Virginia DMV Points for Teen Drivers: Rules Under 18

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

Virginia DMV points for teen drivers work by count, not by total: for a driver under 18, DMV acts on how many qualifying convictions there are. The first means a required Driver Improvement Clinic, the second a 90-day suspension, and the third a revocation. Each conviction still carries 3, 4 or 6 demerit points, and those points count for 2 years.

Key Facts

Count, not total: under 18, DMV acts on the number of convictions. See how DMV counts.
First conviction: a clinic within 90 days, or DMV suspends the license until it is done. See the first step.
Second conviction: a 90-day suspension. See the second step.
Third conviction: revocation for 1 year or until age 18, whichever is longer. See the third step.
Ages 18 and 19: any demerit-point conviction means a required clinic. See drivers aged 18 and 19.

Conviction Count, Not Point Total

Adults face DMV action when their point total gets too high. Drivers under 18 follow a different rule. Code of Virginia § 46.2-334.01 looks at how many convictions a young driver has.

Two kinds of convictions count:

A demerit-point offense committed while under 18.
A seat belt or child restraint violation committed while under 18.

The DMV’s Drivers Under Age 18 page explains the same rule. The steps go up with each new conviction, as shown below.

The Under-18 Ladder

This table sums up what DMV does at each step. It comes from Code § 46.2-334.01 and the DMV under-18 page.

Qualifying conviction	What DMV does	Safe driving points?
First	Directs a Driver Improvement Clinic, to finish within 90 days	None for the required clinic
Second	Suspends the license for 90 days	Not part of this step
Third	Revokes the license for 1 year or until 18, whichever is longer	Not part of this step

First Conviction

After the first qualifying conviction, DMV directs the driver to a Driver Improvement Clinic. The clinic must be done within 90 days. If it is not, DMV will “suspend your permit or license until the clinic is completed.”

The required clinic earns no safe driving points. Code § 46.2-334.01 says so directly.

Second Conviction

A second qualifying conviction brings a 90-day suspension. There is one form of relief in the rules.

A driver with no other way to get to work may ask the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court for restricted privileges. Those privileges cover driving between home and work.

The court decides whether to grant them. Ask the court about your own case.

Third Conviction

A third qualifying conviction brings a revocation. It lasts for 1 year or until the driver turns 18, whichever is longer.

Here is how that works. For a driver who is 16, turning 18 is about two years away. That is longer than 1 year, so the revocation lasts until age 18.

Virginia DMV Points for Teen Drivers: What Still Counts

The ladder does not replace demerit points. Each conviction still goes on the record with its point value. Under Code § 46.2-492, that value is 3, 4 or 6 points.

A few point rules apply to every driver:

Two years. Under Code § 46.2-493, points count for 2 years from the offense date.
Out-of-state tickets. Convictions in other states also get Virginia demerit points.
Record time. The conviction itself can stay longer. Speeding stays 5 years, and reckless driving stays 11 years.

Our points chart lists the value for each offense.

An Example: Count Versus Total

A simple example shows why the count matters. Say a 17-year-old is convicted of following too closely, which is 4 points. Later, the same driver is convicted of a curfew violation, which is 3 points.

The record now shows 7 demerit points. But DMV does not look at the 7 points for this driver. It looks at the two convictions, so the second one brings a 90-day suspension.

Each set of points still counts for 2 years from its own offense date. The two convictions also stay on the record for the time DMV sets for each violation.

Reckless Driving and Other Serious Offenses

Serious offenses carry more points, and they still count as one conviction on the ladder. Reckless driving is 6 points. By speed, it means driving 20 mph or more over the limit, or over 85 mph.

Reckless driving is also a Class 1 misdemeanor. It stays on the DMV record for 11 years, much longer than the points.

Provisional License Limits

Code § 46.2-334.01 also sets limits on licenses held by drivers under 18. Two limits carry demerit points:

Passengers. No more than one passenger under 21, with some exceptions in the law.
Hours. No driving between midnight and 4 a.m., with some exceptions.

Breaking either limit is a traffic infraction. The DMV’s Three Point Violations page lists a “Passenger restriction violation” and a “Curfew violation” at 3 points each.

Because they carry demerit points, these convictions count on the ladder too. A curfew conviction can be the first, second or third step.

Seat Belt and Child Restraint Convictions

The ladder is not only about moving violations. Code § 46.2-334.01 also counts seat belt and child restraint convictions for offenses committed under 18.

So a young driver can reach the first step without a speeding or signal ticket. The Code puts these convictions on the same ladder as point convictions.

Safe Driving Points for Teens

Safe driving points still exist for young drivers. They come in two ways.

The first is time. DMV adds 1 safe driving point for each full calendar year with a valid Virginia license and no violations or suspensions. The balance never goes above +5.

The second is a clinic, and here the reason matters:

Required clinic: no safe driving points, if DMV or a court required it.
Voluntary clinic: the DMV under-18 page says, “You will receive 5 safe driving points if you voluntarily complete a driver improvement clinic.”
Parent attends: a parent or guardian may attend the clinic and get the point benefit on their own record.

Our guide to earning safe driving points covers the yearly points in detail.

Steps after a Virginia teen driver's first qualifying conviction, from the DMV clinic notice to the 90-day deadline

Taking the Clinic as a Teen

The Driver Improvement Clinic is an 8-hour course. DMV says a driver under 20 may enroll in a clinic with online or classroom instruction. Online, the 8 hours include the final test.

DMV sets these rules for clinics:

Cost: a clinic may charge no more than $100.
Provider: online, it must be a DMV-licensed online provider.
ID: the student’s ID is checked during the course and before the test.
Report: the online provider reports completion to DMV and issues a DIC 552B certificate within 24 hours.

Our guide to the clinic for teens explains enrollment and the reason codes.

Ages 18 and 19

The conviction ladder covers offenses committed under 18. Young-driver rules go on after that.

Under Code § 46.2-334.02, a driver aged 18 or 19 must take a clinic after any demerit-point conviction. A seat belt or child restraint conviction also counts.

The DMV’s Drivers Age 18 and Over page states the same rule. From 18, the adult point levels on that page also apply.

There is one key difference from the under-18 rule. For a clinic DMV requires, safe driving points are awarded for drivers 18 and over.

What Parents Should Know

Parents play a part in two rules. First, a parent or guardian may attend the teen’s clinic. The parent can then receive a reduction in demerit points or an award of safe driving points.

Second, insurance discounts have limits. Under Code § 38.2-2217, an insurer may give a discount for a voluntary clinic. A clinic required by a court or DMV does not qualify.

DMV demerit points and insurance company points are also separate systems. An insurer uses its own rules.

Checking a Teen’s Record

The record is the best way to see where a young driver stands. DMV’s “Log on to See Your Point Balance” service shows the current point total.

For the full list of convictions, order a driving record from DMV. DMV form DMV 201 lists the fee as $9, or $8 online. Count the qualifying convictions on the record, since that count drives the DMV action before 18.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the DMV pages we checked on October 27, 2026, the under-18 page still described action by conviction count. It still listed the 90-day clinic deadline and the 5 safe driving points for a voluntary clinic.

The history line for Code § 46.2-334.01 ended with a 2021 Special Session. The three-point list still named the passenger and curfew violations.

Virginia teen driver rules at a glance: passenger and curfew limits, 3-point violations and clinic point rules

Common Mistakes

Each of these slips is measured against the Code of Virginia or a DMV page:

Using adult point totals for a teen. Under 18, DMV acts on the number of convictions.
Expecting points from a required clinic. A clinic DMV or a court required earns a driver under 18 no safe driving points.
Missing the 90-day deadline. DMV suspends the permit or license until the clinic is done.
Forgetting seat belt tickets. Seat belt and child restraint convictions count on the ladder.
Treating curfew as minor. A curfew violation is 3 points and counts as a conviction step.
Assuming 18 ends the revocation. A third-step revocation lasts at least 1 year.

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 many points does a teen get for a ticket in Virginia?

The same 3, 4 or 6 points as any driver, based on the offense. What differs is the DMV action. Under 18, DMV acts on the number of convictions, not the total.

What happens after a teen’s first ticket in Virginia?

After the first qualifying conviction, DMV directs the driver to a Driver Improvement Clinic. It must be done within 90 days, or DMV suspends the permit or license until it is done.

Does a teen get safe driving points for the clinic?

Not for a required clinic. A clinic DMV or a court required gives a driver under 18 no safe driving points. A voluntary clinic gives 5.

Can a parent take the clinic for points?

A parent or guardian may attend the clinic with the teen. Under Code § 46.2-334.01, the parent may then get the point benefit on their own record.

What is the curfew for Virginia teen drivers?

Drivers under 18 may not drive between midnight and 4 a.m., with some exceptions in the law. A curfew violation is 3 points.

Can a teen keep driving to work after a second ticket?

Maybe. After a second qualifying conviction, a driver with no other way to work may ask the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court for restricted privileges. The court decides.

Does a seat belt ticket count for a teen driver?

Yes. For an offense committed under 18, a seat belt or child restraint conviction counts on the ladder. It can lead to a required clinic, just like a point conviction.

Do the rules change at 18?

Yes. The conviction ladder applies to offenses committed under 18. At ages 18 and 19, any demerit-point conviction still means a required clinic.

Conclusion

Virginia DMV points for teen drivers follow a conviction ladder: a clinic, then a 90-day suspension, then a revocation. Each conviction still carries 3, 4 or 6 points for 2 years, and a voluntary clinic can earn 5 safe driving points.

To complete a required or voluntary clinic, you can take the Virginia Driver Improvement Course. If a court ordered the 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.