Penalty Points on my Licence

Penalty points on my licence

One of the common questions driving offence solicitors are asked about motor law is “how do I keep my licence?”

If you are convicted of a motoring offence the starting point is that you will receive penalty points upon your licence or in some cases an immediate ban.  If you are to receive a mandatory ban for example for drink driving you will only avoid losing your licence if you are found not guilty of the offence or there are special reasons not to disqualify.

Speeding, mobile phones & careless driving

More commonly, drivers are awarded penalty points for offences such as speeding, careless driving or using a mobile phone.  Most points stay on your licence for 4 years from the date of the offence but are only active (used for totting up) for 3 years.

Probationary drivers are hit harder.  If you have been driving for less than 2 years when you receive 6 points, your driving licence will be revoked.  This puts you back to the position you were in before you passed your test and you will have to undergo a new driving test.

How do I keep my licence?

So back to the question “how do I keep my licence?” the answer is that depends on the case.  Sometimes you just won’t be able to keep your driving licence due to the circumstances of the case.  Our duty is to tell you that.  Acting quickly by contacting an expert road traffic solicitor who specialises in motoring law is a priority.  Our expert solicitor, Patrick O’Hanlon will discuss with you what your options are in terms of the evidence in the case and if necessary whether you will have an exceptional hardship argument, you can find information about this here.

If you face a mandatory ban, he will be able to discuss special reasons and talk you through the process in a magistrates court.

Road traffic law is complex.  It is also emotive.  People are afraid of losing their driving licence because of the impact on their job or family members.   Our job is to work within the parameters of the law to give you the best chance of keeping your licence.

How can we help?

Get in touch to speak to one of our team. We will advise you as to the merits of your case and give you an honest appraisal based on the information provided. We will not advise you to pursue any case which does not have merits.

At Levins we understand that clients want an open and transparent fee structure without the hidden extras. We don’t have different fees for different matters as we don’t want to over complicate it, you can see our guide to fees here: Levins Private Fees