Colorado Traffic Laws: Points, Tickets, License Suspension and DUI
Colorado driving rules: point system, speeding points, traffic school, how to pay or fight a ticket, license suspension, DUI limits and penalties.
Quick answers for Colorado
- Point system
- Yes. Points are assessed for traffic convictions. Drivers 21 and older face suspension at 12 points in 12 months or 18 points in 24 months. C.R.S. § 42-2-127; Colorado DMV Reinstatement FAQs
- Points for speeding
- 1–4 mph over: 0 points; 5–9 mph over: 1 point; 10–19 mph over: 4 points; 20–39 mph over: 6 points; 40 mph or more over: 12 points. Speed not reasonable and prudent for conditions: 3 points. C.R.S. § 42-2-127(5)(f); Colorado General Assembly, Point Suspension; Colorado DMV Tickets and Penalty Assessments page
- Legal BAC limit
- DUI per se at 0.08 or more within two hours of driving. A BAC over 0.05 but under 0.08 allows an inference of impaired driving (DWAI). Drivers under 21 commit underage drinking and driving at 0.02 to 0.05. C.R.S. § 42-4-1301; Office of Legislative Legal Services, Colorado Drunk Driving Laws (rev. 10/29/24)
- First-offense DUI penalties
- A first DUI or DUI per se is a misdemeanor punishable by 5 days to 1 year in jail and a $600 to $1,000 fine, plus 48 to 96 hours of public service; part of the jail term can be suspended with alcohol treatment. C.R.S. §§ 42-4-1307, 42-2-126; Colorado Drunk Driving Laws summary; Colorado DMV Reinstatement FAQs
Last verified: 2026-10-27
Tickets and points
| Point system | Yes. Points are assessed for traffic convictions. Drivers 21 and older face suspension at 12 points in 12 months or 18 points in 24 months. Drivers 18 to 20 face suspension at 9 points in 12 months, 12 points in 24 months, or 14 points after turning 18. Drivers under 18 have lower limits. A driver who shows the points were all earned while driving for work may have higher limits (16 points in one year, 24 in two years or 28 in four years). |
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| Points for speeding | 1–4 mph over: 0 points; 5–9 mph over: 1 point; 10–19 mph over: 4 points; 20–39 mph over: 6 points; 40 mph or more over: 12 points. Speed not reasonable and prudent for conditions: 3 points. The DMV reduces the points added to the record if an eligible penalty assessment is paid online or by mail postmarked within 20 days (the fine stays the same). |
| How long points last | Point limits are measured over rolling 12- and 24-month periods (and longer periods for some drivers). How long convictions stay on the Colorado driving record was not confirmed from an official page read for this record. Source: C.R.S. § 42-2-127 |
| Traffic school | A 2024 law directs the DMV to create a driving improvement course program that lets a driver convicted of a traffic infraction or misdemeanor traffic offense have points waived after completing an approved course (in person or online). The waiver provision takes effect January 1, 2027, or earlier once the DMV adopts rules. It does not apply to offenses committed under a commercial driver's license or in a commercial vehicle. This is a point waiver, not dismissal of the ticket. Source: C.R.S. § 42-2-127.1 (HB 24-1250) |
| Paying or fighting a ticket | Eligible penalty assessments can be paid online at mydmv.colorado.gov, by check or money order mailed to the Department of Revenue with a copy of the ticket, or in person (the only time cash is accepted); phone payments are not accepted. Paying is an admission of guilt. To fight the ticket, do not pay it; appear in court on the date listed on the citation. Tickets more than 40 days old have been referred to court and cannot be paid through the DMV. |
| Paying or looking up a ticket online | State penalty assessments (tickets issued under Colorado state statutes) can be paid to the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles online through myDMV (mydmv.colorado.gov), by mail with a check or money order payable to the Colorado Department of Revenue and a clear copy of the ticket, or in person (cash only in person). Summonses and municipal citations are paid to the court listed on the ticket; parking and photo radar tickets go to the city or agency. Tickets more than 40 days old have gone to court and can no longer be paid through the DMV. Paying is an admission of guilt; paying within 20 days can reduce the points. |
License suspension
| License suspension | Common suspensions include point suspensions, unpaid tickets (pay the court, then submit the court compliance, form DR 2870 and a $95 fee), driving uninsured (first time until proof of insurance is filed; a second within five years, four months; a third or later, eight months), child-support suspensions, and alcohol-related revocations. Reinstatement after a points suspension requires serving the suspension, paying the $95 fee, filing form DR 2870 and showing current insurance. |
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| Hardship or restricted license | A driver suspended for points may get a probationary license that strictly limits driving to and from work; it requires a letter from the employer, SR-22 insurance and a $6 fee, and is taken immediately if the driver is stopped outside its limits. Drivers revoked for alcohol offenses may apply for early reinstatement with an interlock-restricted license. A 90-day work-purpose probationary license may be available in child-support suspensions. |
| Checking and reinstating a license | Log in to myDMV (mydmv.colorado.gov) to use the reinstatement status tool, see your requirements and eligibility date, and view your driving record; the DMV does not send reminders when you are eligible. The standard reinstatement fee is $95 (alcohol-related cases add a $25 DUI restoration fee; test refusals total $120). Pay online through myDMV's Payment and Reinstatements box with your documents uploaded, or mail Form DR 2870 with documents and a check or money order to the Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles, PO Box 173345, Denver CO 80217-3345. Do not drive until you receive a Letter of Clearance and buy your reinstated license at a Full-Service Driver License Office. |
DUI / DWI
| Legal BAC limit | DUI per se at 0.08 or more within two hours of driving. A BAC over 0.05 but under 0.08 allows an inference of impaired driving (DWAI). Drivers under 21 commit underage drinking and driving at 0.02 to 0.05. A BAC of 0.15 or more makes a driver a 'persistent drunk driver' subject to added requirements. The commercial-driver limit was not confirmed from a page read for this record. |
|---|---|
| First-offense DUI penalties | A first DUI or DUI per se is a misdemeanor punishable by 5 days to 1 year in jail and a $600 to $1,000 fine, plus 48 to 96 hours of public service; part of the jail term can be suspended with alcohol treatment. A first DWAI carries 2 to 180 days in jail, a $200 to $500 fine and 24 to 48 hours of public service. Administratively, a BAC of 0.08 or more brings a 9-month revocation for a first offense; early reinstatement with an ignition interlock is available for offenses on or after January 1, 2023. |
| When a DUI is a felony | A DUI, DUI per se or DWAI is a class 4 felony when the person has three or more previous DUI, DUI per se or DWAI convictions (2 to 6 years in prison and 3 years of parole). Separately, vehicular assault while DUI (causing serious bodily injury) is a class 4 felony, and vehicular homicide while DUI is a class 3 felony. Source is the legislature's nonpartisan law summary (last revised 10/29/24), not the statute text itself. |
| Refusing a breath test | Drivers are presumed to consent to a blood, breath, saliva or urine test when an officer has probable cause of DUI or DWAI. Refusal leads to revocation of 1 year (first), 2 years (second), or 3 years (third), and the driver is designated a persistent drunk driver. Early reinstatement with an interlock requires serving at least 2 months first, and the interlock must stay for at least 2 years. A hearing must be requested within 7 calendar days of arrest. |
| DUI lookback period | Colorado's law summary lists higher penalties for a DUI or DWAI with one or more previous DUI or DWAI convictions without stating a time limit; a fourth or later offense can be a class 4 felony. A third DUI or DWAI within seven years also brings a mandatory five-year revocation as a habitual traffic offender. Whether any time limit applies to prior convictions for criminal sentencing was not confirmed directly from the statute text. |
| How long a DUI stays on your record | How long a DUI stays on the Colorado driving record was not found on an official page. For the criminal record, Colorado's general process for sealing conviction records does not allow sealing of a conviction for DUI, DUI per se or DWAI (C.R.S. § 42-4-1301(1) or (2)), and also excludes most misdemeanor traffic offenses. Sealing, where it is allowed, does not erase (vacate) the conviction. |
| Sobriety checkpoints | Yes, they are used. CDOT's 'Heat Is On' campaign runs 13 high-visibility impaired-driving enforcement periods a year, and CDOT says those periods may include sobriety checkpoints run by the Colorado State Patrol and local agencies. No Colorado statute that authorizes or bans sobriety checkpoints was found. |
Phones and distracted driving
| Phone and texting laws | Since January 1, 2025, drivers may not use a mobile electronic device while driving. 'Use' means holding the device or pinning it to the ear for voice calls, watching video (other than navigation), or writing, sending or reading texts, email or internet data. Exceptions include contacting public safety and emergencies. Fines (within 24 months) are $75 for a first offense, $150 for a second, and $250 for a third or later, plus a $10 surcharge. A first-time charge can be dismissed if the driver shows a hands-free accessory or proof of buying one. Causing injury or death is a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense. |
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Where to get help in Colorado
Traffic Tickets & DUI FAQ
How does the driver point system work in Colorado?
Yes. Points are assessed for traffic convictions. Drivers 21 and older face suspension at 12 points in 12 months or 18 points in 24 months. Drivers 18 to 20 face suspension at 9 points in 12 months, 12 points in 24 months, or 14 points after turning 18. Drivers under 18 have lower limits. A driver who shows the points were all earned while driving for work may have higher limits (16 points in one year, 24 in two years or 28 in four years).
How many points is a speeding ticket in Colorado?
1–4 mph over: 0 points; 5–9 mph over: 1 point; 10–19 mph over: 4 points; 20–39 mph over: 6 points; 40 mph or more over: 12 points. Speed not reasonable and prudent for conditions: 3 points. The DMV reduces the points added to the record if an eligible penalty assessment is paid online or by mail postmarked within 20 days (the fine stays the same).
How long do points stay on your license in Colorado?
Point limits are measured over rolling 12- and 24-month periods (and longer periods for some drivers).
Can traffic school remove a ticket or points in Colorado?
A 2024 law directs the DMV to create a driving improvement course program that lets a driver convicted of a traffic infraction or misdemeanor traffic offense have points waived after completing an approved course (in person or online). The waiver provision takes effect January 1, 2027, or earlier once the DMV adopts rules. It does not apply to offenses committed under a commercial driver's license or in a commercial vehicle.
How do I pay or look up a traffic ticket online in Colorado?
State penalty assessments (tickets issued under Colorado state statutes) can be paid to the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles online through myDMV (mydmv.colorado.gov), by mail with a check or money order payable to the Colorado Department of Revenue and a clear copy of the ticket, or in person (cash only in person). Summonses and municipal citations are paid to the court listed on the ticket; parking and photo radar tickets go to the city or agency. Tickets more than 40 days old have gone to court and can no longer be paid through the DMV. Paying is an admission of guilt; paying within 20 days can reduce the points.
How do I check if my license is suspended and get it reinstated in Colorado?
Log in to myDMV (mydmv.colorado.gov) to use the reinstatement status tool, see your requirements and eligibility date, and view your driving record; the DMV does not send reminders when you are eligible. The standard reinstatement fee is $95 (alcohol-related cases add a $25 DUI restoration fee; test refusals total $120). Pay online through myDMV's Payment and Reinstatements box with your documents uploaded, or mail Form DR 2870 with documents and a check or money order to the Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles, PO Box 173345, Denver CO 80217-3345. Do not drive until you receive a Letter of Clearance and buy your reinstated license at a Full-Service Driver License Office.
How do you pay or contest a traffic ticket in Colorado?
Eligible penalty assessments can be paid online at mydmv.colorado.gov, by check or money order mailed to the Department of Revenue with a copy of the ticket, or in person (the only time cash is accepted); phone payments are not accepted. Paying is an admission of guilt. To fight the ticket, do not pay it; appear in court on the date listed on the citation. Tickets more than 40 days old have been referred to court and cannot be paid through the DMV.
What gets your license suspended in Colorado?
Common suspensions include point suspensions, unpaid tickets (pay the court, then submit the court compliance, form DR 2870 and a $95 fee), driving uninsured (first time until proof of insurance is filed; a second within five years, four months; a third or later, eight months), child-support suspensions, and alcohol-related revocations. Reinstatement after a points suspension requires serving the suspension, paying the $95 fee, filing form DR 2870 and showing current insurance.
What is the legal blood alcohol limit in Colorado?
DUI per se at 0.08 or more within two hours of driving. A BAC over 0.05 but under 0.08 allows an inference of impaired driving (DWAI). Drivers under 21 commit underage drinking and driving at 0.02 to 0.05. A BAC of 0.15 or more makes a driver a 'persistent drunk driver' subject to added requirements.
What is the penalty for a first DUI in Colorado?
A first DUI or DUI per se is a misdemeanor punishable by 5 days to 1 year in jail and a $600 to $1,000 fine, plus 48 to 96 hours of public service; part of the jail term can be suspended with alcohol treatment. A first DWAI carries 2 to 180 days in jail, a $200 to $500 fine and 24 to 48 hours of public service. Administratively, a BAC of 0.08 or more brings a 9-month revocation for a first offense; early reinstatement with an ignition interlock is available for offenses on or after January 1, 2023.
What happens if you refuse a breathalyzer in Colorado?
Drivers are presumed to consent to a blood, breath, saliva or urine test when an officer has probable cause of DUI or DWAI. Refusal leads to revocation of 1 year (first), 2 years (second), or 3 years (third), and the driver is designated a persistent drunk driver. Early reinstatement with an interlock requires serving at least 2 months first, and the interlock must stay for at least 2 years. A hearing must be requested within 7 calendar days of arrest.
How long does a DUI count as a prior offense in Colorado?
Colorado's law summary lists higher penalties for a DUI or DWAI with one or more previous DUI or DWAI convictions without stating a time limit; a fourth or later offense can be a class 4 felony. A third DUI or DWAI within seven years also brings a mandatory five-year revocation as a habitual traffic offender.
Can you get a hardship license in Colorado?
A driver suspended for points may get a probationary license that strictly limits driving to and from work; it requires a letter from the employer, SR-22 insurance and a $6 fee, and is taken immediately if the driver is stopped outside its limits. Drivers revoked for alcohol offenses may apply for early reinstatement with an interlock-restricted license. A 90-day work-purpose probationary license may be available in child-support suspensions.
Is it illegal to hold your phone while driving in Colorado?
Since January 1, 2025, drivers may not use a mobile electronic device while driving. 'Use' means holding the device or pinning it to the ear for voice calls, watching video (other than navigation), or writing, sending or reading texts, email or internet data. Exceptions include contacting public safety and emergencies. Fines (within 24 months) are $75 for a first offense, $150 for a second, and $250 for a third or later, plus a $10 surcharge. A first-time charge can be dismissed if the driver shows a hands-free accessory or proof of buying one. Causing injury or death is a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense.
Is a DUI a felony in Colorado?
A DUI, DUI per se or DWAI is a class 4 felony when the person has three or more previous DUI, DUI per se or DWAI convictions (2 to 6 years in prison and 3 years of parole). Separately, vehicular assault while DUI (causing serious bodily injury) is a class 4 felony, and vehicular homicide while DUI is a class 3 felony.
How long does a DUI stay on your record in Colorado?
How long a DUI stays on the Colorado driving record was not found on an official page. For the criminal record, Colorado's general process for sealing conviction records does not allow sealing of a conviction for DUI, DUI per se or DWAI (C.R.S. § 42-4-1301(1) or (2)), and also excludes most misdemeanor traffic offenses. Sealing, where it is allowed, does not erase (vacate) the conviction.
Are DUI checkpoints legal in Colorado?
Yes, they are used. CDOT's 'Heat Is On' campaign runs 13 high-visibility impaired-driving enforcement periods a year, and CDOT says those periods may include sobriety checkpoints run by the Colorado State Patrol and local agencies.
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