How Long Does Speeding Ticket Stay on Record in Virginia?

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

If you searched how long does speeding ticket stay on record in Virginia, the short answer is 5 years for a speeding conviction on your DMV driving record. Reckless driving by speed stays 11 years, while the demerit points count for only 2 years from the offense date. A suspension or revocation can keep convictions on the record even longer.

Key Facts

Speeding conviction: 5 years on the DMV record, at any speed tier. See speeding convictions.
Reckless by speed: 11 years on the DMV record. See reckless driving.
Demerit points: count for 2 years from the offense date. See the point clock.
Longer stays: a suspension or revocation can keep convictions longer. See longer stays.
Insurance: increases for violations “may be applied for 36 months.” See insurance time.

How Long Does Speeding Ticket Stay on Record in Virginia: Two Clocks

A Virginia speeding ticket runs on two clocks at once. One clock is for demerit points. The other is for the conviction itself.

DMV says the two are separate. Its Moving Violations and Point Assessments page says the dates points are removed “are not related to the dates that convictions are removed from your record.”

So a ticket can stop adding to your point total long before it leaves your record. For the full overview of fines and points, see the Virginia speeding ticket guide.

Every Speeding Conviction Stays 5 Years

DMV publishes lists of violations by point value. The years in parentheses show how long each conviction stays on your DMV record. Every plain speeding entry shows 5 years.

Entry on DMV’s list	Points	Years on DMV record	Points stop counting after
Speeding 1-9 mph above the limit	3	5	2 years
Speeding 10-14 mph	4	5	2 years
Speeding 15-19 mph	4	5	2 years
Speeding 20 mph or more above the limit (not reckless)	6	5	2 years
Reckless driving, 20 mph or more above the limit	6	11	2 years
Reckless driving, speeding in excess of 85 mph	6	11	2 years

The sources are DMV’s three-point, four-point and six-point lists. The point value changes with speed. The 5-year record time does not.

DMV adds a warning to each list: “The violations listed may change without notice.” Check the current list for your own violation.

Reckless Driving by Speed Stays 11 Years

Reckless driving runs on a much longer record clock. Driving 20 mph or more over the limit, or over 85 mph, is reckless driving under Code § 46.2-862.

DMV’s six-point list shows both reckless speed entries at 11 years. Other reckless driving entries on that list also show 11 years.

The points still count for 2 years, the same as speeding. Only the record time is longer. Our guide on when a ticket becomes reckless driving explains the line.

Five steps to work out when a Virginia speeding ticket's points stop counting and when the conviction leaves the DMV record

The Point Clock Runs 2 Years

Code § 46.2-493 sets the rule. Points “shall be valid for a period of two years from the date the offense was committed.”

The start date is the offense date, not the court date. DMV says the same: points “remain on your record for two years from the date that you commit the offense.”

There is one exception. If points are the basis for a suspension, probation or other action, they stay valid until that action ends. For the point rule in depth, see how long points stay on a license.

A Worked Example of the Two Clocks

Take a 4-point speeding offense committed on March 1. Here is how the clocks run:

Points: the 4 points count in your total until two years after March 1.
Insurance: the Bureau of Insurance says an increase “may be applied for 36 months.”
Record: the speeding conviction stays on the DMV record 5 years.

So for part of that time, the ticket shows on your record but adds nothing to your point total. Change the charge to reckless driving, and the record time becomes 11 years.

Prepaying Starts the Record Entry

A ticket reaches your record through a conviction. Prepaying is one way that happens.

Under Code § 16.1-69.40:1, prepaying counts as a guilty plea. The record of conviction is then sent to DMV. For the facts on each path, see pay or go to court.

When Convictions Stay Longer

The 5-year and 11-year times are not always the end. DMV says a revocation, suspension, disqualification or cancellation means “your convictions could remain on your record for even longer.”

DMV also posts traffic violations that carry no demerit points.

Our guide on how long violations stay on a driving record covers other offenses. Many other 3- and 4-point violations stay 3 years.

What Happens Inside the 2-Year Window

Points matter while they count. For a driver 18 or older, DMV acts on point totals in set time frames:

Advisory letter: DMV may mail one at 8 points within 12 months, or 12 within 24.
Required clinic: at 12 points within 12 months, or 18 within 24, with 90 days to finish.
Suspension: at 18 points within 12 months, or 24 within 24, for 90 days, plus the clinic.

At that top level, Code § 46.2-506 (amended 2025) also allows 9 months in the Intelligent Speed Assistance Program, with the clinic, in place of the suspension. Drivers aged 18 or 19 must take a clinic after any demerit-point conviction.

Drivers under 18 face rules based on the number of convictions. The first means a clinic, the second a 90-day suspension, and the third a revocation for 1 year or until 18, whichever is longer. A suspension or revocation can keep convictions on the record longer.

Tickets From Other States

A ticket outside Virginia can still reach a Virginia record. DMV says demerit points “will also be assigned to your record for traffic convictions incurred in other states.”

The reverse also applies. If you hold another state’s license, Virginia reports a Virginia conviction to your home state under the Driver License Compact.

Your home state then applies its own law. See out-of-state speeding tickets.

Insurance Uses Its Own Timeline

Insurers do not use DMV’s point clock. DMV says insurance company points “are developed by individual companies and are not related to DMV demerit points.”

The Bureau of Insurance auto insurance guide puts it this way: premium increases due to violations “may be applied for 36 months.”

No law sets the size of an increase. See insurance after a ticket for more.

Which Record Someone Sees

The time a ticket shows also depends on the record type. DMV’s record request page lists these lookbacks:

Personal use: up to 11 years.
Employment, school or military: up to 7 years, with your signed release.
Insurance summary: up to 5 years.

A driving record costs $9, or $8 online. A certified copy costs $5 more. You can order one online, by mail or in person.

DMV’s online record request also offers a point balance link. A record you view online may be viewed again within 5 days. Mailed records are sent within 5 business days.

Safe Driving Points and the Clinic

The clinic does not take a conviction off your record. It works on your point balance instead.

The DMV points system page says you get 1 safe driving point for each full calendar year with a valid Virginia license and no violations or suspensions. DMV adds them in early April.

The Driver Improvement Clinic (DIC) is an 8-hour course that costs no more than $100. The DMV Driver Improvement page says an eligible clinic can earn 5 safe driving points, once every 24 months. Code § 46.2-498 says five demerit points are “subtracted” from the completer’s total.

The safe driving point balance tops out at +5. The conviction stays on the record for its full time.

A few limits apply to the clinic benefit:

Points or a discount. Completion counts toward one of the two, never both.
Court-ordered clinics. DMV awards points only if the court says so.
Required clinics under 18. These earn no safe driving points.

Camera Tickets Do Not Start a Record Clock

A mailed speed camera ticket is different from an officer’s ticket. Under Code § 46.2-882.1, a mailed summons is not a conviction as an operator.

It is not part of your driving record and is not used for insurance. A ticket an officer hands you at the time is a conviction that goes on your record.

Virginia speeding ticket time frames at a glance: points, speeding and reckless convictions, insurance and record lookbacks

What We Checked on the Official Pages

On the DMV pages we checked on October 27, 2026, every plain speeding entry on the three-, four- and six-point lists showed 5 years. Both reckless speed entries showed 11 years.

The assessment page still said point dates and conviction dates are not related. The history line of the 2-year point rule, Code § 46.2-493, ended in 1989.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Each item comes from DMV or the Code:

Using point tiers for record time. Record time is set per violation, not by points.
Thinking 20 over always means 11 years. Plain speeding 20 or more over stays 5 years.
Counting points from the court date. They count from the offense date.
Assuming points and record end together. DMV says the dates are not related.
Expecting the clinic to shorten the record. It helps your point balance only.
Mixing up insurance and DMV points. Insurers use their own systems.

How Requirements Can Vary

Virginia’s point rules, safe driving points and DMV clinic orders come from the Code of Virginia and DMV rules, and they apply statewide. What you must do still depends on whether you take the clinic by choice, because of a DMV notice, or under a court order. A court order sets its own deadline and proof steps.

Laws, fees and court practice can change. Check your DMV notice, your court order and the Virginia DMV website for current rules before you enroll or file anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a speeding ticket stay on my Virginia record?

A speeding conviction stays on your DMV record 5 years, at any speed tier. A suspension or revocation can keep it longer.

How long does reckless driving stay on my record?

DMV keeps reckless driving by speed on the record 11 years. The 6 points still count for only 2 years from the offense date.

How long do the points count?

Points count for 2 years from the date of the offense under Code § 46.2-493. If they lead to a suspension or probation, they stay valid until that action ends.

Does a 20 over ticket stay 11 years?

Only if it ends as reckless driving. DMV’s list shows plain speeding 20 or more over at 5 years.

Does prepaying put the ticket on my record?

Yes. Prepaying counts as a guilty plea, and the record of conviction is sent to DMV. The speeding conviction then stays on the DMV record 5 years.

How long does a ticket affect insurance?

The Bureau of Insurance says increases for violations “may be applied for 36 months.” No law sets the amount.

Do out-of-state tickets go on my Virginia record?

For a Virginia driver, yes. DMV assigns demerit points for traffic convictions in other states.

Can a driver improvement clinic shorten the record time?

No. An eligible clinic can earn 5 safe driving points, once every 24 months, which lowers your point total. The conviction stays on the record for its full time.

Conclusion

A Virginia speeding conviction stays on your DMV record 5 years, and reckless driving by speed stays 11. The demerit points count for only 2 years from the offense date, and insurers use their own timeline.

If you want to lower your point total while the points still count, you can take the Virginia Driver Improvement Course online. If a court ordered your clinic, ask the court first whether it accepts an online course.

Sources

Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, a state-approved driver improvement course provider serving Virginia and other U.S. states.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Virginia DMV rules, court orders, fines and penalties depend on your notice, summons, court and case facts, and they can change. Use official Virginia DMV and court sources, and consult a qualified Virginia attorney for advice about your own case.