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Can a defensive driving course take points off my New York license?

New York's regulations say a driver who completes a course the commissioner has approved can have up to four points taken off their driving record. You can get points taken off only once in any 18-month period, and joining the course is voluntary. We haven't confirmed how large the insurance discount is or whether a court dismisses a ticket for the course.

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The rule, fact by fact

Rule
Up to four points off your driving recordAsk the course provider to confirm the credit will be recorded.
Unofficial copy: Cornell LII (opens external website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Valid for
One point reduction in any 18-month periodDate your last credit before you enroll again.
Same source and date as above
Who needs it
Voluntary; the delivery agency sets any chargeCompare delivery agencies before you pay.
Same source and date as above
Insurance premium
Approved courses are eligible for premium reductionAsk your insurer what discount it applies to an approved course.
Unofficial copy: Cornell LII (opens external website) · checked Nov 13, 2026

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check the date of your last point credit. You can get one only once in any 18-month period, and joining the course is voluntary.

  2. Step 2. Choose a course the Department of Motor Vehicles has approved. Approved courses are eligible for a cut in liability and collision insurance premiums.

  3. Step 3. Complete the course. When the course tells the department that you satisfactorily completed it, the department takes up to four points off your driving record.

Before you pay

Check the date of your last point credit: you can get one only once in any 18-month period.

Check that the Department of Motor Vehicles has approved the course.

Ask the delivery agency what it charges, because it sets its own charge.

Questions

Which tickets does the credit count against?

The credit counts toward points from violations which occurred prior to, and within 18 months preceding, the end of the course.

Does the credit lift a suspension I already have?

No. The credit will not affect any suspension or revocation already in effect at or before the time the notice is recorded on your driving record.

How does the department learn I finished?

The sponsoring agency sends electronic data on each student who finished, and $2 to cover the department's costs. Notice that you finished is then entered on your driving record.

Do I get a certificate?

The regulation defines the certificate as a document that cannot be altered and is given to the student who successfully completes the course.

What to do next

Check the date of your last point credit. Then read the point credit rule in the Cornell LII copy of the New York regulations before you enroll.

www.law.cornell.edu

Sources we read