Missouri driver guide
Missouri traffic ticket points explained
Every moving violation you are convicted of in Missouri adds points to your driving record with the Department of Revenue. Enough points in a short window and the state suspends or revokes your license — long before you ever feel like a "bad driver." Here is how the system works and what can be done about it.
How many points does a ticket carry?
Point values depend on the offense and on whether the case is charged in municipal court or under state law. These are the values drivers ask about most often.
| Violation | Points assessed |
|---|---|
| Speeding or most moving violations (municipal court) | 2 points |
| Moving violation under state law (state court) | 3 points |
| Careless and imprudent driving (municipal) | 2 points |
| Careless and imprudent driving (state) | 4 points |
| Leaving the scene of an accident (municipal) | 6 points |
| DWI / intoxication-related offense (first conviction) | 8 points |
| Driving while suspended or revoked | 12 points |
| Non-moving violation (equipment, parking, defective vehicle) | 0 points |
When does Missouri suspend or revoke a license?
8 points in 18 months
The Missouri Department of Revenue suspends your license: 30 days for a first suspension, 60 days for a second, and 90 days for any after that.
12 points in 12 months
Your license is revoked for one full year, not merely suspended.
18 points in 24 months / 24 points in 36 months
Longer revocation periods apply, and reinstatement requires proof of insurance (SR-22) and additional fees.
Points do come off over time — after one year with no new points your total is cut by one third, after two years by half, and after three clean years it reaches zero. The conviction itself, however, stays on your record and insurers can still see it.
What points do to your insurance
Insurers price policies off your conviction history, not off the ticket itself. A single moving violation commonly raises a Missouri premium for three years, and multiple violations can push a driver into a high-risk tier or trigger non-renewal. The financial cost of a conviction is usually far larger than the fine printed on the citation.
How a traffic attorney keeps points off your record
In most St. Louis area municipal courts, a moving violation can be negotiated down to a non-moving violation — often an equipment or illegal-parking amendment that carries zero points. You typically pay a fine and court costs, the case closes, and the Department of Revenue never assesses points against your license. In most cases you never appear in court; your attorney does that for you.
- Amend the charge to a non-moving violation so no points attach.
- Challenge the stop, the radar evidence, or the officer's observations where warranted.
- Resolve outstanding warrants or failure-to-appear issues before they escalate.
- Protect CDL holders, who face stricter rules and cannot use many amendments.
Got a ticket in St. Louis?
Send us the details and we will tell you what the citation means for your points, your license, and your insurance — at no cost.
Start your free consultationThis page is general information about Missouri law, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Point values and outcomes vary by court and by case.