Key Figures At A Glance
3,389,249 Great Britain licence holders had valid penalty points on 15 August 2026, about 63 in every 1,000. In England and Wales, courts dealt with 812,001 motoring prosecutions in 2025. There is no single UK total, because each nation records this separately, so every figure below names its own area and period.
Latest Official Figures
- Drivers with points 3,389,249 Great Britain, as at 15 August 2026. DVLA DRL0131
- Drivers with 12 or more points 11,177 Great Britain, as at 15 August 2026. DVLA DRL0131
- Motoring prosecutions 812,001 England and Wales, 2025. MoJ table A6.2
- Motoring convictions 745,590 England and Wales, 2025, by principal offence. MoJ table A6.3
- Offences with a fixed penalty or other outcome 2,934,790 England and Wales excluding the Met, 2024, provisional. Home Office FPN2a
- Drink-drive deaths 220 Great Britain, 2024. Central estimate, range 190 to 250. DfT
How Many Drivers Have Penalty Points?
On 15 August 2026, 3,389,249 licence holders in Great Britain had at least one valid penalty point. That is 63.0 for every 1,000 full and provisional licence holders (our calculation). Three points is by far the most common total, held by 2,425,536 drivers, and 915,145 drivers hold 6 points or more. Reaching 12 points within 3 years can lead to a totting-up ban, shown as TT99.
| Current points | Drivers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 or 2 | 215 | under 0.1% |
| 3 | 2,425,536 | 71.6% |
| 4 or 5 | 48,353 | 1.4% |
| 6 | 718,598 | 21.2% |
| 7 or 8 | 33,689 | 1.0% |
| 9 | 137,268 | 4.1% |
| 10 or 11 | 14,413 | 0.4% |
| 12 or more | 11,177 | 0.3% |
| All drivers with points | 3,389,249 | 100% |
Source: DVLA driving licence data, table DRL0131. Great Britain, as at 15 August 2026.
These counts add up each driver's current points. They do not show which offences the points came from: 6 points could be one offence or two.
Has The Number Gone Up?
Yes. The total was 2,656,930 on 6 August 2022, so it has grown 27.6% in about four years, and 7.3% since 2 August 2025 (our calculations).
| Snapshot date | Drivers with points | 6 or more points | 12 or more points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 August 2022 | 2,656,930 | 661,537 | 10,086 |
| 5 August 2023 | 2,783,645 | 697,588 | 10,415 |
| 14 September 2024 | 2,896,296 | 736,757 | 10,056 |
| 2 August 2025 | 3,159,901 | 826,182 | 10,378 |
| 15 August 2026 | 3,389,249 | 915,145 | 11,177 |
Source: DVLA driving licence data, table DRL0131 in the August 2022, August 2023, September 2024, August 2025 and August 2026 files. Great Britain. Snapshot dates differ slightly each year.
Penalty Points By Age And Gender
Men make up 70% of drivers with points: 2,366,528 men against 1,022,721 women. Allowing for how many of each hold a licence, that is 84.3 men per 1,000 and 39.8 women per 1,000. The age band with the most drivers with points is 35 to 44 (744,976), and the highest rate is among 45 to 54s (77.9 per 1,000).
| Age | Men | Women | All | Men per 1,000 | Women per 1,000 | All per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 to 24 | 132,470 | 43,329 | 175,799 | 44.9 | 16.0 | 31.1 |
| 25 to 34 | 400,631 | 177,889 | 578,520 | 88.5 | 42.2 | 66.1 |
| 35 to 44 | 502,294 | 242,682 | 744,976 | 99.3 | 51.4 | 76.1 |
| 45 to 54 | 483,104 | 229,515 | 712,619 | 101.3 | 52.5 | 77.9 |
| 55 to 64 | 473,900 | 191,992 | 665,892 | 92.2 | 40.4 | 67.3 |
| 65 to 74 | 243,992 | 87,159 | 331,151 | 72.1 | 28.6 | 51.5 |
| 75 and over | 130,137 | 50,155 | 180,292 | 57.7 | 26.9 | 43.7 |
Source: DVLA driving licence data, tables DRL0131 and DRL0101. Great Britain, as at 15 August 2026. Rates are our calculation: drivers with valid points per 1,000 full and provisional licence holders.
The rates include provisional licence holders, which pulls down the youngest band. DVLA also warns that licence counts can include people who no longer drive, live abroad or have died, so read the rates as a guide.
Penalty Points By Postcode Area
Halifax (HX) has the highest rate in Great Britain, with 130.6 drivers with points per 1,000 licence holders, about twice the Great Britain figure of 63.0. The lowest is Lerwick (ZE) at 18.0. All of the top ten are in West Yorkshire or the South West of England.
HX
Halifax
130.6 per 1,000 licence holders
16,913 drivers with points
Tap or hover over an area.
Drivers with points per 1,000 licence holders
- under 51.7
- 51.7 to 58.0
- 58.1 to 64.8
- 64.9 to 71.0
- 71.1 or more
Great Britain overall: 63.0
Tiles are arranged roughly by geography and every postcode area is the same size. They are not drawn to scale.
| Highest areas | Per 1,000 | Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| HX (Halifax) | 130.6 | 16,913 |
| HD (Huddersfield) | 109.1 | 23,478 |
| PL (Plymouth) | 103.4 | 47,710 |
| TQ (Torquay) | 102.7 | 25,417 |
| LS (Leeds) | 97.9 | 62,607 |
| TR (Truro) | 96.4 | 25,642 |
| EX (Exeter) | 91.2 | 45,192 |
| WF (Wakefield) | 90.9 | 38,950 |
| TA (Taunton) | 87.6 | 25,936 |
| BD (Bradford) | 86.0 | 39,974 |
| Lowest areas | Per 1,000 | Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| ZE (Lerwick) | 18.0 | 332 |
| WC (West Central London) | 31.0 | 738 |
| EC (East Central London) | 32.4 | 929 |
| HS (Outer Hebrides) | 37.3 | 799 |
| E (East London) | 40.6 | 38,622 |
| EH (Edinburgh) | 41.8 | 31,188 |
| TD (Galashiels) | 44.4 | 4,171 |
| ML (Motherwell) | 45.0 | 13,902 |
| NW (North West London) | 45.2 | 24,979 |
| HA (Harrow) | 45.3 | 23,510 |
Source: DVLA driving licence data, tables DRL0132 and DRL0102. Great Britain, as at 15 August 2026. Area totals and rates are our calculation from postcode districts.
Look Up Your Postcode District
| Postcode area | Per 1,000 | Drivers |
|---|---|---|
| HX (Halifax) | 130.6 | 16,913 |
| HD (Huddersfield) | 109.1 | 23,478 |
| PL (Plymouth) | 103.4 | 47,710 |
| TQ (Torquay) | 102.7 | 25,417 |
| LS (Leeds) | 97.9 | 62,607 |
| TR (Truro) | 96.4 | 25,642 |
| EX (Exeter) | 91.2 | 45,192 |
| WF (Wakefield) | 90.9 | 38,950 |
| TA (Taunton) | 87.6 | 25,936 |
| BD (Bradford) | 86.0 | 39,974 |
| WR (Worcester) | 83.1 | 22,181 |
| TF (Telford) | 80.9 | 15,864 |
| CF (Cardiff) | 80.0 | 63,724 |
| IP (Ipswich) | 79.8 | 41,885 |
| L (Liverpool) | 77.7 | 52,928 |
| NR (Norwich) | 76.6 | 47,941 |
| CH (Chester) | 76.0 | 41,651 |
| DY (Dudley) | 73.7 | 24,989 |
| BH (Bournemouth) | 73.4 | 35,489 |
| CV (Coventry) | 73.1 | 55,724 |
| WS (Walsall) | 72.8 | 27,070 |
| NG (Nottingham) | 71.7 | 68,835 |
| NP (Newport) | 71.5 | 28,414 |
| BB (Blackburn) | 71.1 | 28,842 |
| SL (Slough) | 70.2 | 25,841 |
| RH (Redhill) | 70.1 | 35,956 |
| DH (Durham) | 69.9 | 16,999 |
| GL (Gloucester) | 69.8 | 38,896 |
| ME (Medway) | 69.5 | 38,818 |
| B (Birmingham) | 69.5 | 111,092 |
| WA (Warrington) | 69.4 | 36,933 |
| HR (Hereford) | 69.0 | 10,525 |
| TW (Twickenham) | 68.9 | 34,057 |
| WN (Wigan) | 68.5 | 17,219 |
| KT (Kingston upon Thames) | 68.3 | 34,901 |
| NN (Northampton) | 68.1 | 43,397 |
| OL (Oldham) | 67.9 | 25,952 |
| DE (Derby) | 67.8 | 43,073 |
| DN (Doncaster) | 67.7 | 41,718 |
| BA (Bath) | 67.3 | 25,662 |
| WD (Watford) | 66.3 | 16,502 |
| SA (Swansea) | 66.3 | 38,795 |
| LE (Leicester) | 66.1 | 58,496 |
| HG (Harrogate) | 65.9 | 8,015 |
| WV (Wolverhampton) | 65.9 | 21,976 |
| LU (Luton) | 65.7 | 21,918 |
| DT (Dorchester) | 65.5 | 12,337 |
| SM (Sutton) | 64.9 | 12,808 |
| DL (Darlington) | 64.6 | 19,150 |
| PR (Preston) | 64.4 | 29,633 |
| PE (Peterborough) | 64.1 | 51,833 |
| BS (Bristol) | 63.8 | 53,700 |
| DA (Dartford) | 62.0 | 24,253 |
| HP (Hemel Hempstead) | 62.0 | 28,814 |
| SR (Sunderland) | 61.7 | 11,471 |
| YO (York) | 61.6 | 28,935 |
| HU (Hull) | 61.2 | 21,580 |
| CM (Chelmsford) | 61.1 | 37,765 |
| EN (Enfield) | 60.7 | 18,830 |
| BN (Brighton) | 60.5 | 41,807 |
| SS (Southend-on-Sea) | 60.4 | 27,317 |
| LN (Lincoln) | 60.3 | 15,369 |
| LL (Llandudno) | 60.2 | 25,665 |
| CR (Croydon) | 60.2 | 23,140 |
| S (Sheffield) | 60.0 | 64,506 |
| SG (Stevenage) | 59.4 | 22,186 |
| BL (Bolton) | 59.3 | 19,131 |
| SY (Shrewsbury) | 58.5 | 17,000 |
| ST (Stoke-on-Trent) | 58.4 | 30,990 |
| MK (Milton Keynes) | 58.4 | 30,410 |
| SP (Salisbury) | 58.1 | 12,608 |
| BR (Bromley) | 58.1 | 15,640 |
| RM (Romford) | 57.9 | 28,319 |
| CA (Carlisle) | 56.9 | 14,994 |
| SN (Swindon) | 56.5 | 24,171 |
| CW (Crewe) | 56.1 | 16,453 |
| G (Glasgow) | 55.9 | 53,842 |
| GU (Guildford) | 55.8 | 38,156 |
| DG (Dumfries) | 55.7 | 6,719 |
| FY (Blackpool) | 55.7 | 12,406 |
| FK (Falkirk) | 55.5 | 12,589 |
| RG (Reading) | 55.5 | 41,788 |
| PA (Paisley) | 55.0 | 14,334 |
| SK (Stockport) | 54.9 | 28,710 |
| CO (Colchester) | 54.6 | 20,654 |
| M (Manchester) | 54.4 | 54,801 |
| TN (Tonbridge) | 54.1 | 33,519 |
| UB (Southall) | 53.8 | 21,659 |
| NE (Newcastle upon Tyne) | 53.5 | 48,301 |
| AL (St Albans) | 52.9 | 12,268 |
| IV (Inverness) | 52.8 | 10,364 |
| TS (Cleveland) | 52.8 | 25,413 |
| OX (Oxford) | 52.3 | 29,892 |
| LA (Lancaster) | 52.0 | 13,734 |
| IG (Ilford) | 51.8 | 17,653 |
| LD (Llandrindod Wells) | 51.7 | 2,172 |
| SW (South West London) | 50.9 | 41,438 |
| DD (Dundee) | 50.8 | 11,037 |
| PH (Perth) | 50.6 | 7,204 |
| AB (Aberdeen) | 50.4 | 21,160 |
| SE (South East London) | 50.3 | 44,459 |
| SO (Southampton) | 49.7 | 28,756 |
| KY (Kirkcaldy) | 49.2 | 14,497 |
| KA (Kilmarnock) | 48.4 | 14,203 |
| CB (Cambridge) | 47.6 | 18,348 |
| CT (Canterbury) | 47.3 | 19,316 |
| W (West London) | 47.1 | 23,575 |
| KW (Kirkwall) | 46.6 | 1,966 |
| PO (Portsmouth) | 46.3 | 32,211 |
| N (North London) | 45.9 | 35,083 |
| HA (Harrow) | 45.3 | 23,510 |
| NW (North West London) | 45.2 | 24,979 |
| ML (Motherwell) | 45.0 | 13,902 |
| TD (Galashiels) | 44.4 | 4,171 |
| EH (Edinburgh) | 41.8 | 31,188 |
| E (East London) | 40.6 | 38,622 |
| HS (Outer Hebrides) | 37.3 | 799 |
| EC (East Central London) | 32.4 | 929 |
| WC (West Central London) | 31.0 | 738 |
| ZE (Lerwick) | 18.0 | 332 |
DVLA's record holds each driver's current address, so these tables most likely show where drivers live, not where offences happened. Higher rates can reflect how an area is policed as well as how people drive, and the figures do not tell you which. We left out 2,940 drivers with no usable postcode, and districts with fewer than 500 licence holders.
Motoring Prosecutions And Convictions
Courts in England and Wales dealt with 812,001 motoring prosecutions in 2025, a ten-year high and up 5% on 2024. 745,590 offenders were convicted. Speed limit offences were the largest group, ahead of vehicle excise and insurance offences.
| Year | Proceeded against | Convicted |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 812,001 | 745,590 |
| 2024 | 770,301 | 712,282 |
| 2023 | 731,316 | 673,042 |
| 2022 | 693,550 | 641,307 |
| 2021 | 610,554 | 562,663 |
| 2020 | 502,442 | 464,300 |
| 2019 | 707,783 | 638,590 |
| 2018 | 694,411 | 632,036 |
| 2017 | 666,800 | 604,945 |
| 2016 | 670,357 | 593,152 |
| 2015 | 645,701 | 560,548 |
Source: Ministry of Justice, Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly: December 2025, tables A6.2 and A6.3. England and Wales, calendar years 2015 to 2025.
Prosecutions And Convictions By Offence
| Offence | Proceeded against | Convicted |
|---|---|---|
| Speed limit offences | 230,446 | 214,183 |
| Vehicle registration and excise licence offences | 161,734 | 148,543 |
| Vehicle insurance offences | 133,692 | 120,591 |
| Failing to give driver's identity when required | 105,874 | 97,456 |
| Driving under the influence of drink or drugs | 50,020 | 47,905 |
| Neglecting road regulations (not speeding) | 34,622 | 30,300 |
| Driving licence offences | 18,191 | 17,193 |
| Careless driving (not mobile phone) | 16,112 | 14,082 |
| Handheld mobile phone offences | 15,361 | 13,451 |
| Other drink or drug driving offences | 12,034 | 10,632 |
| Dangerous driving | 4,675 | 4,767 |
| Failing to stop or report an accident | 2,581 | 2,176 |
Source: Ministry of Justice, Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly: December 2025, tables A6.2 and A6.3. England and Wales, 2025. Where MoJ splits an offence into summary and either-way lines, we have added them together.
Please don't divide one column by the other. MoJ advises against working out a conviction rate from these tables because the two counts are recorded at different stages, sometimes in different years. That is how dangerous driving can show more convictions than prosecutions. The table lists the 12 largest groups, not every offence.
Fines, Points And Bans
- 394,568 offenders had their licence endorsed with no direct ban. MoJ table A6.1, England and Wales, 2025.
- 104,088 were directly disqualified, up from 81,000 in 2024. MoJ table A6.1 and bulletin, England and Wales, 2025.
- 23,759 were disqualified under the penalty points system. MoJ table A6.1, England and Wales, 2025.
- 95% of motoring sentences were fines, and the average fine was £327, up from £310 in 2024. MoJ bulletin, England and Wales, 2025.
- 821,000 summary motoring prosecutions in the 12 months to June 2026, the latest rolling figure and a series high. This covers summary offences only, so it isn't directly comparable with the 812,001 above. MoJ bulletin, June 2026.
Fixed Penalties And Speeding Offences
Most motoring offences never reach court. In 2024, police in England and Wales (excluding the Met) recorded 2,934,790 motoring offences that ended in a fixed penalty, a retraining course or court action. Of these, 2,536,194 were speed limit offences, or 86%.
Speeding endorsements use five codes: SP10 for goods vehicles, SP20 for other vehicle types, SP30 for the statutory limit on a public road, SP40 for passenger vehicles and SP50 for motorways. Each code page explains the points and how long the code stays on your record.
| Outcome, 2024 | England and Wales excluding the Met | Metropolitan Police |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed penalty notice | 1,074,062 | 229,057 |
| Driver retraining course | 1,501,618 | 291,676 |
| Court action | 359,110 | 76,049 |
| Total | 2,934,790 | 596,782 |
Source: Home Office, Police powers and procedures: Roads policing, to December 2024, tables FPN1a and FPN1b. England and Wales, 2024. Provisional. Cancelled cases left out.
| Offence type | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Speed limit offences | 2,322,357 | 2,536,194 |
| Neglect of traffic signs and directions and of pedestrian rights | 98,479 | 104,301 |
| Licence, insurance and record-keeping offences | 80,180 | 81,255 |
| Careless driving offences (not handheld phone) | 40,245 | 51,093 |
| Seat belt offences | 42,193 | 44,026 |
| Use of handheld mobile phone while driving | 36,813 | 40,723 |
| Vehicle test and condition offences | 39,809 | 39,903 |
| Obstruction, waiting and parking offences | 14,158 | 15,616 |
| Other offences | 12,462 | 12,474 |
| Lighting and noise offences | 5,877 | 6,180 |
| Work record or employment offences | 2,377 | 2,498 |
| Miscellaneous motoring offences (not seat belts) | 493 | 461 |
| Operator's licence offences | 49 | 66 |
Source: Home Office, Police powers and procedures: Roads policing, to December 2024, table FPN2a. England and Wales excluding the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police, calendar years 2023 and 2024. Provisional.
Of the 1,074,062 fixed penalties outside the Met, 961,861 were endorsable, which means they put points on a licence. A further 490,272 cases were cancelled and are not counted above. The Home Office labels these Official Statistics in Development and says the 2024 figures may be revised. It also notes an anomaly in National Highways variable speed cameras, announced in December 2025, with corrective action under way when it published in March 2026.
Breath Tests And Drink Driving
Police in 26 forces in England and Wales carried out 167,095 roadside breath tests in 2024, and 24,823 of them (15%) were positive or refused. Testing ranged from 2 per 1,000 people in West Midlands to 11 per 1,000 in Cumbria. The other forces couldn't give comparable data, so this isn't a total for England and Wales.
Source: Home Office, Breath test statistics, table BT2a. 26 police forces in England and Wales, 2024.
The Department for Transport estimates that 220 people died in reported collisions involving a driver or rider over the alcohol limit in Great Britain in 2024, with a likely range of 190 to 250. That is down 16% on 2023. About 1,740 people were killed or seriously injured, and there were around 6,350 casualties of all severities. Among drink-drivers in these collisions whose sex was known, 80% were male.
Source: Department for Transport, Reported road casualties in Great Britain, drink-drive collisions: 2024. Great Britain, 2024. Published 30 July 2026.
What These Figures Can't Tell You
- How many drivers have a particular code. No open table counts SP30, DR10, CU80 or IN10 endorsements. DVLA publishes points totals, not codes, so we don't give per-code numbers. Our conviction code guide explains what each code means.
- How many people were convicted of speeding from the DVLA data. The DVLA tables are a snapshot of valid points on one day, not offences in a year. For yearly figures, use the MoJ and Home Office tables.
- A UK total. DVLA covers Great Britain. MoJ and Home Office cover England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland publish their own figures, which we haven't included on this page.
- What your insurance will cost. Nothing here is a price or a prediction for any one driver.
Each source also runs to a different date, so please cite the period shown beside each figure, not one "latest" date for the whole page.
What Our Expert Says
The figure that stands out is how ordinary points are. More than three million licence holders in Great Britain have them, and three points is by far the most common total. If you've got points, you're not unusual.
What insurers tend to ask about is more specific than these totals: the code, the date and any ban. Two drivers with the same number of points can look quite different to an insurer, which is why these figures can't tell you what you might pay.
A conviction may mean fewer insurers to choose from and higher prices while it's recent, and that can ease as it ages. Check what your insurer asks and answer it accurately, because a wrong answer could affect a claim.
Penalty Points Statistics Questions
How Many UK Drivers Have Penalty Points?
There is no published UK-wide figure. In Great Britain, 3,389,249 licence holders had valid penalty points on 15 August 2026, according to DVLA. Northern Ireland licences are held separately and aren't included.
How Many Drivers Have 12 Or More Points?
11,177 in Great Britain on 15 August 2026, according to DVLA. They aren't all banned right now. DVLA notes that points can stay valid after a ban has been served, so a driver can hold a high total and be entitled to drive again.
Which Age Group Has The Most Penalty Points?
By number of drivers, 35 to 44: 744,976 drivers on 15 August 2026. By rate, 45 to 54, at 77.9 per 1,000 full and provisional licence holders (our calculation from DVLA data, Great Britain).
Where Are Penalty Points Most Common?
By postcode area, Halifax (HX) has the highest rate at 130.6 drivers with points per 1,000 licence holders, and Lerwick (ZE) the lowest at 18.0 (our calculation from DVLA data, Great Britain, 15 August 2026).
How Many Motoring Convictions Are There Each Year?
745,590 offenders were convicted of motoring offences at criminal courts in England and Wales in 2025, counting each offender's principal offence (MoJ). Fixed penalties and retraining courses aren't convictions and are counted separately.
How Many Drivers Have An SP30 Or DR10?
Open data doesn't say. DVLA's published tables count total points, not endorsement codes. Our conviction code guide explains what each code means, without giving a count.
Do Penalty Points Affect Car Insurance?
They can. Insurers may ask about motoring convictions and points, and a conviction may mean fewer insurers to choose from and higher prices while it's recent. The effect varies by insurer, offence and how long ago it happened.
Download The Data And Cite This Page
Every table is available as a CSV. The files carry their source and period in the first line.
- Drivers by current points total (DVLA, 15 August 2026)
- Drivers with points and licence holders, by single year of age and gender (DVLA, 15 August 2026)
- Postcode areas, with rates (DVLA, 15 August 2026)
- Postcode districts with 500 or more licence holders (DVLA, 15 August 2026)
- Prosecutions and convictions by offence, yearly (MoJ, 2015 to 2025)
- Prosecutions and convictions by police force area (MoJ, 2025)
- Points, bans and retests by offence (MoJ, 2025)
- Fixed penalties, retraining and court action by offence type (Home Office, 2011 to 2024)
- Breath tests by police force (Home Office, 2024)
To cite this page: Clean Green Cars, UK Penalty Points And Motoring Prosecutions Statistics, updated 2 November 2026, plus the original source and period shown beside the figure.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Rates, area totals and percentages marked as ours are Clean Green Cars calculations, not official statistics. DVLA's next update is due in November 2026.
Official Sources
- DVLA and DfT, GB Driving Licence Data - August 2026 workbook, snapshot 15 August 2026. Great Britain.
- Ministry of Justice, Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly: December 2025 - calendar 2025, published 30 April 2026, updated 29 June 2026. England and Wales.
- Ministry of Justice, Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly: June 2026 - 12 months to June 2026, published 22 October 2026. England and Wales.
- Home Office, Police powers and procedures: Roads policing, to December 2024 - calendar 2024, published 19 March 2026. England and Wales.
- Department for Transport, Reported road casualties in Great Britain, drink-drive collisions: 2024 - calendar 2024, published 30 July 2026. Great Britain.
