vehicles) 
3-6 
SP30
Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road
3-6
SP40
Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit
3-6
SP50
Exceeding speed limit on a motorway
3-6

 

Traffic direction and signs (TS)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence:

Code Offence No. of points
TS10
Failing to comply with traffic light signals
3
TS20
Failing to comply with double white lines
3
TS30
Failing to comply with 'Stop' sign
3
TS40
Failing to comply with direction of a constable/warden
3
TS50
"Failing to comply with traffic sign (excluding  'stop' signs, traffic lights or double white lines)"
3
TS60
Failing to comply with a school crossing patrol sign
 3
TS70
Undefined failure to comply with a traffic direction sign
 3

 

Special code (TT)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence

Code Offence
"To signify a disqualification under 'totting-up' procedure. If the total of penalty points reaches 12 or more within three years, the driver is liable to be disqualified. "
TT99

 

Theft or unauthorised taking (UT)

The following stay on a driving licence for 4 years from date of offence:

Code Offence No. of points
UT50
Aggravated taking of a vehicle 
3-11
 

Causing or permitting

With these motoring offences, the code remains the same except for the last digit – which changes to a 4.

So, for example, if someone is driving without insurance then they're committing an IN10 offence.

But if somebody lends a friend their car knowing that the friend isn't insured, then they can be convicted of an IN14.

Another example is if a driver is using a mobile phone then the code for this offence is CU80.

But if a passenger in the car answers the phone and then passes it to the driver, then the passenger may be guilty of a CU84.

 

Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring

With these offences, the code remains the same except for the last digit – which changes to a 2. For example, CD30 becomes CD32.

 

Inciting

With these offences, the code remains the same except for the last digit – which changes to a 6. For example, DD40 becomes DD46).

 

Non-endorsable offences

These are offences that the courts don't endorse onto your paper counterpart. Although these offences don't carry any points there may still be a period where you're disqualified from driving.

You can also get non-endorsable fixed penalty notices. You still get a fine but you don't get any points on your licence.

 

How long do points stay on my licence?

It depends on the offence. Most stay on your licence for 4 years, but for the most serious offences (like death by dangerous driving) it can be as much as 11 years.

The endorsement - which is the penalty points - remains ‘valid’ for the 3 years in the case of a 4-year endorsement. They remain valid for 10 years in the case of an 11-year endorsement.

If you commit another offence while you have a valid endorsement, the court can take the endorsement into account while considering the latest case. This may also apply if a court hears your case during the final year of the endorsement.

You can find more information at GOV.UK.

 

How many driving licence points lead to a driving ban?

You can be banned from driving if you pick up at least 12 points within 3 years.

A ban lasts for 6 months if you get 12 or more penalty points within 3 years. You get a 12 month ban if you get a second disqualification within 3 years, and a 2-year ban if you get a third disqualification within 3 years.

The court decides how long the disqualification lasts, based on how serious it thinks the offence is.

If you’re disqualified for 56 days or more, you need to apply for a new driving licence before you're allowed behind the wheel again. The court might also order you to retake your driving test.

For bans of less than 56 days, you don’t need to reapply for your driving licence.

 

How do I find out how many points I have on my licence?

You can view your driving licence information online, and this gives info including details of any endorsements and points.

 

Do points on my driving licence affect my car insurance?

There's no hard and fast rule on this, but having a motoring conviction could affect your car insurance costs.

When an insurer decides whether to cover you or not they look at the risk you pose. This includes the chances of you being involved in an accident.

If you have a driving conviction or have been disqualified from driving, insurers assume that you're more likely to take risks when you drive. This is likely to see you pay more for your car insurance.

The most important thing is that you’re honest when applying for insurance. If you claim to have no points or convictions but that isn’t true, you face having your policy invalidated.

As well as not being covered if you need to make a claim, you face being prosecuted and convicted of driving without insurance. This adds further penalty points to your licence, which makes your car insurance more expensive again.

For more information on this, take a look at our guide on car insurance for convicted drivers.

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How do driving licence points affect new drivers?

Any points that you pick up on your provisional licence are carried over to your full licence once you pass your driving test.

Once you’ve got a full licence, if you pick up 6 points within 2 years, you can have your licence taken away.

And as well not being able to drive, you’ll find yourself back at square one. You have to reapply for a new provisional licence and retake your driving tests – both practical and theory.