How Long Does a Ticket Stay on Your Record?

A traffic ticket doesn't stay on your record forever — but it stays long enough to cost you thousands in higher insurance. Here's how long tickets last in each state and what you can do about it.

How long tickets stay on your record by state

State	How long tickets stay	How long points last
California	3 years	3 years
Florida	3–5 years	3 years
Texas	3 years	3 years
New York	4 years	18 months
Arizona	3 years	3 years
Georgia	2 years	2 years
Illinois	4–5 years	4–5 years
Ohio	2 years	2 years
Pennsylvania	3 years	3 years
Virginia	5 years	2 years
Michigan	7 years	2 years
New Jersey	5 years	3 years

Points vs. record

In some states, points and the ticket itself have different timelines. Points might fall off in 2 years, but the ticket stays visible on your record for 5 years. Insurance companies can see the ticket even after points expire.

What "on your record" actually means

There are two different records to think about:

Your DMV driving record

This is the official state record. It shows every ticket, point, and violation. Points fall off after a set period (see table above).

Your insurance record

Insurance companies keep their own records. Even after a ticket falls off your DMV record, your insurance company may still have it in their system. Most insurers look back 3 to 5 years.

How long does a ticket affect your insurance?

This is what really matters. Here's the typical timeline:

Timeline	What happens
Month 1	Ticket issued
Month 1–2	Ticket appears on DMV record
Next renewal	Insurance company sees ticket, raises rates
Years 1–3	You pay higher premiums
Year 3	Ticket falls off in most states
Year 3–5	Some insurers still factor it in
Year 5+	Rates return to pre-ticket levels

The average driver pays $582 more per year in insurance after a ticket. Over 3 years, that's $1,746 in extra premiums.

Serious violations last longer

DUI stays on your record for 7–10 years in most states. Reckless driving stays for 5–7 years. These violations have a much longer and more expensive insurance impact.

How serious violations compare

Violation type	Typical record duration	Insurance impact duration
Minor speeding	3 years	3 years
Major speeding	3–5 years	3–5 years
Red light/stop sign	3 years	3 years
Reckless driving	5–7 years	5–7 years
DUI/DWI	7–10 years	7–10 years
Hit and run	10+ years	10+ years

How to get a ticket off your record faster

1. Take traffic school (best option)

If you take a state-approved traffic school course, the ticket is dismissed from your record — or points are prevented from being added. This is the only way to prevent the ticket from ever appearing on your record.

Important: You must take traffic school before your court deadline. You can't go back and remove a ticket after it's already on your record in most states.

2. Get the ticket expunged

Some states allow you to petition for expungement of old traffic violations. This is rare for minor tickets and usually only available for more serious offenses.

3. Wait it out

Points and tickets naturally expire. But every year they're on your record is another year of higher insurance.

The cost of waiting vs. acting now

Option	Cost
Take traffic school now	$39.99
Wait 3 years for ticket to fall off	$1,746 in higher insurance
Wait 5 years (serious violation)	$2,910+ in higher insurance

Act now, save thousands

The window for traffic school is limited. Once it closes, you're stuck paying higher insurance for years. Don't wait — take the course now while you're still eligible.

Don't wait years — fix it now

Why pay thousands in higher insurance waiting for a ticket to fall off your record? Take traffic school and keep your record clean from day one.

Related reading:

Ready to keep your record clean?

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