Why Louisiana Drivers Don’t Get Points on Their License
(BATON ROUGE, LA) - If your only exposure to "points on your license" comes from a courtroom drama or some character on TV bragging about how many more tickets he can get before he loses his license, you've probably only lived in Louisiana (or eight other states). That's just not how we do things down here. Most of the country runs on a point-based tracking system for driving violations. We don't. And that difference matters more than you'd think next time you're staring down a citation.
States That Don't Use Points System for Driving Privileges
- Hawaii
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Washington
- Wyoming
How Louisiana Actually Tracks Your Driving Record
Instead of tallying up numbers on your license, the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles looks at the actual convictions on your record, how serious they are and how often they're piling up. According to Flashpath, A DWI conviction, a vehicle negligent injury conviction, or repeated reckless driving citations can trigger a suspension on their own, no point threshold required. For example, three reckless driving convictions within 12 months is enough to suspend a commercial license, and a first DWI conviction with a BAC of 0.08% or higher comes with a 90 day suspension, jumping to a full year for a second offense, according to Louisiana statute. Major convictions like those stay on your record for 10 years, while other violations that lead to suspension stick around for 5, so Louisiana isn't exactly letting anybody off easy just because there's no scoreboard.
How the Point System Works Everywhere Else
In the other 41 states, every conviction adds a set number of points to your license, and the more severe the violation, the more points you get. Rack up too many, usually somewhere around 10 to 12 depending on the state, and you're looking at a suspension or revocation, according to FindLaw. Those points also tend to fade off your record after a set period, similar to how Louisiana's conviction-based system works on a timer. Worth noting, Don't confuse driver's license points with insurance rating systems, either. Even in states like Louisiana that don't assign DMV points, insurers can still use your driving record and traffic violations when determining what you pay.
The Case for Each System
A points system gives you a number to watch, which means you know exactly where you stand. Get a ticket, see the points, know how close you are to trouble. It's a clear, objective yardstick. The tradeoff is that it can feel like a game to some drivers, rack up just enough violations without crossing the suspension line and you're technically still "fine," even if your record says otherwise.
READ MORE: Study Shows Louisiana Drivers Less Likely to Speed
Louisiana's system, and the systems in the other eight non-point states, work differently. The state isn't tracking a number, it's tracking a pattern, the type and severity of what you've actually done behind the wheel. That gives the OMV more discretion to act on serious or repeated bad behavior without waiting for points to add up. The downside is that it's less transparent. There's no published threshold to check against, so the decision to suspend can feel more subjective if you're the one on the receiving end.
Neither system is more lenient than the other, they just measure things differently. Louisiana drivers don't get a free pass for driving badly, we just don't get a scorecard telling us how close we are to losing our license.
Either way, the lesson's the same one your driving instructor probably gave you: drive safe, and you'll never have to find out how either system works up close.
