Totting-Up Calculator
Enter your offences and their dates to see whether you'd hit 12 points within three years — and what ban would follow.
Use the offence date (not the conviction date). You can add a possible future offence to test a "what if".
How does the totting-up calculator work?
Simply adding up every point on your licence overstates the risk, because only points from offences committed within three years of each other count towards a totting-up ban, even though the endorsement itself stays on your record for four or eleven years depending on the offence.
This calculator uses the actual offence dates. For each offence, it adds up the points from every offence in the three years up to and including that date, then checks whether any of those windows reaches 12. New drivers get the same date-based check with a 6-point limit, which applies to offences committed in the two years after passing a first test.
It also shows how many points count today, how much room you have before the limit, and the date your oldest counting points drop out of the window.
3 worked examples
Example 1 — All points inside the window: ban threshold reached
An experienced driver (the calculator's default, with no previous bans) and three offences: 14 March 2024 (3 points), 2 September 2025 (3 points) and 20 January 2026 (6 points).
The three years before that date start on 20 January 2023, so all three offences fall inside it.
Total:3 + 3 + 6 = 12 points — the totting-up threshold is reached.
Result:A court must disqualify unless it accepts exceptional hardship. Minimum ban: 6 months (no previous bans).
Example 2 — Old points have dropped out: no ban
An experienced driver with three offences: 10 January 2023 (3 points), 5 August 2024 (3 points) and 12 February 2026 (6 points).
3 + 3 + 6 = 12 — which looks like a ban.
Window ending 12 February 2026:The three years before that date start on 12 February 2023. The January 2023 offence is more than three years old, so its points no longer count.
Counting total:3 + 6 = 9 points — below the threshold, so no totting-up ban.
Example 3 — New driver: provisional points carry over
A driver passed their first test on 1 June 2025. They had 3 points from 20 February 2025 (on a provisional licence) and commit a further offence on 15 March 2026 worth 3 points.
1 June 2025 to 1 June 2027 — the March 2026 offence falls inside it.
Points counting at 15 March 2026:The February 2025 points are still within their three-year period and carry over: 3 + 3 = 6 points.
Result:The licence would be revoked. They would need a new provisional licence and to pass both the theory and practical tests again.
Examples 1 and 2 both add up to 12 points, but the dates differ and the outcome flips from a ban to no ban. That's why the dates matter far more than the total printed on your licence.
The 12-point totting-up rule
If you build up 12 or more penalty points from offences committed within a three-year period, a court must disqualify you under section 35 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, unless it accepts that a ban would cause exceptional hardship.
- The window runs from offence dates, not conviction dates. An offence more than three years before your latest offence is disregarded, even if it's still on your licence.
- Endorsements outlast the window. GOV.UK says endorsements stay on your record for 4 or 11 years depending on the offence (eleven for the most serious, such as drink or drug driving), but they only count towards totting-up if the offences fall within the three-year window.
- If the ban is 56 days or more, GOV.UK says you must apply for a new licence before you can drive again, and you might also have to retake your driving test or take an extended test. The court tells you if that applies.
| Previous bans of 56+ days in the 3 years before your latest offence | Minimum ban |
|---|---|
| None | 6 months |
| One | 12 months |
| Two or more | 2 years |
These are minimums. A court decides the length based on how serious it considers the offence, and can impose a longer ban. It can only impose a shorter one, or none, if it accepts exceptional hardship (see below). A previous ban only counts if it was for a fixed period of at least 56 days and was imposed in the three years before the latest offence.
The new driver rule: 6 points in 2 years
New drivers face a much lower limit. GOV.UK says your licence will be cancelled (revoked) if you get 6 or more points within 2 years of passing your first test. You'll need to apply for a new provisional licence and pass both the theory and practical tests again.
- The two years start on the day you pass your first test. Passing a later test, such as a motorcycle or lorry test, doesn't start another period.
- Unexpired provisional-licence points carry over. Points you collected as a learner count towards the six, but they only lead to revocation if you then commit a further offence within the two years.
- Revocation doesn't wipe your points. They normally stay on your record for their usual period, even after you pass again.
- After the two years, the normal 12-point totting-up rule applies instead.
For a new driver, a single serious offence — or two minor ones — can be enough on its own. Our New Driver's Complete Guide covers what else changes in your first two years.
Exceptional hardship
Even when you reach 12 points, a court can decide not to disqualify you, or to disqualify you for a shorter time, if it accepts that a ban would cause exceptional hardship. It's a high bar: under section 35, hardship only counts if it is exceptional, and the court decides case by case. A court can't rely on circumstances it has already used within the previous three years to avoid or shorten a ban, and it must disregard circumstances said to make the offence itself less serious. This calculator can't predict that outcome, and a motoring solicitor is the right person to advise you before a hearing.
What this calculator can't tell you
Your full, accurate record
The result is only as good as the dates and points you enter. Check your licence record on GOV.UK for the exact offence dates and points before relying on it.
Whether a ban has already been imposed
If a court has already banned you for the offences you enter, those points were dealt with at that point. The calculator just checks the dates and points you give it, so it can't tell that.
Offences that carry a ban by themselves
Some offences, such as drink-driving, carry their own disqualification regardless of how many points you hold. That's a separate question from totting-up.
Offences exactly three years apart
GOV.UK and section 35 speak of a three-year period, but don't spell out the day-count for an offence exactly three years earlier. As the calculator's own cautious assumption, it counts such an offence. If your dates are that close to the boundary, don't rely on the result: get legal advice.
How a court will exercise its discretion
Exceptional hardship, longer bans, and how any offence is sentenced are all decided by the court, not by arithmetic.
Common mistakes
Counting by conviction date
The three-year window runs from the dates offences were committed, not the dates you were convicted or fined. An offence you were convicted of months later still counts from its offence date.
Adding up every point on the licence
A licence can show points that are up to four years old (or eleven for some offences), but only offences within the three-year window count towards a totting-up ban. Adding everything overstates your risk, as Example 2 shows.
Entering the same incident twice
When several offences happen on the same occasion, usually only the one with the highest points is endorsed. Entering both inflates your total.
Forgetting the lower limit for new drivers
In your first two years, six points is the limit, not twelve — and provisional-licence points count towards it.
Assuming being under the limit means being safe
Being below the limit today says nothing about the next offence. The headroom figure above tells you how many points would be enough to cross it.
If you're close to the limit
- Confirm your record. Check the offence dates and points on your driving licence record on GOV.UK, so you're working from facts rather than memory.
- Note when points drop out. The results show the date your oldest counting points leave the window, which can be the difference between a ban and no ban.
- Consider a speed awareness course if offered. Taking it for a new speeding offence avoids points for that offence if you complete it. See our guide to speed awareness courses vs penalty points. Eligibility is decided by the police, and the offer isn't guaranteed.
- Get legal advice before a hearing. If 12 points are in play, a solicitor can advise on exceptional hardship and how to present it.
🔴 Not sure when your points expire?
Find out exactly when each set of points becomes inactive and leaves your record.
Use the Penalty Points Calculator →How we calculate
Window total for an offence = the sum of points for every offence dated on or before it and no more than three years earlier (an offence exactly three years earlier is counted: this is the calculator's cautious assumption). Offences are processed in date order.
Experienced driver: the threshold is reached at the first offence whose window total is 12 or more. The minimum ban is 6 months, 12 months with one previous ban of 56+ days in the last 3 years, or 2 years with two or more.
New driver: only offences dated from the test-pass date to two years after it can trigger revocation. Their window total (which includes unexpired provisional-licence points) must reach 6 or more.
Counting today uses the same window ending on today's date, and offences dated in the future are excluded. Room before the limit = threshold − 1 − points counting today.
Frequently asked questions
How many points before you get banned in the UK?
12 or more points from offences committed within a three-year period triggers a totting-up disqualification. New drivers are subject to a lower limit: six points within two years of passing their first test leads to licence revocation.
Do points from four years ago count towards totting-up?
No. Points only count towards a totting-up ban if the offence was committed within three years of your latest offence. They may still appear on your licence for a fourth year (GOV.UK says 4 or 11 years depending on the offence), but they no longer count towards the 12.
How long is a totting-up ban?
At least 6 months for a first ban. The minimum rises to 12 months if you've had one previous ban of 56 days or more in the three years before your latest offence, and to 2 years if you've had more than one. The court decides the actual length.
Does the three years run from the offence date or the conviction date?
The offence date. The window is measured between the dates the offences were committed, not the dates of conviction or sentencing.
Do points from my provisional licence count towards the new driver limit?
Yes. Provisional-licence points that haven't expired carry over to your full licence and count towards the six. They only cause revocation if you commit a further offence within two years of passing your first test.
Can I avoid a totting-up ban?
Only if the court accepts that a ban would cause exceptional hardship. That's a high bar decided case by case, so take legal advice before the hearing.
References & data sources
- GOV.UK — Penalty points (endorsements) and Driving disqualifications. The 12-point totting-up rule, the 6-month, 12-month and 2-year minimum bans, the 56-day new licence rule and possible retests.
- Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, section 35 (legislation.gov.uk). The statutory basis for totting-up, the minimum periods, which previous bans count, and the exceptional-hardship limits.
- Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995 (legislation.gov.uk). The statutory basis for the two-year probationary period. Not re-read line by line for this update; the GOV.UK new drivers page was used for the working rule.
- GOV.UK — New drivers. Confirms the 6-points-in-2-years rule, that unexpired provisional points carry over, and that a later test in another category doesn't start a new period.
Totting-up is set by statute and applied by courts. This tool is a planning aid based on the dates and points you enter — always confirm your position against your official licence record and take legal advice if a ban is possible.
Prakash
Prakash is the founder and editor of UK Driving Tools. He maintains the site's calculators and guides and checks the rates and rules they use against official UK sources, such as GOV.UK, the DVLA, HMRC and Transport for London, before publishing.
Pages are drafted with the help of AI tools and then checked by the editor. He isn't a lawyer, accountant or UK-qualified adviser, so every page lists its sources and states what its calculator can't tell you. Nothing on this site is legal or financial advice.
Pages on UK Driving Tools are drafted with the help of AI tools. Before publishing, the figures and rules on each page are checked against the official source named on the page, and calculator examples are tested against the working formula. Pages are updated when rates or rules change. Our Editorial Policy explains the full process, including how to report a mistake.
Spotted a mistake or an out-of-date rate? Let us know and we'll check it against the official source.