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- 1). Get a copy of your driving record from your local DMV office, in person, by phone request, or online. This allows you to see how many moving violations you have, and the number of points assigned to each one.
- 2). Research your state's rules on point reductions. They vary from state to state. For example, in Florida you can elect to attend traffic school to remove points only once within a year, and only five times in your lifetime, according to CarInsurance.com. In New York, you can only take a class once every 18 months. State rules also differ in terms of the number of points that can be removed within a specified period of time and how long the points will remain on your record.
- 3). Enroll in a defensive driving course--for which there will be a fee--at a traffic school certified by the DMV to remove as many points possible, based on your state's regulations. The exact nature of the class may vary depending on the type of violation you committed. Typically, it's not possible to remove points for serious violations, such as driving under the influence (DUI), although a court may order you to take a class before your driving privileges can be restored. There are defensive driving classes offered via the Internet, which is good for people with busy and erratic schedules. Remember, however, that any course you take must be certified by the state, or it will have no effect on your point total.
Once DMV receives official notification from the driving school that you completed the course, the applicable points shall be taken off accordingly. You will also receive an official certificate that you have completed the course. This can be taken to DMV for point reductions if the driving school notice wasn't received. - 4). Appear before a judge to prevent points being added to your DMV record if you believe you have been incorrectly charged with committing a violation. Unlike with the option of enrolling in a driving school, in which you admit to the violation charged against you, defending yourself requires a court appearance.
If you're encountering financial hardships and higher insurance premiums would be a burden, try going to court and pleading for mercy, particularly if you are a first offender or haven't committed a moving violation in a long time. The judge may let you off with a warning or convict you on a lesser offense.
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