Driving Tests

Indiana New Driver Penalties Under 21: Points and Suspension

informational·how to guide·Published August 8, 2026

What happens if a driver under 21 gets a ticket in Indiana?

A conviction for a moving violation adds 0 to 10 points to your Indiana driving record, and they stay active for two years from the conviction date. If you are under 21 and have two or more traffic offense convictions, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) can require a Driver Safety Program. Finish it within 90 days of the date on the BMV notice, or your license is suspended.

Where these Indiana rules come from

The rules come from the BMV citation points and Driver Safety Program page, the Indiana Driver's Manual (July 2026) and the BMV probationary driver's license page. The court, insurance and test details come from the BMV Common Traffic Violations and driver's license pages. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (in.gov/bmv) before you drive.

How do points work in Indiana?

Every Indiana license issued to a driver under 21 is a probationary license. It expires 30 days after the 21st birthday. Each conviction for a moving violation gets a point value from 0 to 10, based on how serious the offense is as a risk to traffic safety. The points stay active on your driving record for two years from the conviction date. The table below lists examples from the Driver's Manual. The complete point value table is on the BMV website (IN.gov/BMV).

Point values for common offenses

Point values for common offenses
Offense	Points
Speeding 1 to 15 mph over the limit	2
Speeding 16 to 25 mph over the limit	4
Speeding 26 or more mph over the limit	6
Disregarding a stop sign or yield sign	4
Unsafe lane movement	4
Hand-held device violation	4
Following another vehicle too closely	6
Driving while suspended	8

What happens after a ticket on a probationary license?

You are convicted of a moving violation

Points go on your record and stay active for two years from the conviction date.

You are under 21 and have two or more traffic offense convictions

The BMV can require a Driver Safety Program and sends the notice by mail.

You get a pointable moving violation within one year of two other pointable moving violations

The BMV can ask you for proof of insurance. The proof must be received and processed within 90 days of the BMV request, or your driving privileges are suspended.

You miss a court date for a citation, or you do not pay a ticket after a judgment

Your driving privileges can be suspended.

When can the BMV require a Driver Safety Program?

The Driver Safety Program (DSP) is a defensive driving course of at least four hours from a BMV-approved provider. The BMV may require drivers 21 and older to take it after two or more traffic offense convictions in 12 months. For drivers under 21, the Driver's Manual (July 2026) says that two or more traffic offense convictions can lead to a DSP requirement. The BMV mails the notice. If you do not finish the course within 90 days of the date on the notice, your license is suspended until you finish it and the BMV processes the completion. A court can also order a DSP instead of a suspension.

If the BMV mails you a Driver Safety Program notice

1
Check the date on the notice
You have 90 days from that date to finish the course. After that, your license is suspended.
2
Choose a BMV-approved provider
Only a course from a BMV-approved provider gives the 4-point credit, also when a court orders the DSP. The BMV lists the providers at IN.gov/BMV and at 888-692-6841. Courses are in a classroom, on DVD or online, in English and Spanish.
3
Finish the course
Each course lasts at least four hours. It costs at most $55 (U.S. dollars), and you pay the course fees.
4
Check that the credit shows
The BMV applies the credit within 7 to 14 business days after it gets the completion notice from the provider. If the credit does not show by then, email a copy of your course completion certificate to BMVDSP@bmv.IN.gov.

Does a Driver Safety Program remove the ticket?

No. A DSP does not remove a citation from your driver history. It gives a 4-point credit on your Indiana driver record, and you can get the credit only once every three years. Any Indiana driver may take a BMV-approved DSP and get the credit, so you can also take one without a BMV notice.

Phone and night rules on a probationary license

On a probationary license, you may not use any type of telecommunication device while you drive, even hands-free. The only exception is an emergency 911 call. A ticket for a hand-held device is 4 points. Practice this rule with the question on phone use under 21. For the first 180 days after you get the license, you may not drive between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The guide to Indiana probationary license rules gives the passenger and night limits in full.

Can school problems suspend your license?

Yes. Indiana law requires the BMV to suspend a juvenile's driving privileges when the school administrator or principal reports one of the reasons below.
An expulsion or an exclusion from school
A second or later school suspension in one school year
Habitual truancy
Withdrawal from school (dropping out)

Can drinking and driving suspend your license?

Yes. Driving while intoxicated, or with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above the legal limit of .08, is a criminal offense. According to the Driver's Manual (July 2026), a driver who fails a chemical test faces a 180-day suspension, and a driver who refuses the test faces a one-year suspension. A court can also suspend your driving privileges after an OWI conviction. When a driver under 18 is cited for OWI, the Juvenile Court may also recommend a suspension. The question on refusing a chemical test lets you practice this rule.

Key takeaways

A moving violation conviction adds 0 to 10 points, and the points stay active for two years from the conviction date.
Under 21 with two or more traffic offense convictions: the BMV can require a Driver Safety Program, due within 90 days of the date on the notice.
The course costs at most $55, lasts at least four hours and gives a 4-point credit once every three years. It does not remove the ticket.
A missed court date, an unpaid ticket after a judgment, an unanswered BMV insurance request or a school expulsion can also suspend your license.
Next step: practice the Indiana road rules on the free Indiana operator practice test.

Indiana new driver penalties: common questions

How many points is a speeding ticket in Indiana?

It depends on how fast you went. In Indiana, 1 to 15 mph over the limit is 2 points, 16 to 25 mph over is 4 points, and 26 mph or more over is 6 points. The points stay active on your record for two years from the conviction date.

How much does an Indiana Driver Safety Program cost?

Any BMV-approved course costs at most $55, and you pay the fees yourself. Every approved course lasts at least four hours. The courses are offered in a classroom, on DVD or online. A course from a provider that the BMV did not approve gives no 4-point credit on your record.

Can I get my probationary license if I have points on my record?

Yes, but with any points on your record you must also pass the knowledge exam when you apply, together with the vision screening and the driving test. If you have six or more points when you renew from a probationary license to a driver's license, you must take the knowledge exam then too.

Can I use a court diversion program on a probationary license?

No. Every Indiana license issued to a driver under 21 is a probationary license, and a probationary license holder does not qualify for court diversion programs. If you are convicted of a moving violation, the points go on your record and stay active for two years from the conviction date.

What happens if I miss court or do not pay a ticket in Indiana?

Missing a court appearance for a citation, or not paying a ticket after a judgment, can lead to a suspension of your driving privileges. You get them back when the court tells the BMV that you appeared or paid, when your insurance company files an SR22 with the BMV, or when the suspension time is served.