By VidMira · November 4, 2026
The NJ license point system is how the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJ MVC) keeps score of moving violations. The MVC adds points to your record when you are convicted of a moving violation, and the more serious the violation, the more points it carries (Driver Manual, p. 137). If you are studying for the knowledge test many people call the NJ DMV permit test, which is given by the NJ MVC, the New Jersey Driver Manual covers violations, driver programs, surcharges and the point chart in one chapter (Chapter 7, Driver Privilege and Penalties). This guide walks through it with the exact numbers from the manual.
How points are added
Three rules from the manual explain how points land on your record (Driver Manual, p. 137):
- Only after a conviction. The MVC adds points when a motorist is convicted of a moving violation.
- Out-of-state tickets count. Two points are added to a New Jersey record for traffic violations committed in other states.
- The record keeps them. All point violations after March 1, 1974 stay on a motorist's driving record.
The NJ point chart: common violations
These rows come from the moving violation point chart in the Driver Manual (pp. 138–140). It is not the whole chart: it is a selection of common violations.
| Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| Speeding 1-14 mph over the limit | 2 |
| Speeding 15-29 mph over the limit | 4 |
| Speeding 30 mph or more over the limit | 5 |
| Tailgating | 5 |
| Reckless driving | 5 |
| Careless driving | 2 |
| Racing on a highway | 5 |
| Improper passing of a school bus | 5 |
| Improper passing of a frozen dessert truck | 4 |
| Improper passing in a no passing zone | 4 |
| Improper passing on the right or off the roadway | 4 |
| Using a hand-held cell phone or electronic communication device while driving (points are assessed against a third conviction within 10 years of a second conviction and all fourth and later offenses) | 3 |
| Improper turn at a traffic light, improper right or left turn, improper U-turn | 3 each |
| Failure to stop for a traffic light | 2 |
| Failure to observe Stop or Yield signs | 2 |
| Failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk | 2 |
| Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle | 2 |
| Wrong way on a one-way street | 2 |
| Leaving the scene of a crash, no personal injury | 2 |
| Leaving the scene of a crash, with personal injury | 8 |
Two more point rules sit outside the chart. Unsafe driving brings 4 points if the third or subsequent offense occurs within five years of the prior offense (Driver Manual, p. 128). Not passing a vulnerable road user with due caution brings a $500 fine and 2 points if bodily injury results, but a $100 fine and no points if no injury results (Driver Manual, p. 130).
How points come off
Points do not have to build forever. The manual describes these ways the total can go down:
- A clean year. Up to three points are subtracted each year you go without a violation or suspension and your driving privileges stay in good standing, but the total never drops below zero (Driver Manual, p. 137).
- A defensive driving course. Completing one removes two points and may qualify you for an insurance rate reduction. You can take it in a classroom or online from approved providers, but the MVC recognizes a course for point reduction only once every five years (Driver Manual, p. 135).
- The Driver Improvement Program. Successfully completing it removes three points (Driver Manual, p. 134).
- The Probationary Driver Program. Completing it reduces the record by up to three points (Driver Manual, p. 134).
What happens at 12 to 14 points
Motorists who accumulate between 12 and 14 points receive a Notice of Scheduled Suspension by mail from the MVC (Driver Manual, p. 133). After that notice, you can do one of three things:
- Attend a Driver Improvement Program (the manual notes you may not be eligible if the points were accumulated within a 24-month period).
- Request a hearing. If a hearing is granted, the MVC Chief Administrator or an Administrative Law Judge decides whether to suspend (Driver Manual, p. 134).
- Surrender your license for the suspension period.
A $75 administration fee, payable to the MVC, is required before scheduling a Driver Improvement Program or Probationary Driver Program class with a private provider, and a separate program fee goes to the provider (Driver Manual, p. 134). After completing a Driver Improvement Program, or after restoration, you are on probation for one year, and any moving violation during that time results in a scheduled suspension (Driver Manual, p. 134).
Points for new drivers: the Probationary Driver Program
New drivers have a separate rule. A two-year probationary driver period begins after a motorist receives a special learner or examination permit. During that period, a motorist convicted of two or more moving violations totaling four or more points must enroll in the Probationary Driver Program (Driver Manual, p. 134). Failing to complete the program, or a further moving point violation during the test period, results in suspension (Driver Manual, p. 134).
For the other rules that apply to new drivers, such as the probationary license itself, see our guide to NJ probationary license rules.
Surcharges: the cost on top of fines
Points can also cost money. Motorists with six or more points within three years pay a surcharge of $150 for six points plus $25 for each additional point (Driver Manual, p. 136). A few details matter:
- Surcharges are in addition to any court-imposed fines and penalties.
- Point totals for surcharges are based on the date violations are posted to the record, not when they occurred.
- Standard point reductions do not apply to the violation surcharge system.
- Convicted or administratively suspended motorists pay the prescribed surcharge each year for three years.
Some violations carry their own annual surcharge: $250 for driving while suspended, $250 for no liability insurance on a motor vehicle, and $1,000 for DUI or refusal ($1,500 for a third within three years) (Driver Manual, p. 136). Unpaid surcharges may lead to collection action: a Superior Court judgment, a lien on real property, wage garnishment or other legal action (Driver Manual, p. 137).
Sample questions on the NJ point system
These come from our app's practice questions, written from the Driver Manual.
1. A New Jersey driver gets a moving violation while driving in another state. How many points are added to their NJ record?
Answer: 2. Why: Two points are added for traffic violations committed in other states (Driver Manual, p. 137).
2. A motorist has eight points posted within three years. What is the point surcharge?
Answer: $200. Why: Six points bring a $150 surcharge and each extra point adds $25, so eight points cost $150 + $25 + $25 = $200 (Driver Manual, p. 136).
3. A probationary driver is convicted of two moving violations totaling five points. What must they do?
Answer: Enroll in the Probationary Driver Program. Why: Two or more moving violations totaling four or more points require the Probationary Driver Program (Driver Manual, p. 134).
Practice with the app
NJ DMV Permit Practice Test has a study guide by topic with the manual page for each fact, practice questions where each answer explains why, flashcards and a 50-question practice test that passes at 40. You can use the whole app in English or Spanish, and everything in it is free. Get NJ DMV Permit Practice Test.
Sources
- New Jersey Driver Manual (2026 edition), NJ MVC: motor vehicle violations, driver programs, surcharges and the point chart, pp. 128–140.
- NJ MVC: Knowledge test
Checked against the New Jersey Driver Manual (2026 edition) on November 4, 2026. Rules can change; the NJ MVC's own pages at nj.gov/mvc always win. NJ DMV Permit Practice Test is an independent study app by VidMira LLC. It is not affiliated with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or any government agency.
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VidMira LLC is not affiliated with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJ MVC) or any government agency.