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Michigan Traffic Laws: Points, Tickets, License Suspension and DUI

Michigan driving rules: point system, speeding points, traffic school, how to pay or fight a ticket, license suspension, DUI limits and penalties.

Quick answers for Michigan

Point system
Michigan uses a point system set by the Michigan Vehicle Code. Points are posted only after a conviction for a moving violation. Secretary of State, What Every Driver Must Know (Oct. 2025), ch. 2; MCL 257.320a
Points for speeding
Speeding 6 to 10 mph over the limit is 2 points; 11 to 15 mph over is 3 points; 16 mph or more over is 4 points. Higher point values apply to speeding in work zones. Secretary of State, What Every Driver Must Know (Oct. 2025), ch. 2
Legal BAC limit
0.08 for operating while intoxicated (OWI); a separate 'high BAC' offense applies at 0.17 or more. Drivers under 21 may not drive with any bodily alcohol content (0.02 up to under 0.08, or any alcohol not from a religious service). MCL 257.625(1), (6)
First-offense DUI penalties
First OWI: a misdemeanor punishable by one or more of up to 93 days in jail (up to 180 days for high BAC), a fine of $100 to $500 ($200 to $700 for high BAC), and up to 360 hours of community service. MCL 257.625(9)(a); MCL 257.319(8); What Every Driver Must Know

Last verified: 2026-10-27

Tickets and points

Point systemMichigan uses a point system set by the Michigan Vehicle Code. Points are posted only after a conviction for a moving violation. A driver with 12 or more points, or six or more one-point violations, within a two-year period must undergo a driver assessment reexamination, which can result in license restrictions, suspension or revocation. Probationary and Graduated Driver Licensing drivers may be called in after only one or two violations. This system is separate from insurance company points.
Source: Secretary of State, What Every Driver Must Know (Oct. 2025), ch. 2; MCL 257.320a
Points for speedingSpeeding 6 to 10 mph over the limit is 2 points; 11 to 15 mph over is 3 points; 16 mph or more over is 4 points. Higher point values apply to speeding in work zones.
Source: Secretary of State, What Every Driver Must Know (Oct. 2025), ch. 2
How long points lastPoints stay on the driving record for two years from the date of conviction. Most convictions remain on the driving record for at least seven years, certain convictions and licensing actions for at least 10 years, and convictions for impaired driving or a fatality remain permanently.
Source: Secretary of State, What Every Driver Must Know (Oct. 2025), ch. 2
Traffic schoolAn eligible driver who completes a Basic Driver Improvement Course (BDIC) within 60 days after the Secretary of State's eligibility notice will not have the points for that moving violation entered on the record, and the violation is not reported to insurers. The conviction is not dismissed. Drivers are not eligible if the violation carries 4 or more points, involved a commercial vehicle or CDL holder, more than one violation was cited in the same incident, they already have 3 or more points, they have taken a BDIC before, or their license is restricted, suspended or revoked. The course fee may not exceed $100.
Source: MCL 257.320d
Paying or fighting a ticketA person who receives a civil infraction citation must respond by the time stated on the citation. They may admit responsibility (in person, by representation or by mail), admit responsibility 'with explanation,' or deny responsibility by appearing at an informal hearing (or a formal hearing if requested). If a traffic ticket is not taken care of, the driver's license will in most cases be suspended.
Source: MCL 257.745; Secretary of State, What Every Driver Must Know
Paying or looking up a ticket onlineSome Michigan district courts let you pay civil infraction tickets and misdemeanor cases by credit card through the Michigan Courts ePAY system; the site being unavailable does not release you from answering the ticket or case by the due date. If your court does not participate, contact the court named on your ticket.
Source: Michigan Courts ePAY

License suspension

License suspensionSuspension reasons include not taking care of a traffic ticket (most cases), reexamination after 12 or more points in two years, OWI and related convictions, test refusal, and drug convictions even if not driving (six months for a first drug conviction, with no restricted license for the first 30 days; one year with prior drug convictions in seven years). Tickets for moving violations received while suspended add more suspensions and a reinstatement fee.
Source: Secretary of State, What Every Driver Must Know (Oct. 2025), ch. 2; MCL 257.319
Hardship or restricted licenseThe Secretary of State may issue a restricted license during part of many suspensions, for example after the first 30 days of a first-offense OWI suspension, or after the first 45 days of a first high-BAC suspension (with an ignition interlock required). A restricted license is not issued during the first 30 days of a first drug-conviction suspension.
Source: MCL 257.319(8); What Every Driver Must Know

DUI / DWI

Legal BAC limit0.08 for operating while intoxicated (OWI); a separate 'high BAC' offense applies at 0.17 or more. Drivers under 21 may not drive with any bodily alcohol content (0.02 up to under 0.08, or any alcohol not from a religious service).
The statute provides that the 0.08 limit becomes 0.10 beginning 5 years after the state treasurer publishes a certification under subsection (28).
Source: MCL 257.625(1), (6)
First-offense DUI penaltiesFirst OWI: a misdemeanor punishable by one or more of up to 93 days in jail (up to 180 days for high BAC), a fine of $100 to $500 ($200 to $700 for high BAC), and up to 360 hours of community service. The Secretary of State suspends the license for 180 days with no restricted license for the first 30 days. For a first high-BAC (0.17+) conviction, the suspension is 1 year with no restricted license for the first 45 days, and any restricted license requires an ignition interlock. A conviction adds 6 points.
Source: MCL 257.625(9)(a); MCL 257.319(8); What Every Driver Must Know
When a DUI is a felonyOperating while intoxicated (OWI) is a felony when: (1) it is a third or later offense — the person has 2 or more prior convictions, no matter how long ago (1 to 5 years in prison, or probation with 30 days to 1 year in jail, plus a $500 to $5,000 fine); (2) a child under 16 is in the vehicle and the person has a prior conviction within 7 years or 2 or more prior convictions at any time; (3) the OWI causes serious impairment of a body function of another person (up to 5 years, or up to 10 years with a .17 or higher alcohol level and a prior conviction within 7 years); or (4) the OWI causes a death (up to 15 years, or up to 20 years in certain cases). A first-offense OWI with a child under 16 in the vehicle is a misdemeanor.
Source: MCL 257.625(4), (5), (7)(a), (9)(c)
Refusing a breath testUnder Michigan's implied consent law, refusing a chemical test leads to a license suspension of 1 year, or 2 years for a second or later refusal within 7 years. Refusal of a chemical test adds 6 points. Drivers under 21 who refuse a preliminary breath test receive 2 points.
Source: MCL 257.625f; What Every Driver Must Know
DUI lookback period7 years for a second offense: an OWI within 7 years of a prior conviction brings a $200–$1,000 fine and 5 days to 1 year in jail or 30–90 days of community service. A third offense is a felony after 2 or more prior convictions, regardless of how many years have passed.
Source: MCL 257.625(9)(b)–(c)
How long a DUI stays on your recordA person with no prior OWI convictions may apply once in their lifetime to have a first-offense OWI conviction set aside, no sooner than 5 years after the sentence, probation, parole or imprisonment ends, whichever is last; the court may deny it if not convinced the person benefited from rehabilitative or educational programs. Other OWI convictions cannot be set aside, and a first OWI is not set aside automatically. A set-aside order does not remove the conviction from the Secretary of State driving record. How long an OWI stays on the driving record was not found on an official page.
Source: MCL 780.621 (definitions), 780.621c(1)(d), (3)-(5), 780.621d(2)

Phones and distracted driving

Phone and texting lawsMichigan is hands-free: a driver may not hold or use a mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. Exceptions include emergency calls or texts (such as 9-1-1), first responders on duty, GPS use without entering information by hand, and voice-operated or hands-free use (a single button press, tap or swipe is allowed). It is a civil infraction with a $100 fine or 16 hours of community service (or both) for a first violation and $250 or 24 hours for later violations; fines double if the driver causes a crash. Three or more violations in 3 years require a basic driver improvement course. Stricter rules apply to commercial vehicles and school buses ($200/$500), and teens with a Level 1 or 2 graduated license may not use a phone while driving.
Source: MCL 257.602b; MCL 257.602c

Where to get help in Michigan

Traffic Tickets & DUI FAQ

How does the driver point system work in Michigan?
Michigan uses a point system set by the Michigan Vehicle Code. Points are posted only after a conviction for a moving violation. A driver with 12 or more points, or six or more one-point violations, within a two-year period must undergo a driver assessment reexamination, which can result in license restrictions, suspension or revocation. Probationary and Graduated Driver Licensing drivers may be called in after only one or two violations. This system is separate from insurance company points.
How many points is a speeding ticket in Michigan?
Speeding 6 to 10 mph over the limit is 2 points; 11 to 15 mph over is 3 points; 16 mph or more over is 4 points. Higher point values apply to speeding in work zones.
How long do points stay on your license in Michigan?
Points stay on the driving record for two years from the date of conviction. Most convictions remain on the driving record for at least seven years, certain convictions and licensing actions for at least 10 years, and convictions for impaired driving or a fatality remain permanently.
Can traffic school remove a ticket or points in Michigan?
An eligible driver who completes a Basic Driver Improvement Course (BDIC) within 60 days after the Secretary of State's eligibility notice will not have the points for that moving violation entered on the record, and the violation is not reported to insurers. The conviction is not dismissed. Drivers are not eligible if the violation carries 4 or more points, involved a commercial vehicle or CDL holder, more than one violation was cited in the same incident, they already have 3 or more points, they have taken a BDIC before, or their license is restricted, suspended or revoked. The course fee may not exceed $100.
How do I pay or look up a traffic ticket online in Michigan?
Some Michigan district courts let you pay civil infraction tickets and misdemeanor cases by credit card through the Michigan Courts ePAY system; the site being unavailable does not release you from answering the ticket or case by the due date. If your court does not participate, contact the court named on your ticket.
How do you pay or contest a traffic ticket in Michigan?
A person who receives a civil infraction citation must respond by the time stated on the citation. They may admit responsibility (in person, by representation or by mail), admit responsibility 'with explanation,' or deny responsibility by appearing at an informal hearing (or a formal hearing if requested). If a traffic ticket is not taken care of, the driver's license will in most cases be suspended.
What gets your license suspended in Michigan?
Suspension reasons include not taking care of a traffic ticket (most cases), reexamination after 12 or more points in two years, OWI and related convictions, test refusal, and drug convictions even if not driving (six months for a first drug conviction, with no restricted license for the first 30 days; one year with prior drug convictions in seven years). Tickets for moving violations received while suspended add more suspensions and a reinstatement fee.
What is the legal blood alcohol limit in Michigan?
0.08 for operating while intoxicated (OWI); a separate 'high BAC' offense applies at 0.17 or more. Drivers under 21 may not drive with any bodily alcohol content (0.02 up to under 0.08, or any alcohol not from a religious service).
What is the penalty for a first DUI in Michigan?
First OWI: a misdemeanor punishable by one or more of up to 93 days in jail (up to 180 days for high BAC), a fine of $100 to $500 ($200 to $700 for high BAC), and up to 360 hours of community service. The Secretary of State suspends the license for 180 days with no restricted license for the first 30 days. For a first high-BAC (0.17+) conviction, the suspension is 1 year with no restricted license for the first 45 days, and any restricted license requires an ignition interlock. A conviction adds 6 points.
What happens if you refuse a breathalyzer in Michigan?
Under Michigan's implied consent law, refusing a chemical test leads to a license suspension of 1 year, or 2 years for a second or later refusal within 7 years. Refusal of a chemical test adds 6 points. Drivers under 21 who refuse a preliminary breath test receive 2 points.
How long does a DUI count as a prior offense in Michigan?
7 years for a second offense: an OWI within 7 years of a prior conviction brings a $200–$1,000 fine and 5 days to 1 year in jail or 30–90 days of community service. A third offense is a felony after 2 or more prior convictions, regardless of how many years have passed.
Can you get a hardship license in Michigan?
The Secretary of State may issue a restricted license during part of many suspensions, for example after the first 30 days of a first-offense OWI suspension, or after the first 45 days of a first high-BAC suspension (with an ignition interlock required). A restricted license is not issued during the first 30 days of a first drug-conviction suspension.
Is it illegal to hold your phone while driving in Michigan?
Michigan is hands-free: a driver may not hold or use a mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. Exceptions include emergency calls or texts (such as 9-1-1), first responders on duty, GPS use without entering information by hand, and voice-operated or hands-free use (a single button press, tap or swipe is allowed). It is a civil infraction with a $100 fine or 16 hours of community service (or both) for a first violation and $250 or 24 hours for later violations; fines double if the driver causes a crash. Three or more violations in 3 years require a basic driver improvement course. Stricter rules apply to commercial vehicles and school buses ($200/$500), and teens with a Level 1 or 2 graduated license may not use a phone while driving.
Is a DUI a felony in Michigan?
Operating while intoxicated (OWI) is a felony when: (1) it is a third or later offense — the person has 2 or more prior convictions, no matter how long ago (1 to 5 years in prison, or probation with 30 days to 1 year in jail, plus a $500 to $5,000 fine); (2) a child under 16 is in the vehicle and the person has a prior conviction within 7 years or 2 or more prior convictions at any time; (3) the OWI causes serious impairment of a body function of another person (up to 5 years, or up to 10 years with a .17 or higher alcohol level and a prior conviction within 7 years); or (4) the OWI causes a death (up to 15 years, or up to 20 years in certain cases). A first-offense OWI with a child under 16 in the vehicle is a misdemeanor.
How long does a DUI stay on your record in Michigan?
A person with no prior OWI convictions may apply once in their lifetime to have a first-offense OWI conviction set aside, no sooner than 5 years after the sentence, probation, parole or imprisonment ends, whichever is last; the court may deny it if not convinced the person benefited from rehabilitative or educational programs. Other OWI convictions cannot be set aside, and a first OWI is not set aside automatically. A set-aside order does not remove the conviction from the Secretary of State driving record. How long an OWI stays on the driving record was not found on an official page.

Traffic Tickets & DUI in other states

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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.