Driving Tests

Georgia Teen Driver Penalties: Points, Suspensions and TADRA

informational·how to guide·Published September 1, 2026

What happens if a teen driver is convicted of a serious traffic offense in Georgia?

In Georgia, a driver under 21 who is convicted of reckless or aggressive driving, racing, hit and run, fleeing police, illegally passing a school bus, or speeding 24 mph or more over the limit loses the permit or license for 6 months. A second or later conviction means 12 months. A driver under 18 is also suspended at 4 points in 12 months.

Where the Georgia teen driver penalty facts come from

The suspension, DUI, limited permit, Hands Free and Super Speeder rules come from the DDS Drivers Manual and the DDS chapter on TADRA. The points come from the DDS points and points reduction page, the DDS points schedule and the DDS list of suspension offenses, as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Georgia Department of Driver Services (dds.georgia.gov) before you drive.

What is TADRA in Georgia?

TADRA is Georgia's Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act, a set of laws from 1997. Its aim is to reduce fatal crashes that involve teen drivers. TADRA created the three-step license path for new drivers 15 to 18 years old: the instructional permit, the provisional license and the full license. It also sets the suspensions for drivers under 21 that this guide explains.

Offenses that suspend a license for a driver under 21

Reckless driving. It can also bring a fine of up to $1,000 and up to 12 months in jail.
Aggressive driving: driving with the intent to annoy, harass, intimidate, injure or obstruct another person.
Racing on highways or streets.
Hit and run, or leaving the scene of a crash.
Using a vehicle to flee or try to elude a police officer.
Unlawful passing of a school bus (see when Georgia drivers must stop for a school bus).
Improper passing on a hill or curve.
Speeding 24 mph or more over the limit.
Underage possession of alcohol while driving.
Any other offense that carries 4 or more points.

How long is the suspension for a driver under 21?

The suspension is 6 months for a first conviction and 12 months for a second or later conviction. It applies to the instructional permit as well as the driver's license, so a teen who has only a permit can lose it too. The age that counts is the age on the date of the conviction, not on the date of the ticket.

Georgia points and under-21 suspensions by offense

Georgia points and under-21 suspensions by offense
Offense	Points	Under 21: suspended after one conviction?
Speeding 15 to 18 mph over	2	No (under 18: counts toward 4 points)
Speeding 19 to 23 mph over	3	No (under 18: counts toward 4 points)
Speeding 24 to 33 mph over	4	Yes
Speeding 34 mph or more over	6	Yes
Reckless driving	4	Yes
Improper passing on a hill or curve	4	Yes
Aggressive driving	6	Yes
Unlawful passing of a school bus	6	Yes

What happens if a driver under 18 gets 4 points in 12 months?

A driver under 18 who collects 4 or more points in any 12-month period is suspended under the same rule: 6 months for a first suspension and 12 months for a later one. The 12 months count by the date of each violation. For example, two tickets for 15 to 18 mph over within 12 months add 2 + 2 = 4 points. That is enough to suspend a 17-year-old, although neither ticket alone would. Speeding less than 15 mph over the limit adds no points.

How does the Georgia point system work?

Points go on your license when you are convicted of certain violations.
The scale runs from 2 to 6 points. A few offenses, such as a first Hands Free conviction, add 1 point.
A driver of any age with 15 points in 24 months is suspended. Under 21, the 4-point rules apply long before that.
Licensed Georgia residents can remove up to 7 points once every 5 years with a certified 6-hour defensive driving course. Bring or mail the original certificate to DDS.

What are the Georgia DUI rules for drivers under 21?

A driver under 21 is legally under the influence at a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.02 or more. For drivers 21 and older, the limit is 0.08. On a first DUI suspension, a BAC from 0.02 to under 0.08 brings at least 6 months, or 12 months after an earlier conviction on the under-21 list. A BAC of 0.08 or more, or a refusal to test, brings at least 12 months. No limited permit is available. A second DUI suspension lasts at least 18 months. Try the free question on the under-21 alcohol limit.

Can a limited permit help a suspended teen driver in Georgia?

Your suspension is for speeding 24 to 33 mph over, and you are 18 or older

A limited permit may be available. It allows driving only for set purposes, such as work, medical care and school classes.

Your suspension is for any other offense on the under-21 list, or you are under 18

No limited permit is available for that suspension.

Your suspension is for a DUI before age 21

No limited permit is available.

A parent asked DDS to revoke your license

No limited permit is available.

Can a parent revoke a minor's license in Georgia?

Yes. The person who signed the application, such as a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult, can revoke the permit or the license for any reason until the teen turns 18. After a parent-requested revocation, no limited permit is available. The Class D license guide explains the request form and the fee.

Hands Free and Super Speeder penalties for all Georgia drivers

Hands Free: a driver may not hold or support a phone for any reason. Use only headphones, a wireless device, a phone holder or a mount.
First Hands Free conviction: 1 point and a fine of up to $50.
Second conviction: 2 points and a fine of up to $100.
Third or later conviction: 3 points and a fine of up to $150.
Super Speeder: a $200 state fee after a conviction for 75 mph or more on a two-lane road, or 85 mph or more on any road. The fee is in addition to local fines. Try the free question on Super Speeder speeds.
If the Super Speeder fee is not paid on time, the license is suspended and a $50 reinstatement fee is added.
Example: 80 mph in a 55 mph zone on a two-lane road is 25 mph over. That means a $200 state fee, 4 points and, for a driver under 21, a 6-month suspension.

How a conviction affects the move from Class D to Class C

A Class D holder can apply for the full Class C license at 18 only with no major conviction in the 12 months before. Major convictions include DUI, fleeing police, racing, reckless driving, hit and run, and any violation with 4 or more points. So one serious ticket at 17 can delay the Class C license.

Key takeaways

Under 21, one serious conviction, such as reckless driving or speeding 24 mph or more over, suspends the permit or license: 6 months first, 12 months after that.
Under 18, 4 points in 12 months also suspends the license. Two 2-point speeding tickets are enough.
The DUI limit for drivers under 21 is a BAC of 0.02.
The signer of a minor's application can revoke the permit or license for any reason until age 18.
Next step: practice on the free Georgia Class C practice test.

Georgia teen driver penalties: common questions

Can a defensive driving course keep points off a Georgia ticket?

Yes, in some cases. You can take a certified 6-hour defensive driving course after you get a ticket for a moving violation and before your court date, or when the court orders it. When you give the original certificate to the court, the court cuts the fine by 20 percent and adds no points. A court can accept this once every five years.

Does an out-of-state ticket count on a Georgia license?

Yes. Georgia residents get points for an out-of-state violation that would carry points in Georgia. DDS also treats a conviction from another state or nation as if it happened in Georgia when it applies a suspension. So a teen who speeds 24 mph or more over the limit in another state can face the same under-21 suspension.

Is a no contest plea a conviction for a teen driver in Georgia?

Yes. A plea of nolo contendere, also called no contest, counts as a conviction for the suspensions that apply to drivers under 21. A teen who pleads no contest to reckless driving, or to speeding 24 mph or more over the limit, still gets the 6-month suspension for a first conviction.

How do I check how many points are on my Georgia license?

Create a DDS Online Services account or download the DDS 2 GO mobile app. Both let you check your license status and the number of points on your license. If your license is suspended, you can also use them to reinstate it when you meet the requirements.

Do my points reset after a points suspension in Georgia?

Yes. When DDS suspends a license because of the number of points, the point total goes back to zero. The suspension itself still applies, and each new conviction after it adds new points to the zero total.