Endorsement Codes & Penalty Points (Endorsements)
The following guide to endorsements clarifies the type and meaning of motoring offences, along with the penalty points that apply to each offence.
You will be asked to declare any unspent convictions or endorsements on your driving licence when you apply for car insurance. If you don’t, it could invalidate your insurance policy.
Insure Your Motor is happy to receive enquiries for car insurance from motorists with convictions and penalty points on their licence.
Click for an online quote or speak to our expert team on 0800 557 1329.
A guide to endorsements and convictions
If you’re convicted of a motoring offence, the courts can fine you and “endorse” your driving licence with penalty points.
Skip to the information that most interests you.
- Accident offences AC10 – AC30
- Disqualification offences BA10 – BA30
- Careless Driving offences CD10 – CD90
- Construction and Use offences – CU10 – CU80
- Reckless/Dangerous Driving offences DD10 – DD90
- Drink and Drugs offences DR10 – DR90
- Insurance offences IN10
- Licence offences LC20 – LC50
- Miscellaneous offences MS10 – MS90
- Motorway offences MW10
- Offences at Pedestrian Crossings PC10 – PC30
- Speeding offences SP10 – SP50
- Traffic Directions and Signs TS10 – TS70
- Special Code TT99
- Theft or Unauthorised Taking UT
- Mutual Recognition codes MR9 – MR59
- Other driving offences
Many endorsements stay on your licence for four years, but convictions for more serious offences remain for 11 years. If you collect 12 or more penalty points within three years, you can be disqualified from driving (though there are different rules for new drivers).
Penalty points are given on a scale between one and eleven. More serious motoring offences result in more penalty points and could also result in being disqualified from driving.
Accident Offences
Accident offences stay on your driving licence for four years.
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| AC10 | Failing to stop after an accident | 5 to 10 |
| AC20 | Failing to give particulars or report an accident within 24 hours | 5 to 10 |
| AC30 | Undefined accident offences | 4 to 9 |
Disqualified Driver
Disqualified driver codes stay on your licence for four years
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| BA10 | Driving whilst disqualified by order of court | 6 |
| BA30 | Attempting to drive while disqualified by order of court | 6 |
Careless Driving
Codes CD10 to CD30, and CD80 and CD90, remain on a licence for four years, but Codes CD40 to CD70 last for 11 years.
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| CD10 | Driving without due care and attention | 3 to 9 |
| CD20 | Driving without reasonable consideration for other road users | 3 to 9 |
| CD30 | Driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users | 3 to 9 |
| CD40 | Causing death through careless driving when unfit through drink | 3 to 11 |
| CD50 | Causing death by careless driving when unfit through drugs | 3 to 11 |
| CD60 | Causing death by careless driving with alcohol level above the limit | 3 to 11 |
| CD70 | Causing death by careless driving then failing to supply a specimen for alcohol analysis | 3 to 11 |
| CD80 | Causing death by careless, or inconsiderate, driving | 3 to 11 |
| CD90 | Causing death by driving: unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured drivers | 3 to 11 |
Construction & Use Offences
These codes stay on your licence for four years.
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| CU10 | Using a vehicle with defective brakes | 3 |
| CU20 | Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of use of unsuitable vehicle or using a vehicle with parts or accessories (excluding brakes, steering or tyres) in a dangerous condition | 3 |
| CU30 | Using a vehicle with defective tyre(s) | 3 |
| CU40 | Using a vehicle with defective steering | 3 |
| CU50 | Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of load or passengers | 3 |
| CU80 | Breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle, mobile telephone etc | 3 |
Reckless/Dangerous Driving
Codes for reckless and dangerous driving stay on your licence for four years.
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| DD10 | Causing serious injury by dangerous driving | 3 to 11 |
| DD40 | Dangerous driving | 3 to 11 |
| DD60 | Manslaughter or culpable homicide while driving a vehicle | 3 to 11 |
| DD80 | Causing death by dangerous driving | 3 to 11 |
| DD90 | Furious driving | 3 to 9 |
Drink or Drugs
Codes DR10 to DR30 and DR80 stay on a licence for 11 years; Codes DR40 to DR70 and DR90 are valid for four years.
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| DR10 | Driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit | 3 to 11 |
| DR20 | Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink | 3 to 11 |
| DR30 | Driving or attempting to drive then failing to supply a specimen for analysis | 3 to 11 |
| DR31 | Driving or attempting to drive then refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity | 3 to 11 |
| DR40 | In charge of a vehicle while alcohol level above limit | 10 |
| DR50 | In charge of a vehicle while unfit through drink | 10 |
| DR60 | Failure to provide a specimen for analysis in circumstances other than driving or attempting to drive | 10 |
| DR61 | Refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity in circumstances other than driving or attempting to drive | 10 |
| DR70 | Failing to provide specimen for breath test | 4 |
| DR80 | Driving or attempting to drive when unfit through drugs | 3 to 11 |
| DR90 | In charge of a vehicle when unfit through drugs | 10 |
Insurance offences
There is just one code and it must stay on your licence for four years
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| IN10 | Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks | 6 to 8 |
Licence offences
These codes stay on your licence for four years
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| LC20 | Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence | 3 to 6 |
| LC30 | Driving after making a false declaration about fitness when applying for a licence | 3 to 6 |
| LC40 | Driving a vehicle having failed to notify a disability | 3 to 6 |
| LC50 | Driving after a licence has been revoked or refused on medical grounds | 3 to 6 |
Miscellaneous offences
These codes stay on your licence for four years
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| MS10 | Leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position | 3 |
| MS20 | Unlawful pillion riding | 3 |
| MS30 | Play street offences | 2 |
| MS50 | Motor racing on the highway | 3 to 11 |
| MS60 | Offences not covered by other codes (including offences relating to breach of requirements as to control of vehicle) | 3 |
| MS70 | Driving with uncorrected defective eyesight | 3 |
| MS80 | Refusing to submit to an eyesight test | 3 |
| MS90 | Failure to give information as to identity of driver etc | 6 |
Motorway Offences
Codes for motorway offences stay on your licence for four years
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| MW10 | Contravention of special roads regulations (excluding speed limits) | 3 |
Offences at Pedestrian Crossings
Penalty codes for offences at pedestrian crossings stay on your licence for four years
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| PC10 | Undefined contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations | 3 |
| PC20 | Contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations with moving vehicle | 3 |
| PC30 | Contravention of pedestrian crossing regulations with stationary vehicle | 3 |
Speed Limits
Codes for speeding offences stay on your licence for four years
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| SP10 | Exceeding goods vehicle speed limits | 3 to 6 |
| SP20 | Exceeding speed limit for type of vehicle (excluding goods or passenger vehicles) | 3 to 6 |
| SP30 | Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road | 3 to 6 |
| SP40 | Exceeding passenger vehicle speed limit 3 to 6 | 3 to 6 |
| SP50 | Exceeding speed limit on a motorway | 3 to 6 |
Traffic Direction and Signs
These codes stay on your licence for four years
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| TS10 | Failing to comply with traffic light signals | 3 |
| TS20 | Failing to comply with double white lines | 3 |
| TS30 | Failing to comply with ‘stop’ sign | 3 |
| TS40 | Failing to comply with direction of a constable/warden | 3 |
| TS50 | Failing to comply with traffic sign (excluding ‘stop’ signs, traffic lights or double white lines) | 3 |
| TS60 | Failing to comply with a school crossing patrol sign | 3 |
| TS70 | Undefined failure to comply with a traffic direction sign | 3 |
Special Code
There is a special code, TT99, which refers to disqualification for “totting up”, where a driver accrues 12 penalty points or more within a three-year period.
It stays on a driving licence for four years.
Theft or Unauthorised Taking
This penalty codes stays on your licence for four years.
| Code | Offence | Penalty Points |
|---|---|---|
| UT | Aggravating taking of a vehicle | 3 to 11 |
“Mutual Recognition” Codes
MR codes are given for driving disqualifications in Northern Ireland, Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland. The disqualification period also applies in Great Britain. The code stays on a driving licence for four years.
| Code | Offence |
|---|---|
| MR9 | Reckless or dangerous driving (whether or not resulting in death, injury or serious risk) |
| MR19 | Wilful failure to carry out the obligation placed on driver after being involved in a road accident (hit or run) |
| MR29 | Driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other substance affecting or diminishing the mental and physical abilities of a driver |
| MR39 | Driving a vehicle faster than the permitted speed |
| MR49 | Driving a vehicle whilst disqualified |
| MR59 | Other conduct constituting an offence for which a driving disqualification has been imposed by the State of Offence |
Other Driving Offences
Other driving offences relate to situations where a person may have aided, abetted, counselled, procured, caused, permitted or incited an offence.
Aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring an offence
The number 0 in the original offence code changes to a 2. For example, DR80 (driving or attempting to drive when unfit through drugs) changes to DR82 if you have helped someone do this.
Causing or permitting offences
The 0 changes to a 4 if you’ve caused or permitted someone to commit an offence.
Inciting offences
The 0 changes to a 6 if you’ve incited (encouraged) someone to commit an offence.
If you’re a driver with motoring convictions, contact Insure Your Motor for a quote for car insurance.
Click for an online quote or speak to our expert team on 0800 557 1329.
Related articles:
Car Insurance for Convicted Drivers
Penalties for driving without insurance
A Guide to Rehabilitation Periods for Motoring Offences
Find Car Insurance for Mobile Phone Offenders
News: One in 200 Drivers on UK Roads is Uninsured
Insurance for Convicted Drink Drivers
