Georgia's Rolling 24-Month Points Window: What It Really Means

Georgia suspends your license when you accumulate 15 points within any 24-month period. The title reference to 12 months reflects a common misconception — drivers searching for Georgia points information online frequently encounter outdated or neighboring-state rules that describe 12-month windows, but Georgia DDS applies a 24-month lookback under current state law. The rolling window means every violation carries its point value for exactly 24 months from the conviction date. On month 25, those points disappear from your accumulation total. If you received a 4-point speeding ticket on January 15, 2023, those 4 points count toward the 15-point threshold until January 14, 2025. Any new violation added before that date stacks with the existing 4 points. Insurance companies track violations on a separate timeline. Most Georgia carriers apply surcharges for 3 years from the conviction date, regardless of when points drop off your DDS record. A violation that no longer counts toward suspension at month 25 still increases your premium until the 36-month mark.

Georgia DDS suspends your license for one year when you reach 15 points. The suspension clock starts the day DDS processes the conviction that pushed you over the threshold, not the day you received the ticket. Court processing delays can create a gap of 30 to 90 days between your traffic stop and the suspension notice. A driver with 11 existing points who receives a 4-point speeding ticket crosses the 15-point line. DDS will mail a suspension notice within 10 business days of receiving the court's conviction report. You have 10 days from the notice date to request a hearing. The suspension takes effect immediately if you do not request a hearing or if the hearing officer upholds the suspension. Your insurance carrier receives notification of the suspension within 7 to 14 days through the Georgia Insurance Data Exchange. Most carriers cancel the policy at the next renewal date, citing the suspension as material misrepresentation of risk. Non-standard carriers willing to write suspended-license policies typically charge 60% to 110% above the rate you paid before suspension. Full coverage on a suspended license costs $240 to $310 per month for a driver who previously paid $145 per month.

Georgia assigns 2 points for speeding 15-18 mph over the limit, 3 points for 19-23 mph over, and 4 points for 24-33 mph over. Speeding 34 mph or more over the limit adds 6 points. Reckless driving, hit-and-run, and fleeing police each carry 6 points. Improper lane change and following too closely each add 3 points. Two speeding tickets within 24 months — one at 4 points, one at 3 points — total 7 points. A third ticket at 4 points would bring the total to 11 points, still under the suspension threshold. A fourth ticket at any value 4 points or higher triggers suspension. The order matters only for timing: violations closer together leave less opportunity for earlier violations to age out of the 24-month window. Carriers treat the accumulation pattern differently. A single 4-point ticket typically increases your rate 25% to 40% at renewal. Two tickets within 12 months signal pattern risk, triggering increases of 55% to 85%. Three tickets within 24 months push most drivers out of preferred and standard carrier markets entirely, regardless of whether total points remain under 15.

Points expire exactly 24 months after the conviction date. If you were convicted of a 4-point speeding ticket on March 10, 2023, those 4 points disappear from your DDS accumulation total on March 10, 2025. The removal is automatic — you do not file paperwork or request removal. Your insurance surcharge follows a separate 36-month clock. The same 4-point ticket convicted on March 10, 2023, continues affecting your premium until March 10, 2026. Carriers apply the surcharge as a percentage increase to your base rate at each renewal during that 36-month period. The percentage typically decreases at the second and third renewal anniversaries, but the surcharge does not fully disappear until month 37. Georgia allows defensive driving course completion to remove up to 7 points from your DDS record once every 5 years. The course removes points from your accumulation total but does not erase the underlying conviction. Insurance carriers see the conviction on your motor vehicle report and continue applying the surcharge. The course prevents suspension if you are approaching 15 points; it does not lower your rate.

Georgia does not issue hardship or work permits for points-based suspensions. You cannot legally drive for any reason during the one-year suspension period. Driving on a suspended license adds 6 points to your record and extends the suspension by an additional 6 months. Reinstatement after a points suspension requires a $210 restoration fee paid to DDS, proof of insurance filed as an SR-22 for 3 years from the reinstatement date, and completion of a DDS-approved defensive driving course if you have not completed one in the past 5 years. The SR-22 filing adds $25 to $50 annually to your policy cost, separate from the violation surcharges. You must secure an insurance policy willing to file SR-22 before DDS will process reinstatement. Most standard carriers decline SR-22 filings for drivers with points-suspension history. Non-standard carriers writing SR-22 policies in Georgia include The General, Acceptance, Direct Auto, and National General. Monthly premiums range from $195 to $340 for minimum liability coverage with SR-22 filing, compared to $95 to $140 for a clean-record driver with the same coverage.

Georgia carriers tier drivers by points total and violation recency. Preferred carriers — State Farm, GEICO, Allstate — typically decline drivers with 8 or more points within 36 months or any driver with 3 violations within 24 months, even if total points remain under 15. Standard carriers absorb drivers up to 10 points but apply surcharges of 45% to 75% at renewal. Non-standard carriers become the primary market at 11 points or higher. The General, Direct Auto, and Acceptance write policies for drivers between 11 and 14 points, with monthly costs of $175 to $265 for state-minimum liability. Full coverage at this tier costs $285 to $390 per month, compared to $145 to $195 for a standard-market driver with one ticket. Switching carriers mid-accumulation does not reset the surcharge clock. Your new carrier pulls your motor vehicle report during underwriting and applies surcharges based on the same conviction dates your previous carrier used. Shopping after your first violation can sometimes reduce the base rate before surcharges apply, but the percentage increase for the violation follows you to every carrier for the full 36-month period.