Michigan · Tickets, Points & Your Record
How many points is a speeding ticket in Michigan?
One to four. 2–5 over is 1 point, 6–10 over is 2, 11–15 over is 3, and more than 15 over is 4. On a freeway posted 55 or more the bands run a point lower (MCL 257.629c): 1–5 over is 0, 6–10 is 1, 11–15 is 2, 16–25 is 3, and 26 or more is 4. What matters more is what those points do. And a once-per-lifetime course can keep eligible ones off your record entirely.
Verified against the current statutes — MCL 257.320a and 257.629c
Work zones run higher — up to 5 points. Got a BDIC letter? Start the course instead →
Speeding, by the band
More than 15 over is 4 points off the freeway. On a freeway posted 55 or more the bands run a point lower: 16–25 over is 3, and 26 or more is 4. Work zones add a point at every band, up to 5. 4-point violations don’t qualify for the BDIC.
Speeding, by the band
Michigan speeding points: 1 to 4, by speed band
On a limited-access freeway posted 55 or more, MCL 257.629c sets its own bands: 1–5 over is 0 points, 6–10 is 1, 11–15 is 2, 16–25 is 3, and 26 or more is 4. Work-zone and truck speed limits keep the ordinary bands.
Work zones run a point higher at every band — up to 5 points for more than 15 over. And work-zone speeding is excluded from the BDIC outright — one of four violations MCL 257.320d(3)(d) rules out by name, whatever the points.
Beyond speeding
The Michigan point schedule, violation by violation
| Violation | Points | BDIC can keep them off? |
|---|---|---|
| Manslaughter, negligent homicide, or a felony involving a vehicle | 6 | No — a criminal offense |
| OWI, reckless driving, fleeing an officer, leaving a crash scene | 6 | No — a criminal offense |
| Refusing a chemical test under implied consent | 6 | No |
| Work-zone speeding, more than 15 over | 5 | No — excluded by name |
| Speeding more than 15 over, off a freeway posted 55 or more | 4 | No — 4 points or more |
| Freeway speeding, 26 or more over (posted 55 or more) | 4 | No — 4 points or more |
| Visibly impaired driving; under-21 with any alcohol | 4 | No — 4 points or more |
| Drag racing | 4 | No — 4 points or more |
| Work-zone speeding, more than 10 up to 15 over | 4 | No — excluded by name |
| A moving violation causing an at-fault collision | 4 | No — 4 points or more |
| Careless driving | 3 | No — excluded by name |
| Speeding more than 10 up to 15 over | 3 | Yes, if you get the letter |
| Freeway speeding, 16 to 25 over (posted 55 or more) | 3 | Yes, if you get the letter |
| Disobeying a signal or stop sign, or improper passing | 3 | Yes, if you get the letter |
| Work-zone speeding, 10 or less over | 3 | No — excluded by name |
| Failing to stop for a school bus or a crossing guard | 3 (SOS chart) | No — excluded by name |
| Speeding more than 5 up to 10 over | 2 | Yes, if you get the letter |
| Freeway speeding, 11 to 15 over (posted 55 or more) | 2 | Yes, if you get the letter |
| Following too closely, and every other moving violation | 2 | Yes, if you get the letter |
| Under-21 refusing a preliminary breath test | 2 | No |
| Mobile device, third or later violation | 2 | Yes, if you get the letter |
| Speeding 2 to 5 over | 1 | Yes, if you get the letter |
| Freeway speeding, 6 to 10 over (posted 55 or more) | 1 | Yes, if you get the letter |
| Mobile device, second violation | 1 | Yes, if you get the letter |
| Mobile device, first violation | 0 — none assigned | Nothing to keep off |
| Freeway speeding, 1 to 5 over (posted 55 or more) | 0 | Nothing to keep off |
4 points Speeding more than 15 over, off the freeway — the 4-point band
- 0–8 No action
- 9–11 SOS may call you in
- 12–16 Reexamination
Two tickets from one stop? Michigan posts points only for the violation with the highest value — they don’t stack. (The trade-off: multiple violations from one incident make the ticket BDIC-ineligible.)
What the numbers mean
How long do points stay on your Michigan license?
Two years. Points expire two years from the conviction date. The conviction itself stays visible far longer. Most last at least seven years; impaired-driving and fatality convictions stay forever.
Source: MCL 257.320a and the Michigan Secretary of State’s driving-record rules.
How many points before you lose your license in Michigan?
The interview
The Secretary of State may call you in to discuss your record and driving ability. Skip the appointment and 3 more points go on your record.
The reexamination
Reach 12 points in two years and the SOS can call you in for a reexamination. That is a review of your driving record and ability. Six points from one-point speeding tickets alone can trigger it too. It can end in restrictions, a suspension of up to one year, or revocation.
Insurance eyes
Insurers use their own point systems, not the state’s. But they can pull your driving record to set your rate. Every conviction lives there.
The way out
Michigan deals you exactly one card. Play it well.
Points never entered. The state does not share the ticket with your insurer.
Once in your lifetime, for one eligible ticket, the Basic Driver Improvement Course keeps the points from ever going on. The Secretary of State also will not share that ticket with your insurer. Pass the 4-hour course inside the 60-day window on your letter. That is it. $39.95, open-book final, free retakes with no limit. We file your completion with the Michigan Department of State.
Not sure your ticket qualifies? Read the eligibility rules — the state decides, but the rules are knowable. The course keeps points off; it does not cancel the ticket or its fine. Ticketed outside Michigan? Every state scores tickets differently.
Points questions, answered
Michigan ticket points FAQ
How many points is a speeding ticket in Michigan?
One to four. Off the freeway, 2–5 over is 1 point, 6–10 over is 2 points, 11–15 over is 3, and more than 15 over is 4. On a limited-access freeway posted 55 or more, the bands run a point lower (MCL 257.629c): 1–5 over is 0, 6–10 is 1, 11–15 is 2, 16–25 is 3, and 26 or more is 4. Work-zone speeding runs higher: up to 5 points for more than 15 over.
How long do points stay on my Michigan record?
Two years from the date of conviction. The conviction itself stays on your record much longer. Most stay at least seven years, some longer — and impaired-driving and fatality convictions stay permanently. Points expire; the record entry doesn't.
Can I remove points that are already on my record?
No. Michigan has no point-reduction course or early-removal process. And the Secretary of State can't set aside a court conviction. The BDIC works on prevention instead. Pass it for an eligible ticket and those points are never entered in the first place.
How many points before I lose my license?
There's no automatic cutoff. At 9 points the Secretary of State may call you in for an interview about your driving record. Skipping it adds 3 more points. At 12 or more points within two years, the SOS can require a driver assessment reexamination. (So can 6 or more points from one-point speeding tickets alone.) That reexam can end in a restricted, suspended, or revoked license. A suspension under that reexamination section runs up to one year.
Do insurance companies see my Michigan points?
Insurers don't use the state's points directly — they score violations under their own separate point systems. But your driving record is available to them for insurance rating, and that's where your tickets live. Pass the BDIC for an eligible ticket, though, and it's different. The Secretary of State won't disclose that violation to your insurance company at all.
How many points is texting or using my phone while driving?
A first mobile-device violation carries no points. (The penalty is a fine or community service.) A second violation is 1 point, and a third or later is 2 points. A third violation within three years also brings a court-ordered driver improvement course under Michigan's 2023 law.
I got two tickets from one traffic stop. Do the points stack?
No. When multiple violations come out of the same incident, Michigan enters points only for the highest-value one. They don't add together. (Note the flip side for the BDIC. Being cited for more than one moving violation in the same incident makes the ticket ineligible for the program.)
Does the BDIC erase points I already have?
No. The BDIC keeps points from being entered for one eligible ticket. It does not touch points already on your record, and you can use it only once in your lifetime. So the best time to use it is a ticket that would otherwise add points.
What are the highest-point violations in Michigan?
Six points, for the worst offenses: reckless driving, drunk or drugged driving (OWI), fleeing or eluding police, and leaving the scene of a crash. Also six: manslaughter or another felony involving a vehicle, and refusing a chemical test under implied consent. None of these qualify for the BDIC — they're either criminal offenses or carry more than 3 points.
How do I keep points off my record entirely?
For one eligible ticket in your lifetime: the Basic Driver Improvement Course. If your ticket qualifies and the Department of State finds you eligible, pass the 4-hour course within your 60-day window. The points are never entered — and the state does not share the ticket with your insurer. Check the eligibility rules to see if your ticket qualifies.
How do I check the points on my Michigan record?
Order or view your driving record through the Michigan Department of State's online services. Your BDIC eligibility letter also means the state has already checked for you. If you got the letter, you had two or fewer points when the ticket was issued.
Keep the points off entirely.
4 hours. $39.95, everything in. Points never entered, and the state does not share the ticket with your insurer — filed electronically with the Michigan Department of State.
Start My Course — $39.95 →Questions first? Email support@highwaytrafficschool.com any day — we reply 7 days a week. Or text or call 1-888-406-1726, Mon–Sat 7am–7pm PT.