North Dakota’s long, straight highways make it easy to let your speed drift up. They also make it easy to collect points. If you’ve picked up a ticket, or you’re trying to understand what one more could mean, here’s how the system works, based on the North Dakota Department of Transportation’s points reduction and points schedule page.
The Thresholds That Matter
Two numbers drive the system:
- 12 points for adults. When a driver reaches 12 or more points, driving privileges are suspended for 7 days for each point over 11.
- 6 points for drivers under 18. A driver under 18 with 6 or more points has their license or driving privileges canceled.
For a teen driver, that means one bad speeding ticket can take them most of the way to losing their license.
How Speeding Points Are Assigned
NDDOT assigns speeding points based on how far over the limit you were, and the scale is different for higher-speed roads.
In zones of 65 mph or less:
- 1 to 10 mph over: 0 points
- 11 to 15 mph over: 1 point
- 16 to 20 mph over: 3 points
- 21 to 25 mph over: 5 points
- 26 to 35 mph over: 9 points
- 36 to 45 mph over: 12 points
- 46 mph or more over: 15 points
In zones over 65 mph:
- 1 to 5 mph over: 0 points
- 6 to 10 mph over: 1 point
- 11 to 15 mph over: 3 points
- 16 to 20 mph over: 5 points
- 21 to 25 mph over: 7 points
- 26 to 30 mph over: 10 points
- 31 to 35 mph over: 12 points
- 36 mph or more over: 15 points
Notice how quickly it escalates. On a 65 mph or slower road, going 26 over puts 9 points on your record from a single stop.
Other Common Violations
Speeding isn’t the only way to collect points. A few examples from NDDOT’s schedule:
- 2 points: failing to yield the right of way, disobeying traffic control signals, driving on the wrong side of the road, and driving in violation of instruction permit conditions
- 3 points: failing to stop at a railroad crossing
- 6 points: overtaking a school bus, and careless driving
- 8 points: reckless driving
How Points Come Off
There are two ways your total goes down:
- Time. NDDOT reduces 1 point for every 3 months you go without a new point violation. The reduction date is based on when the violation is entered.
- A defensive driving course. Drivers can take an approved course to reduce their total points by 3, once every 12 months.
One catch: if you’re serving a suspension or cancellation related to points, your points won’t be reduced until the suspension period is complete.
Using a Course to Reduce Points
NDDOT publishes a list of approved online defensive driving courses that qualify for the up-to-3-point reduction. The course can only be counted once every 12 months, so timing matters. If you’ve just received a ticket that pushes you close to a threshold, taking a course sooner can give you more breathing room.
If you have points now, the North Dakota Defensive Driving Point Reduction Course is fully online. For more background, see our earlier guide to the North Dakota point reduction program.
Habits That Keep Points Off
The cheapest point reduction is not getting points to begin with:
- Use cruise control on open highways. It keeps your speed from creeping up on long, straight roads.
- Slow down when limits change. Highways that pass through small towns can drop quickly from highway speed to town speed.
- Give work zones and school buses your full attention. Overtaking a school bus alone is 6 points.
- Stop fully at railroad crossings when required. It’s 3 points, and the risk is much higher than a ticket.
- Talk to teen drivers about the 6-point limit. A single 21-over ticket in a 65 mph zone is 5 points.
About Our Course
Defensive Drivers Institute’s North Dakota Defensive Driving Point Reduction Course is NDDOT-approved and accepted by courts. It’s online and self-paced, with unlimited final exam retakes and an instant certificate download, and we report your completion to NDDOT automatically. Completing it can remove 3 points from your current driving record.
Ready to bring your point total down? Start the North Dakota point reduction course.
