ALBANY- Beginning in February 2026, a sweeping overhaul of the State Driver Violation Point System will officially take effect, marking the strictest era of traffic enforcement in decades in New York State.
The most significant change isn’t just how many driver’s license points a ticket will carry, but how long those points stay on a driver’s license. Under the new “24-Month Rule,” violations now stay active on a driver’s record for two full years, six months longer than the current standard.
According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, the goal of the changes isn’t to hand out more tickets, it’s to save lives by removing persistent offenders from the road.
Under the new rule, license suspension now triggers at just 10 points, down from the long-standing 11-point limit. With the new point hikes, a driver could reach that limit faster than ever. For example, a single ticket for passing a stopped school bus, which carries eight points, combined with a minor equipment violation like a broken taillight, which carries one point, and a failure to signal, which carries 2 points. is now enough to trigger an immediate suspension hearing.
Distracted driving has also come under heavier fire in recent years. Using a handheld device now carries a six point penalty, meaning two “phone-in-hand” tickets within two years will result in an automatic loss of driving privileges.
Drivers can check their current point totals through the official NY DMV MyDMV portal. For those already teetering near the limit, completing a Point and Insurance Reduction Program remains the most effective way to subtract up to four points from a record and lower insurance premiums.