Speeding
A speeding conviction is a moving violation. After it is paid or upheld, most states post it on the driving record an MVR reports. Point values depend on the state and how far over the limit the conviction was.
Speeding ticketsHow violations hit your MVR
A motor vehicle record is a report of the driving record your state already keeps. A violation hits that record when the state posts a conviction, a payment that counts as one, or an administrative action such as a suspension. The MVR shows that posting. This page does not estimate an insurance premium or a savings amount.
What actually gets posted
The conviction, not the roadside stop
The ticket you are handed is not always the line on the record. Paying it, or being found responsible, is what most states send to the driving record. A dismissal or a diversion the state accepts may keep that citation off the MVR. Confirm the rule with your state DMV.
Points are a state system
Where a state uses points, the DMV assigns them. They are not set by an insurer and not by this site. Read how points work and the state pages before treating any number as yours.
How long it stays
Retention depends on the state and the violation. A point may expire while the conviction line is still on the record an employer or insurer can order. See how long violations stay.
Common violations
Stop signs and red lights
Failing to stop or running a red light is posted as a moving violation when the state records a conviction. It can add DMV points in states that use a point system.
Phone and distracted driving
Handheld phone and texting convictions are posted as their own entries in many states. The MVR shows the description the state stored, not a separate insurer category.
Reckless or careless driving
Reckless and careless convictions are serious moving entries. They stay visible to anyone allowed to order the MVR for as long as that state keeps them on the record.
Driving while suspended or revoked
Driving on a suspended, revoked, or canceled license is an administrative and criminal record item. The MVR can show both the license action and the later conviction.
DUI and DWI
Alcohol and drug convictions are posted as major record entries. A refusal or an administrative license action can appear even when the criminal case is still open.
Crashes
An at-fault crash can appear in the accident section of an MVR, separate from a citation line. A citation from the same crash is its own conviction if the state posts one.
Equipment and paperwork
Broken lights, expired registration, and similar non-moving items may be posted. Many states treat them differently from moving violations, and some do not add points.
How Score v1 groups them
These are Driver Leaderboard educational groups for the score. They are not your DMV's labels and they are not an insurance class.
Minor
Non-moving items such as equipment, paperwork, and parking. This is also the default when a violation is not classified as moderate, major, or critical.
Moderate
Common moving violations, including speeding the classifier treats as moderate, failure to yield, lane violations, and distracted driving.
Major
Reckless or careless driving, driving on a suspended or revoked license, and speeding the classifier treats as major.
Critical
DUI or DWI, hit-and-run, vehicular manslaughter or homicide, and similar high-harm offenses.
Example score
One made-up moderate violation
Score v1 starts at 100. A moderate violation uses a base penalty of 8. A date inside 12 months uses a recency multiplier of 1.5. This example subtracts 12 and lands on 88.
88
Example only. It ignores every other violation, suspensions, the penalty cap, and clean-time credit. It is not your score, not a DMV result, not an insurance score, and not a savings estimate. The full rules are on the methodology page.
Read them on the record
The MVR lists the entries the state posted. The score is a summary of that list.