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Endorsements codes and penalty points

Each endorsement has a unique offence code and is allocated ‘penalty points’ on a scale from one to eleven, depending on the severity of the offence. The endorsement (and penalty points) is updated on your driver record and written on your paper driving licence or the counterpart document of your photocard driving licence.

How long endorsements stay on your driving licence

An endorsement must stay on your driving licence for the following periods of time:

Eleven years from date of conviction

If the offence is:

• drinking or drugs and driving - shown on the licence as DR10, DR20, DR30 and DR80
• causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs – shown on the licence as CD40, CD50 and CD60
• causing death by careless driving, then failing to provide a specimen for analysis – shown on the licence as CD70

Example: Date of conviction is 3 December 2023 - the endorsement must stay on the licence until 3 December 2013.

Four years from the date of conviction

If the offence is for:

• reckless/dangerous driving - shown on the licence as DD40, DD60 and DD80
• offences resulting in disqualification
• disqualified from holding a full driving licence until a driving test has been passed

Example: Date of conviction is 28 May 2023 – the endorsement must stay on the licence until 28 May 2008.

Four years from the date of offence

In all other cases.

Example: Date of offence 10 June 2023 – the endorsement must stay on the licence until 10 June 2009.

• When endorsements and penalty points can be removed from a driving licence

'Totting-up' penalty points

If you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of three years, you’ll be liable to be disqualified under the 'totting-up' system. This is shown on your licence as TT99.

Information on your driving entitlement and endorsements are sent to the courts and police on request.

• More about driving disqualifications

New Drivers Act

Your driving licence is automatically revoked (withdrawn) if you build up six or more penalty points within two years of passing your first driving test.

• The New Drivers Act

Producing your driving licence for endorsement

You’ll need to produce your driving licence to the police, fixed penalty office (FPO) or when you appear at court.

If your driving licence is lost, you can get a duplicate online, by phone or by post.

• Get a duplicate driving licence

If your driving licence is not returned after being endorsed, you’ll need to contact the FPO or court responsible for endorsing your driving licence. If you’ve changed address, or your licence is damaged or the endorsement area is full, the FPO or court will send your driving licence to DVLA to be updated. It will be returned to you within three weeks.

Removing expired endorsements from your driving licence

You can apply to remove expired endorsements by exchanging your driving licence for a new one.

Expired endorsements are automatically removed when you apply to renew or update your licence for other reasons.

• How to remove expired endorsements from your driving licence

Check endorsement details

You can check:

• the counterpart document of your photocard driving licence
• your paper driving licence

If you’ve lost your driving licence and need to check your endorsement details you can check online (if your driving licence was issued after making an online application) or by phoning DVLA customer enquiries.

• View your driver licence details online

Incorrect endorsement details shown on your driving licence

Contact the convicting court for advice.