CU80 Mobile Phone Conviction: Points, Ban And Years On Your Licence
Yes, you can look for car insurance with a CU80 mobile phone conviction, through specialist brokers who look for insurers that consider it. Fewer insurers may quote, and prices may be higher while it's recent.
- Points3–66 for holding and using a phone; 3 for no full view or control.
- On your licence4 yearsFrom the offence date, or from the conviction date if you're banned.
- BanPossibleA court can ban you. A 6-point CU80 within 2 years of passing loses you your licence.
- Insurers may see it4 yearsAt any time during the 4-year endorsement.
Penalties also include a £200 fine, or up to £1,000 in court (£2,500 if you're driving a lorry or bus).
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What Is A CU80 Motoring Conviction?
CU80 is the conviction code for breaching the rules on being in control of your vehicle. The GOV.UK code table gives using a mobile phone as its example, which is why people search for it as the mobile phone conviction code.
The code covers two kinds of offence, so the GOV.UK code table lists it at 3 to 6 points. Holding and using a phone, sat nav, tablet or any device that can send or receive data while you drive carries 6 points and a £200 fine. Not having a full view of the road and traffic ahead, or proper control of the vehicle, carries 3 points.
The other construction and use codes, CU10 to CU50, are about the vehicle itself and carry 3 points each. All of them, CU80 included, stay on your driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence, or from the conviction date if the court bans you.
New Drivers And A Mobile Phone Conviction
If you passed your test in the last 2 years, a 6-point CU80 on its own is enough to lose your licence. GOV.UK's guide to penalty points for new drivers says your licence is cancelled (revoked) if you get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing.
You'd then need a new provisional licence and to pass both the theory and practical tests again. Points from other offences count towards the same 6, such as an SP30 speeding conviction, and unexpired points on a provisional licence carry over when you pass.
CU80The Mobile Phone Law Behind A CU80 Conviction
Since 25 March 2022, using a hand-held phone behind the wheel has been illegal for any use. That includes taking photos or videos, scrolling through playlists and playing games, not only calls and texts.
The rule covers a phone, sat nav, tablet or any device that can send or receive data, and it applies to motorcycle riders too. You must not use a device in your hand for any reason, whether it's online or offline.
| Situation | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Stopped at traffic lights or queuing in traffic | No |
| Car turns its engine off when you stop moving | No |
| Supervising a learner driver | No |
| Phone in your hand but offline or in flight mode | No |
| Hands-free, such as a Bluetooth headset or voice command, never held | Yes |
| Phone in a dashboard holder or windscreen mount, or a built-in sat nav, not held and not blocking your view | Yes |
| Calling 999 or 112 in an emergency when it's unsafe or impractical to stop | Yes |
| Safely parked | Yes |
| Contactless payment in a vehicle that isn't moving, such as at a drive-through | Yes |
| Using the device to park your vehicle remotely | Yes |
Using your phone as a sat nav is fine in a cradle or holder, as long as you don't hold it. Whatever the set-up, you can still get 3 points if you don't have a full view of the road and traffic ahead, or proper control of the vehicle.
If your case goes to court, you can be banned from driving or riding and fined up to £1,000, or £2,500 if you're driving a lorry or bus. Endorsement codes and processes in Northern Ireland are different.
Source: GOV.UK using mobile phones when driving and the Department for Transport announcement of 25 March 2022, checked 30 September 2026.
This information is based on our understanding of current law and insurance practice at the time of writing. Rules, penalties and rehabilitation periods can change and may apply differently depending on individual circumstances.
Can You Get Car Insurance After A CU80 Conviction?
Yes. Specialist brokers can look for insurers that consider a CU80, though not every insurer will quote and prices may be higher while it's recent. Each insurer sets its own questions about convictions, and our guide to car insurance with a conviction explains the general rules.
Getting Back On The Road After A Mobile Phone Driving Ban
A court can ban you for a CU80. Its 3 or 6 points also count towards a total of 12 within 3 years, which normally means a totting-up ban. Don't drive until any ban has ended, and have cover in place before your first drive. The next steps are in getting insured after any ban.
Do You Have To Tell Your Insurer About A CU80?
Yes, whenever an insurer's questions cover it. Most insurers that give a period on their websites ask about convictions and fixed penalties from the last 5 years, often including pending prosecutions. Enter the CU80 code, the offence date and the points exactly as your driving record shows them. What happens if an answer is wrong is set out below.
What Cover Can You Get With A Mobile Phone Conviction?
Depending on the insurer, you may be offered comprehensive, third party, fire and theft or third party only. MoneyHelper says the excess can cost more if you have driving convictions, and some insurers offer black box policies (a device or app that records how you drive).
The phone law covers riders too, and a CU80 is on your record whatever you drive. See van insurance with a CU80 or motorbike cover after a phone conviction.
Please note that policy features, benefits, terms and conditions vary among insurance providers, so always check the policy wording.
Cover Tip: A CU80 can carry 3 points or 6. If yours was for not having full view or control rather than holding a phone, enter the 3 points your record shows, not 6.
Telling Your Insurer About A CU80 Conviction
Getting your CU80 details right matters. MoneyHelper says wrong details might mean your policy isn't valid and claims aren't paid.
- Answer The Questions Accurately - The Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 says you must take reasonable care not to give an insurer wrong information. So answer each question about your CU80 truthfully and accurately.
- Insurers May Be Able To See It - GOV.UK says insurers may be able to find out about an endorsement at any time during a 4-year endorsement, and a CU80 is one. In England and Wales it isn't spent until 5 years, even from a fixed penalty, so you may still need to declare it after it leaves your record. Once it's spent, MoneyHelper says you don't need to declare it, even if you're asked. Insurers' questions usually look back 5 years, not 4.
- Wrong Answers Can Affect A Claim - If your CU80 details are wrong, the Financial Ombudsman says an insurer might charge more, restrict the policy, pay a claim only in part, or cancel the policy as if it never existed, which means an ongoing claim would be declined.
- If You're Unsure, Check First - The Financial Ombudsman says it's reasonable to expect you to find out an answer you're unsure of. Check the CU80 offence date and points on your record before you fill in a form.
How Does A CU80 Conviction Affect Your Insurance Price?
| Key Factor | Impact on your price |
|---|---|
| How recent it is | MoneyHelper says points on your licence will increase your premium. A CU80 stays on your record for 4 years. |
| 6 points or 3 | A 6-point CU80 for holding a phone may be treated differently from a 3-point one for loss of control. |
| Other points on your licence | Six points is half of the 12 within 3 years that normally means a ban. If you reach 12, see car insurance after a totting-up ban. |
| Passing your test again | If a CU80 cost you your licence as a new driver, you'll be insuring after a fresh pass, which may add to the price. |
| The car and how you use it | Its value, power and modifications count, along with your mileage and where it's kept overnight. |
The quotes you get will depend on your own details.
Price Insight: A CU80's 4 years usually run from the offence date, not the conviction date. If you were banned, they run from the conviction date instead, so check which date applies to yours.
How Can You Help Reduce Insurance Costs After A Mobile Phone Conviction?
Compare Again At Each Renewal
Quotes may change as your CU80 gets older. Check what's available at each renewal instead of renewing automatically.
Ask About A Black Box Policy
Ask whether a black box or app-based policy is available. It looks at things like mileage, speed and braking, which may help show careful driving after a CU80.
Keep The Excess Affordable
A higher voluntary excess may lower the premium, but both excesses come off a claim. Keep it to a level you could afford to pay.
Check The Insurance Group First
Check the insurance group before you change car. Lower-group cars are cheaper to insure, and modifications can push the price up.
Our Expert On A CU80 Mobile Phone Conviction
A CU80 can come from a split second, a glance at a message or a reach for the phone, and 6 points can feel a lot for that. Cover is still available, and the CU80 stays on your record for 4 years, not for good.
Two mix-ups are worth clearing up. The first is that the phone has to be online, or the car moving. GOV.UK is clear the law still applies at traffic lights, in a queue and in flight mode. The second is that every CU80 means 6 points. The code also covers 3-point offences for not having full view or control of the car.
My rule of thumb: set everything up before you set off. Put the route in the sat nav, choose the playlist and put the phone in a holder. If something needs your hand once you're moving, it waits until you're safely parked.
Insurance Expert & Co-founder of Clean Green Cars
CU80 Mobile Phone Conviction Insurance Questions
What Conviction Code Is Using A Mobile Phone While Driving?
CU80. GOV.UK lists it as breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone. It carries 3 to 6 points and stays on your record for 4 years.
Is CU80 The Same As The Other CU Codes?
No. CU10 to CU50 cover defective brakes, tyres or steering, dangerous parts, or a dangerous load or passengers, with 3 points each. CU80 is about control of the vehicle, including phone use.
Can I Use My Phone As A Sat Nav Without Getting A CU80?
Yes, if it's in a holder or mount, you don't hold it, and it doesn't block your view of the road ahead. You can still get 3 points if you're not in proper control.
How Much Is The Fine For A CU80?
£200, with 6 points, for holding and using a phone. If your case goes to court, you can be banned and fined up to £1,000, or £2,500 if you're driving a lorry or bus.
Can I Get Car Insurance As A New Driver With A CU80?
Yes. If a 6-point CU80, or 6 points in total, came within 2 years of passing, your licence is cancelled and you'd need to pass both tests again first. Specialist brokers can then look for insurers.
What Happens After I Submit My Details?
Clean Green Cars introduces you to specialist brokers who consider drivers with a CU80. They review your details and send you quotes. Submitting the form doesn't commit you to buying anything.
What To Have Ready Before Comparing CU80 Quotes
Have these to hand before you get quotes.
- Your CU80 Dates The offence date and the conviction date.
- Your Points 3 or 6 for the CU80, plus any other codes.
- Any Ban Or Retest Dates When a ban ended, or when you passed again.
- The Car's Details Its registration and where it's kept overnight.
- Mileage And Claims Your yearly mileage and any recent claims.
Compare CU80 Mobile Phone Conviction Insurance Quotes
Sources For CU80 Mobile Phone Conviction Facts
- GOV.UK: using mobile phones when driving - the law, the points and fines, hands-free use and the exceptions.
- GOV.UK: endorsement codes and penalty points - CU80 and CU10 to CU50, with their points.
- GOV.UK: how long endorsements stay - the 4 years, and when insurers may be able to find out.
- GOV.UK: penalty points for new drivers - 6 points within 2 years of passing.
- legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, section 2 - the duty to take reasonable care when answering an insurer's questions.
- Financial Ombudsman: misrepresentation and non-disclosure - what an insurer might do if an answer is wrong.
- MoneyHelper: car insurance - what you need to know - excesses, premiums and why your details must be right.
- MoneyHelper: insurance if you have a criminal conviction - spent convictions (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- MoneyHelper: what a good car insurance policy looks like - the accidental damage excess (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- GOV.UK: rehabilitation periods - when endorsements and bans are spent (checked 15 Oct 2026).
- GOV.UK: guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act - fixed penalty endorsements count as convictions and when they're spent (checked 15 Oct 2026).
