How to Check How Many Points are on My License in Ohio?

Colin Maher, 19 December 2022

By Colin Maher, Founding Attorney, The Maher Law Firm | Columbus, Ohio | Last reviewed October 15, 2026

How to Check the Points on Your Ohio Driver’s License, and What to Do About Them

In a hurry? Three steps.

Go to the Ohio BMV’s online record request page.
Choose a driving record. The unofficial two-year copy shows the points counting toward a suspension; the certified three-year abstract costs $5.
Add up the points from convictions in the last two years. At 6 you get a warning letter. At 12 your license is suspended for six months.

Most people go looking for their point total right after something happens: a new ticket, a letter from the BMV, or a call from an insurance agent. The lookup itself takes a few minutes. Reading the record correctly takes a little more care, because the number that matters is not the total of every ticket you have ever had. It is the points from convictions inside a rolling two-year window.

This guide walks through the three ways to get your Ohio record, how to read it, the point values for common violations, and what you can still do if a pending ticket would push you toward 12.

Three Ways to Get Your Ohio Driving Record

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles keeps your record and offers several record types. For points, two of them matter:

Unofficial copy of your driving record (two years). Available online only. It covers the last two years, which lines up with the window Ohio uses to count points. The BMV has offered this as the no-cost option; confirm the price when you order.
Driving record abstract (three years). The certified version, at $5 per page. Insurers, employers and courts usually want this one, and employers often call it your MVR (motor vehicle record). It can be ordered online, by mail, or in person.

Online

Use the BMV’s record request portal. You will need your driver’s license number and identifying details. Online orders are paid by credit or debit card, and the BMV adds a card service fee of 1.95% ($1.75 minimum). This is the fastest route.

In person

Any deputy registrar license agency can print a certified abstract while you wait. Bring your license or state ID.

By mail

Fill out Form BMV 1173 (Record Request) and mail it with the $5 fee to the address on the form. Expect it to take noticeably longer than the other two options.

A quick note on search terms: a “license status check” and a “driving record” are not the same thing. A status check tells you whether your license is valid, suspended or expired. It usually will not list points. If you need your point total, order the record.

How to Read the Record

Ohio’s record lists each conviction with its date and the points assigned. Three details trip people up:

Points are counted from conviction, not from the ticket. Under ORC 4510.037, the 12-point rule looks at points charged within any two-year period, measured from the date of the first conviction in that window. A ticket you are still fighting has not added points yet.
Points stop counting, but convictions stay. A violation drops out of the two-year point total over time, but the conviction itself remains on your driving history. The three-year abstract insurers pull can still show it.
One incident, one set of points. Under ORC 4510.036(E), when several convictions come from the same incident, the BMV charges points only for the offense carrying the most points.

How Many Points Is Each Violation in Ohio?

Points are set by statute in ORC 4510.036. The most common ones:

6 points

OVI (operating a vehicle under the influence)
Fleeing or eluding a police officer
Leaving the scene of a crash without stopping to identify yourself
Street racing, stunt driving or a street takeover
Driving under a 12-point suspension or certain OVI suspensions
Vehicular homicide, manslaughter or assault, and felonies involving a vehicle

4 points

Speeding 30 mph or more over the limit
Willful or wanton disregard for safety (reckless operation under ORC 4511.20)
Underage driving with a prohibited alcohol level under ORC 4511.19(B)
A third or later distracted-driving (handheld device) offense within two years

3 points

A second distracted-driving offense within two years

2 points

Speeding more than 5 mph over a limit below 55 mph, or more than 10 mph over a limit of 55 mph or higher
A first distracted-driving offense within two years
Driving under most non-OVI suspensions
Most other moving violations, such as running a red light, failure to yield or improper passing

0 points

Speeding 5 mph or less over a limit below 55 mph, or 10 mph or less over a limit of 55 mph or higher

The distracted-driving points come from ORC 4511.204, Ohio’s handheld-device law. Our post on understanding the BMV point system covers more violation types.

What Happens at 6 and 12 Points

At 6 points within two years, the BMV mails a warning letter listing each violation and its points, along with the requirements you would face at 12.

At 12 points within two years, the BMV imposes a six-month 12-point suspension. It takes effect 20 days after the notice is mailed unless you file an appeal in the municipal or county court where you live. To get your license back, you must:

Serve the suspension
Complete a state-approved remedial driving course, as required by ORC 4510.038
Retake the full driver license exam
File proof of insurance (an SR-22). For suspensions starting after April 9, 2025, the BMV requires it for one year. Our page on SR-22 insurance in Columbus explains how that works.
Pay the reinstatement fee, which you can look up through the BMV’s reinstatement fee tool

Driving during a 12-point suspension is itself a 6-point offense. If you are already caught in that cycle, read our page on driving under suspension charges.

Can You Remove Points From an Ohio License?

You cannot pay a fee to erase points, but there are two legitimate ways to bring the count down.

Take a remedial driving course. If you have between 2 and 11 points, completing a BMV-approved course earns a 2-point credit under ORC 4510.037(C). The BMV allows that credit only once every three years and no more than five times in your lifetime. It will not lift a 12-point suspension that has already been imposed.
Points stop counting toward a suspension once the two-year window passes. Our post on how long points stay on your license in Ohio walks through the timing.

The more effective move usually comes earlier: keeping new points off the record in the first place.

Before You Pay That Next Ticket

Paying a ticket is a guilty plea. Once the court reports the conviction, the BMV records it within 10 days and the points follow. Many people check their total only after paying, when the options have narrowed. Our post on what happens after you pay a speeding ticket covers that situation.

If you have a ticket pending and your record already shows points, there are better questions to ask first:

Can the charge be amended to a non-moving or lower-point offense?
Is there a defense to the ticket itself, such as a calibration or radar issue, unclear signage, or an officer who cannot appear?
For speeding, does the reading fall under the zero-point threshold once it is properly verified?
If you hold a CDL, are federal disqualification rules in play? A Columbus CDL attorney can assess this.

Our guide on how to dismiss a traffic ticket in Columbus goes into each of these.

Keeping a Truck Driver’s Record Clean

One result on The Maher Law Firm’s published case results page shows why the conviction, not the ticket, is what matters. A truck driver charged with speeding needed to avoid both the points and the conviction to stay on his company’s insurance policy. A single additional entry on his abstract could have cost him his job. Colin Maher handled the case and the speeding charge was dismissed, so nothing was added to the driver’s record.

For commercial drivers and anyone already near the 6- or 12-point mark, the time to act is before the plea is entered, not after the BMV letter arrives.

Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts and the court involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check my points on my Ohio license for free?

Order the unofficial two-year copy of your driving record through the BMV’s online record request page. It covers the period Ohio uses to count points. Confirm the current price at checkout, since only the certified abstract has a listed fee of $5.

Will a license status check show my points?

Usually not. A status check confirms whether your license is valid or suspended. To see points, order a driving record.

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

Twelve points within two years triggers a six-month suspension. You get a warning letter at six.

Do points show up as soon as I get a ticket?

No. Points are added after a conviction, which includes paying the ticket. The BMV records the conviction within 10 days of receiving it from the court.

Can a remedial driving course remove points?

Yes, two points, if you have between 2 and 11 points. You can use the credit once every three years and up to five times in your lifetime.

Does an OVI put points on my license?

Yes, six points, on top of the criminal penalties and license suspension. See our Ohio OVI penalties page for the full picture.

Questions About a Ticket or Your Point Total?

If a pending ticket could push you to 6 or 12 points, Colin Maher offers free phone consultations at 614-205-2208. He can review your record and the ticket before you decide whether to pay it. See our Columbus traffic ticket lawyer page for more on how the firm handles these cases.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information about Ohio law and BMV procedures as of its review date and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Point values, fees and BMV procedures change, so confirm current details with the Ohio BMV, and speak with a licensed Ohio attorney about your situation.

Article by

Colin Maher

Colin Maher is the founder and managing attorney of The Maher Law Firm, a leading criminal, traffic, and DUI/OVI defense practice in Columbus, Ohio. With over a decade of dedicated legal experience, Colin has successfully handled thousands of cases and nearly 100 trials across Central Ohio courts. Known for his aggressive courtroom advocacy and direct client communication, he specializes in protecting individual rights against complex criminal charges, traffic violations, and strict Ohio OVI penalties. Colin has provided over 10,000 free consultations, helping clients navigate the legal system with confidence and personalized defense strategies.