Here’s how many traffic violation points in SC will cost you your driver’s license

Patrick McCreless
·2 min read

You’re zipping along I-20, minding your business, when all of a sudden those all-to-familiar blue lights appear in your rearview mirror.

Were you speeding? Do you have a brake light out?

Whatever you may have done, your traffic violation in South Carolina will accrue points that could eventually cost you your driver’s license.

According to the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles, South Carolina is one of several states that levies points against a person’s driver’s license for breaking traffic laws.

“The purpose of the point system is to make problem drivers improve their driving habits and protect innocent people from careless and reckless drivers,” the SCDMV website states.

Below are details on traffic violation point values and how many will cost a person their driver’s license, according to the SCDMV and the Drennan Law Firm in Mount Pleasant.

SC driver’s license suspension

So, how many points does a driver need to earn before their license is suspended? A driver’s license in South Carolina can be suspended after the driver gains 12 points, Brennan Law Firm states. And based on the point system below, reaching 12 points may be easier and faster than some residents think.

Points for SC traffic violations

South Carolina traffic tickets are separated into three categories of severity.

  • 2 points: Shifting lanes without signaling, failing to dim lights, operating without adequate lights, improper or dangerous parking, driving an unsafe vehicle, driving in the wrong lane, backing up improperly, speeding 10 mph or less than the posted speed limit.

  • 4 points: Driving on the wrong side of the road, disobeying an officer, unlawfully passing or turning, disobeying traffic signals or signs, failure to yield the right of way, driving through a safety zone, failure to signal, tailgating, driving with inadequate brakes, speeding between 10 and 25 mph above the speed limit.

  • 6 points: Reckless driving, passing a stopped school bus, hit and run with property damage, speeding 25 mph or more above the speed limit.

Brennan Law Firm notes that DUIs or hit and runs resulting in injuries and death carry criminal penalties, but can also lead to a suspension of your driver’s license.

How to reduce points

Points on a South Carolina driver’s license are not permanent, but they don’t exactly drop away fast either. Traffic points are reduced in half one year from the time they are levied.

To have them reduced faster, the SCDMV suggests drivers complete the National Safety Council’s 8-hour defensive driving course or an equivalent. There are also some defensive driving courses offered at SCDMV-certified driving schools. Find the schools that offer the course by searching for ones certified for four-point reduction, SCDMV states.