Traffic Tickets in Ohio

The subjects of driver license points and traffic school are covered extensively in our DMV Point System section on this site.

Just for a quick review, though, the point system is listed below.

Six-point Violations

• Committing a homicide with your car

• Driving while under the influence

• Failing to stop and give necessary information at the scene of a crash

• Purposely fleeing or eluding a police officer

• Racing on public roads

• Driving a vehicle without the owner's permission

• Driving with a suspended or revoked license

• Committing a felony with your car

Four-point Violations

• Driving with wanton disregard of the safety of pedestrians, other drivers, or property

• Driving under the influence as a minor

Two-point Violations

• Most moving violations (excluding issues regarding load limits)

• Driving a vehicle despite a BMV restriction

Handling a Ticket

In Ohio, the BMV does not handle traffic ticket transactions. Those issues are handled by the county courts. Your ticket will be printed with the address and contact information for the court handling your case. You should send payment or direct any questions to that court.

Check Your Driving Record

Speeding violations are assigned various points according to how many miles over the speed limit you go. Points given are four, two, and possibly zero.

Points stay on your license for two years.

Non-moving violations, such as forgetting to renew your registration on time, may result in a ticket and a fine, but will not result in points being assessed against you, and will not show up on your driving record.

The Warning

Once you accumulate six points on your driving record, the BMV will notify you with a letter. The letter is basically a warning about the penalties you'll get if you reach 12 points in a two-year period.

Those penalties include a mandatory six-month suspension and having to retake the written and driving tests before your license is reinstated.

You can take a remedial driving course and remove two points off your record. For more information, see DMV Point System on this site.

Long-term Consequences

You should be aware that several minor violations―and sometimes just one―in a short period of time can have a significant impact on your insurance premium, as can one major infraction.

You always run the risk of having your coverage dropped by your insurance company. This can lead to more problems when shopping for a new carrier, as you might be labeled as a high-risk customer (assuming that you weren't in this category before).

If you recently received a ticket, or have a lot of points on your license and are concerned about the impact it may have on your rates, it's best to contact your insurance agent or call your insurance company directly.

Remember, everyone who drives in Ohio needs to be able to show proof of financial responsibility. For more on this, see our Requirements & Information section.