South Carolina DMV Point System: How it Works?

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The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will suspend a driver’s license if you accumulate too many points quickly. Your SC driver’s license may also get suspended after a conviction for a severe traffic infraction.

The DMV point system keeps track of the points obtained from a sentence. Some points can remain on your SC driving records for a long time. Others can be taken off after completing driving courses and serving the suspension time.

South Carolina DMV Point System

How does the SC DMV point system work? Each SC traffic violation has some points associated with the violation. The smallest number of points you may receive is two. The most for a single violation is six. Your SC driver’s license gets suspended if you receive twelve or more in a year. Here are some violations and the points per infraction:

  • Speeding over the limit:
    • 1 – 10 mph: 2 points
    • 11 – 25 mph: 3 points
    • 26 or more mph: 6 points
  • Failure to yield right of way: 4 points
  • Illegal turn: 4 points
  • Tailgating: 4 points
  • Reckless driving: 6 points
  • Leaving the scene of an accident: 6 points

SC DMV Point System & Driving Records

A driving record is a document that contains a person’s driving history. The information on the document is mostly recorded from the last three years of driving. It will include all infractions and points associated with each infraction. Also, a license suspension, revocation, or cancelation if it exists.

Who Requests a Driving Record?

Your SC driving records are used for many reasons and by different organizations. Having points on it can negatively affect you. A driving record is requested for:

  • Insurance purposes
  • Background checks for businesses and employers
  • Court proceedings and government agencies

Good SC driving records will provide a better insurance premium to form a more competitive insurance company. Similarly, you are likely to get a job associated with driving if you have a good driving record that if you do not have a good driving record.

SC DMV Point System & Points Reduction

The points on your SC driving records can be removed. If you wait on the regular, reducing process, half the points on your driving records go away annually. If you cannot wait, you can take a defensive driving course to remove some points. However, taking classes can only be done once and every three years.

Conclusion

Overall, the South Carolina DMV point system is designed to encourage safe and responsible driving habits. As a result, it is important for drivers to be aware of the nature of their violations and how those offenses can add up.