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

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

Quick answers for Ohio

Point system
Yes. Courts assess points for traffic convictions and the BMV records them. If a driver is charged 12 or more points within a two-year period (counted from the first conviction in that period), the Registrar imposes a class D suspension, which is six months. Ohio Rev. Code §§ 4510.036, 4510.037(B), 4510.02(B)(4)
Points for speeding
30 mph or more over the limit: 4 points. More than 10 mph over a limit of 55 mph or higher: 2 points. More than 5 mph over a limit below 55 mph: 2 points. Speeding below those amounts: 0 points. Ohio Rev. Code § 4510.036(C)(12)
Legal BAC limit
0.08 breath/blood alcohol for drivers generally. For drivers under 21, it is a separate offense to drive with at least 0.02 but less than 0.08. Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.19(A)(1), (B)
First-offense DUI penalties
A first OVI (operating a vehicle impaired) is a first-degree misdemeanor. Penalties: a mandatory three consecutive days in jail (the court may substitute a three-day drivers' intervention program; Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.19(G)(1)(a)

Last verified: 2026-10-27

Tickets and points

Point systemYes. Courts assess points for traffic convictions and the BMV records them. If a driver is charged 12 or more points within a two-year period (counted from the first conviction in that period), the Registrar imposes a class D suspension, which is six months. The suspension takes effect on the 20th day after the notice is mailed unless the driver files a petition appealing it in the local municipal or county court.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code §§ 4510.036, 4510.037(B), 4510.02(B)(4)
Points for speeding30 mph or more over the limit: 4 points. More than 10 mph over a limit of 55 mph or higher: 2 points. More than 5 mph over a limit below 55 mph: 2 points. Speeding below those amounts: 0 points.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4510.036(C)(12)
How long points lastFor the 12-point suspension, points are counted within any two-year period beginning on the date of the first conviction in that period.
How long convictions remain on the BMV driving record itself was not confirmed from an official page.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4510.037(B)
Traffic schoolA driver with at least 2 but fewer than 12 points may take a state-approved remedial driving course and apply to the BMV for a 2-point credit. Only one credit is allowed in any three-year period and no more than five in a lifetime. No credit is given if the course was ordered by a judge. The course does not dismiss the ticket.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4510.037(C)
Paying or looking up a ticket onlineEach Ohio court has a traffic violations bureau run by its clerk. For offenses the bureau can handle, you can, before arraignment (or later with the court's permission), appear in person at the bureau, sign the guilty plea and waiver of trial on the ticket, and pay the fine and costs or set up an installment plan with the clerk named on the ticket; or sign the plea and waiver and mail the ticket with a check or money order to the clerk named on the ticket. Courts may also accept pleas and payments by phone or other electronic means. Paying by any means other than appearing in person counts as a guilty plea and waiver of trial. Serious offenses such as OVI, leaving the scene of an accident, fleeing police, drag racing, and passing a stopped school bus cannot be handled by the bureau.
Source: Ohio Traffic Rule 13

License suspension

License suspensionGrounds include 12 or more points in two years (six-month class D suspension), an OVI conviction (court suspension of one to three years for a first offense), and refusing or failing a chemical test (administrative suspension). Driving during a 12-point suspension is a first-degree misdemeanor with a minimum of three days in jail. After a suspension ends, the BMV returns or reissues the license once the driver meets the reinstatement requirements in Ohio Rev. Code § 4510.038.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code §§ 4510.037(B), (I), (J); 4511.19(G)(1)(a)(iv); 4511.191
Hardship or restricted licenseFor an OVI suspension, the court may grant limited driving privileges under Ohio Rev. Code §§ 4510.021 and 4510.13, and for a first-time offender may grant unlimited driving privileges with an ignition interlock device.
Availability of limited privileges during a 12-point suspension was not confirmed.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.19(G)(1)(a)(iv), (G)(4)
Checking and reinstating a licenseView and pay reinstatement fees online through the Ohio BMV's "View & Pay Reinstatement Fees" service (credit card), at a deputy registrar license agency (cash, check, money order or credit card; $10.00 service fee), or by mail with a check or money order noting your BMV case number or driver license number to Ohio BMV, Attn: REFEE, P.O. Box 16520, Columbus, OH 43216 (allow 7 to 10 days). If you owe at least $150.00 in reinstatement fees, have met all other requirements, have current proof of insurance and no active or pending suspensions, you can apply for a BMV payment plan (form BMV 1152) with a $25.00 initial payment and at least $25.00 every 30 days. Some drivers may qualify for reduced or waived fees under the reinstatement fee amnesty program.
BMV phone (844) 644-6268
Source: Ohio BMV, Reinstatement Fees & Amnesty

DUI / DWI

Legal BAC limit0.08 breath/blood alcohol for drivers generally. For drivers under 21, it is a separate offense to drive with at least 0.02 but less than 0.08.
The commercial driver limit is in a separate statute that was not read.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.19(A)(1), (B)
First-offense DUI penaltiesA first OVI (operating a vehicle impaired) is a first-degree misdemeanor. Penalties: a mandatory three consecutive days in jail (the court may substitute a three-day drivers' intervention program; high-concentration cases and certain refusal cases require jail plus the program or at least six days), with total jail not over six months; a fine of $565 to $1,075; and a license suspension of one to three years. The court may grant limited driving privileges, or unlimited privileges with an ignition interlock device.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.19(G)(1)(a)
When a DUI is a felonyOVI becomes a fourth-degree felony in Ohio when the offender has three or four prior OVI (or equivalent) convictions within 10 years, five or more within 20 years, or a prior repeat-OVI-offender specification. Anyone who already has a felony OVI conviction is guilty of a third-degree felony for any later OVI, no matter how long ago the earlier felony was. Felony OVI carries mandatory prison or local incarceration terms set out in the statute.
Source: R.C. 4511.19(G)(1)(d)-(e)
Refusing a breath testIf a person arrested for OVI refuses the chemical test, the BMV imposes an administrative suspension. With no prior refusals or OVI convictions in the past ten years, it is a class C suspension (one year). Longer suspensions apply with prior refusals or convictions in the past ten years.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code §§ 4511.191(B)(1), 4510.02(B)(3)
DUI lookback periodTen years. A second OVI within ten years is a first-degree misdemeanor with higher mandatory penalties; three or four prior OVIs within ten years (or five or more within twenty years) makes the offense a felony.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.19(G)(1)(b)-(d)
How long a DUI stays on your recordOVI convictions cannot be sealed in Ohio. The sealing statute excludes convictions under the traffic chapters of the Revised Code (Chapters 4506, 4507, 4510, 4511 and 4549), which include OVI. The Ohio BMV's standard driving record abstract is a 3-year record of moving-violation convictions, crash reports and actions that led to license suspensions or revocations. For felony OVI, prior offenses count if they fall within 10 or 20 years.
BMV abstract page: https://bmv.ohio.gov/more-record-types.aspx
Source: R.C. 2953.32(A)(1)(a); Supreme Court of Ohio, Adult Rights Restoration & Record Sealing (rev. June 2026); Ohio BMV, Driver Abstract
Sobriety checkpointsLegal and used. The Ohio State Highway Patrol uses sobriety checkpoints throughout Ohio to reduce alcohol-related crashes and announces them publicly (for example, statewide OVI checkpoints in May 2026). The Patrol's guidelines include choosing sites with a long-term history of alcohol-related crashes or impaired driving, notifying the public, having clear objectives for each checkpoint, and emphasizing safety.
Source: Ohio State Highway Patrol, Sobriety Checkpoints

Phones and distracted driving

Phone and texting lawsDrivers may not use, hold, or physically support a wireless device while driving. Exceptions include emergency calls, holding the phone to the ear for a call without typing, speakerphone without holding the phone, navigation without typing or holding, a single touch or swipe, and use while stopped outside a lane of travel or at a red light. A first violation carries a fine of up to $150, rising with repeat violations within two years.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.204

Where to get help in Ohio

Traffic Tickets & DUI FAQ

How does the driver point system work in Ohio?
Yes. Courts assess points for traffic convictions and the BMV records them. If a driver is charged 12 or more points within a two-year period (counted from the first conviction in that period), the Registrar imposes a class D suspension, which is six months. The suspension takes effect on the 20th day after the notice is mailed unless the driver files a petition appealing it in the local municipal or county court.
How many points is a speeding ticket in Ohio?
30 mph or more over the limit: 4 points. More than 10 mph over a limit of 55 mph or higher: 2 points. More than 5 mph over a limit below 55 mph: 2 points. Speeding below those amounts: 0 points.
How long do points stay on your license in Ohio?
For the 12-point suspension, points are counted within any two-year period beginning on the date of the first conviction in that period.
Can traffic school remove a ticket or points in Ohio?
A driver with at least 2 but fewer than 12 points may take a state-approved remedial driving course and apply to the BMV for a 2-point credit. Only one credit is allowed in any three-year period and no more than five in a lifetime. No credit is given if the course was ordered by a judge. The course does not dismiss the ticket.
How do I pay or look up a traffic ticket online in Ohio?
Each Ohio court has a traffic violations bureau run by its clerk. For offenses the bureau can handle, you can, before arraignment (or later with the court's permission), appear in person at the bureau, sign the guilty plea and waiver of trial on the ticket, and pay the fine and costs or set up an installment plan with the clerk named on the ticket; or sign the plea and waiver and mail the ticket with a check or money order to the clerk named on the ticket. Courts may also accept pleas and payments by phone or other electronic means. Paying by any means other than appearing in person counts as a guilty plea and waiver of trial. Serious offenses such as OVI, leaving the scene of an accident, fleeing police, drag racing, and passing a stopped school bus cannot be handled by the bureau.
How do I check if my license is suspended and get it reinstated in Ohio?
View and pay reinstatement fees online through the Ohio BMV's "View & Pay Reinstatement Fees" service (credit card), at a deputy registrar license agency (cash, check, money order or credit card; $10.00 service fee), or by mail with a check or money order noting your BMV case number or driver license number to Ohio BMV, Attn: REFEE, P.O. Box 16520, Columbus, OH 43216 (allow 7 to 10 days). If you owe at least $150.00 in reinstatement fees, have met all other requirements, have current proof of insurance and no active or pending suspensions, you can apply for a BMV payment plan (form BMV 1152) with a $25.00 initial payment and at least $25.00 every 30 days. Some drivers may qualify for reduced or waived fees under the reinstatement fee amnesty program.
What gets your license suspended in Ohio?
Grounds include 12 or more points in two years (six-month class D suspension), an OVI conviction (court suspension of one to three years for a first offense), and refusing or failing a chemical test (administrative suspension). Driving during a 12-point suspension is a first-degree misdemeanor with a minimum of three days in jail. After a suspension ends, the BMV returns or reissues the license once the driver meets the reinstatement requirements in Ohio Rev. Code § 4510.038.
What is the legal blood alcohol limit in Ohio?
0.08 breath/blood alcohol for drivers generally. For drivers under 21, it is a separate offense to drive with at least 0.02 but less than 0.08.
What is the penalty for a first DUI in Ohio?
A first OVI (operating a vehicle impaired) is a first-degree misdemeanor. Penalties: a mandatory three consecutive days in jail (the court may substitute a three-day drivers' intervention program; high-concentration cases and certain refusal cases require jail plus the program or at least six days), with total jail not over six months; a fine of $565 to $1,075; and a license suspension of one to three years. The court may grant limited driving privileges, or unlimited privileges with an ignition interlock device.
What happens if you refuse a breathalyzer in Ohio?
If a person arrested for OVI refuses the chemical test, the BMV imposes an administrative suspension. With no prior refusals or OVI convictions in the past ten years, it is a class C suspension (one year). Longer suspensions apply with prior refusals or convictions in the past ten years.
How long does a DUI count as a prior offense in Ohio?
Ten years. A second OVI within ten years is a first-degree misdemeanor with higher mandatory penalties; three or four prior OVIs within ten years (or five or more within twenty years) makes the offense a felony.
Can you get a hardship license in Ohio?
For an OVI suspension, the court may grant limited driving privileges under Ohio Rev. Code §§ 4510.021 and 4510.13, and for a first-time offender may grant unlimited driving privileges with an ignition interlock device.
Is it illegal to hold your phone while driving in Ohio?
Drivers may not use, hold, or physically support a wireless device while driving. Exceptions include emergency calls, holding the phone to the ear for a call without typing, speakerphone without holding the phone, navigation without typing or holding, a single touch or swipe, and use while stopped outside a lane of travel or at a red light. A first violation carries a fine of up to $150, rising with repeat violations within two years.
Is a DUI a felony in Ohio?
OVI becomes a fourth-degree felony in Ohio when the offender has three or four prior OVI (or equivalent) convictions within 10 years, five or more within 20 years, or a prior repeat-OVI-offender specification. Anyone who already has a felony OVI conviction is guilty of a third-degree felony for any later OVI, no matter how long ago the earlier felony was. Felony OVI carries mandatory prison or local incarceration terms set out in the statute.
How long does a DUI stay on your record in Ohio?
OVI convictions cannot be sealed in Ohio. The sealing statute excludes convictions under the traffic chapters of the Revised Code (Chapters 4506, 4507, 4510, 4511 and 4549), which include OVI. The Ohio BMV's standard driving record abstract is a 3-year record of moving-violation convictions, crash reports and actions that led to license suspensions or revocations. For felony OVI, prior offenses count if they fall within 10 or 20 years.
Are DUI checkpoints legal in Ohio?
Legal and used. The Ohio State Highway Patrol uses sobriety checkpoints throughout Ohio to reduce alcohol-related crashes and announces them publicly (for example, statewide OVI checkpoints in May 2026). The Patrol's guidelines include choosing sites with a long-term history of alcohol-related crashes or impaired driving, notifying the public, having clear objectives for each checkpoint, and emphasizing safety.

Traffic Tickets & DUI in other states

More Ohio law

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.