At Approach School of Motoring we know that all our pupils will go on to become safe confident drivers who always obey the law.  However we thought we should point out to you the consequences of driving a vehicle dangerously.  

Therefore we have created two information posts that will assist you in ensuring you drive safely.  This post provides details of the penalty points accrued should you break the law.

You will find our other post on bringing dangerous driving to your attention here 

Endorsement Codes and Penalty Points

Each endorsement has a special code and is given ‘penalty points’ on a scale from 1 to 11. You get more points for more serious offences.

The table shows the offence codes that can be put on your driving record. It also shows how many penalty points you can get for them. Some offences may also involve a disqualification.

Offence codes and penalty points must stay on your driving record for 4 or 11 years depending on the offence.

Accident Offences

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
AC10	Failing to stop after an accident	5 to 10
AC20	Failing to give particulars or report an accident within 24 hours	5 to 10
AC30	Undefined accident offences	4 to 9

Disqualified Driver

These must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
BA10	Driving while disqualified by order of court	6
BA30	Attempting to drive while disqualified by order of court	6
BA40	Causing death by driving while disqualified	3 to 11
BA60	Causing serious injury by driving while disqualified	3 to 11

Careless Driving

Codes CD10 to CD30 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
CD10	Driving without due care and attention	3 to 9
CD20	Driving without reasonable consideration for other road users	3 to 9
CD30	Driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users	3 to 9

Codes CD40 to CD70 must stay on a driving record for 11 years from the date of the conviction.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
CD40	Causing death through careless driving when unfit through drink	3 to 11
CD50	Causing death by careless driving when unfit through drugs	3 to 11
CD60	Causing death by careless driving with alcohol level above the limit	3 to 11
CD70	Causing death by careless driving then failing to supply a specimen for alcohol analysis	3 to 11

Codes CD80 and CD90 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the conviction.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
CD80	Causing death by careless, or inconsiderate, driving	3 to 11
CD90	Causing death by driving: unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured drivers	3 to 11

Construction and use offences

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
CU10	Using a vehicle with defective brakes	3
CU20	Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of use of unsuitable vehicle or using a vehicle with parts or accessories (excluding brakes, steering or tyres) in a dangerous condition	3
CU30	Using a vehicle with defective tyre(s)	3
CU40	Using a vehicle with defective steering	3
CU50	Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of load or passengers	3
CU80	Breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone	3 to 6

Reckless/Dangerous Driving

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the conviction.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
DD10	Causing serious injury by dangerous driving	3 to 11
DD40	Dangerous driving	3 to 11
DD60	Manslaughter or culpable homicide while driving a vehicle	3 to 11
DD80	Using a vehicle with defective steering	3 to 11
DD90	Furious driving	3 to 9

Drink

Codes DR10 to DR61 must stay on a driving record for 11 years from the date of the conviction.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
DR10	Driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit Causing serious injury by dangerous driving	3 to 11
DR20	Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink	3 to 11
DR30	Driving or attempting to drive then failing to supply a specimen for analysis	3 to 11
DR31	Driving or attempting to drive then refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity	3 to 11
DR61	Refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity in circumstances other than driving or attempting to drive	3 to 9

Codes DR40 to DR70 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence or 4 years from date of conviction where a disqualification is imposed.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
DR40	In charge of a vehicle while alcohol level above limit	10
DR50	In charge of a vehicle while unfit through drink	10
DR60	Failure to provide a specimen for analysis in circumstances other than driving or attempting to drive	10
DR70	Failing to provide specimen for breath test	4

Drugs

These codes must stay on a driving record for 11 years from the date of the conviction.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
DG10	Driving or attempting to drive with drug level above the specified limit	3 to 11
DG60	Causing death by careless driving with drug level above the limit	3 to 11
DR80	Driving or attempting to drive when unfit through drugs	3 to 11

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence or 4 years from date of conviction where a disqualification is imposed.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
DG40	In charge of a vehicle while drug level above specified limit	10
DR90	In charge of a vehicle when unfit through drugs	10

Insurance offences

Code IN10 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
IN10	Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks	6 to 8

Licence offences

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
LC20	Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence	3 to 6
LC30	Driving after making a false declaration about fitness when applying for a licence	3 to 6
LC40	Driving a vehicle having failed to notify a disability	3 to 6
LC50	Driving after a licence has been cancelled (revoked) or refused on medical grounds	3 to 6

Miscellaneous offences

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
MS10	Leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position	3
MS20	Unlawful pillion riding	3
MS30	Play street offences	2
MS50	Motor racing on the highway	3 to 11
MS60	Offences not covered by other codes (including offences relating to breach of requirements as to control of vehicle)	3
MS70	Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight	3
MS80	Refusing to submit to an eyesight test	3
MS90	Failure to give information as to identity of driver etc	6

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Motorway offences

Code MW10 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
MW10	Contravention of special roads regulations (excluding speed limits)	3

Pedestrian crossings

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
PC10	Undefined contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations	3
PC20	Contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations with moving vehicle	3
PC30	Contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations with stationary vehicle	3

Speed limits

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
SP10	Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits	3 to 6
SP20	Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle (excluding goods or passenger vehicles)	3 to 6
SP30	Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road	3 to 6
SP40	Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit	3 to 6
SP50	Exceeding speed limit on a motorway	3 to 6

Traffic direction and signs

These codes must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
TS10	Failing to comply with traffic light signals	3
TS20	Failing to comply with double white lines	3
TS30	Failing to comply with ‘stop’ sign	2
TS40	Failing to comply with direction of a constable/warden	3
TS50	Failing to comply with traffic sign (excluding ‘stop’ signs, traffic lights or double white lines)	3
TS60	Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight. Failing to comply with a school crossing patrol sign. Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight	3
TS70	Undefined failure to comply with a traffic direction sign	3

Special code

Code TT99 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of conviction.

It shows disqualification under ‘totting-up’ – if the total of penalty points reaches 12 or more within 3 years, the driver can be disqualified.

Theft or unauthorised taking

Code UT50 must stay on a driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
UT50	Aggravated taking of a vehicle	3 to 11

‘Mutual recognition’ codes

You’ll get an ‘MR’ code on your driving record if you’re disqualified while driving in Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man. Your disqualification period will also be valid in GB and will stay on your record for 4 years from the date of conviction.

Code	Offence	Penalty Points
MR09	Reckless or dangerous driving (whether or not resulting in death, injury or serious risk)	3
MR19	Wilful failure to carry out the obligation placed on driver after being involved in a road accident (hit or run)	3
MR29	Driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other substance affecting or diminishing the mental and physical abilities of a driver	2
MR39	Driving a vehicle faster than the permitted speed	3 to 11
MR49	Driving a vehicle whilst disqualified	3
MR59	Other conduct constituting an offence for which a driving disqualification has been imposed by the State of Offence	3

Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring offences

For these offences, the codes are similar, but with the number 0 on the code changed to 2.

For example, code LC20 (driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence) becomes code LC22 on your driving record if you have helped someone to do this.

Causing or permitting offences

For these offences, the codes are similar, but with the number 0 on the code changed to 4.

For example, LC20 (driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence) becomes LC24 on your licence if you’ve caused or permitted someone to do this.

Inciting offences

For these offences, the codes are similar, but with the number 0 on the code changed to 6.

For example, DD40 (dangerous driving) becomes DD46 on your driving record if you’ve incited someone to do this.

Knowing the penalties should ensure that you stay a safe and confident ‘clean licence’ driver.

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