Driving Tests

Maryland Provisional License Penalties: Points, Suspensions, 18 Months

informational·how to guide·Published June 2, 2026

What happens if a new Maryland driver with a provisional license gets a ticket?

A moving violation that ends in a conviction or probation before judgment (PBJ) brings extra sanctions under Maryland law, on top of the fine and points. A first offense means a driver improvement program. A second offense can mean a suspension of up to 30 days, and a third up to 180 days. Each conviction or PBJ also restarts the 18-month wait for a full license.

Where the Maryland provisional penalty facts come from

The sanctions by offense come from Maryland Transportation Article section 16-213. The point rules come from section 16-404 and section 16-402 (point values). The 18-month wait and the age rule come from sections 16-111, 16-111.1 and 16-103. The restriction and phone rules come from sections 16-113 and 21-1124. The MVA rules for passengers, night driving, alcohol, high risk driving and the co-signer notice come from the MVA provisional license page. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Maryland MVA (mva.maryland.gov) before you drive.

How do the extra penalties work for a provisional license holder?

Maryland law adds sanctions for a provisional license holder, on top of the fine and the points for the ticket. An "offense" is a moving violation that you commit on a provisional license and that ends in a conviction or a PBJ.
The sanction depends on the number of offenses and on your age. For a second or later offense, the law says the MVA "may" act, so the table gives the longest time ("up to"). The education and employment only restriction lets you drive only to or from a school class or an official school activity, and to, from or during work.

Maryland provisional license sanctions by offense

Maryland provisional license sanctions by offense
Offense	Adult	Under 18
First	Driver improvement program required	Driver improvement program required
Second	Suspension of up to 30 days	Suspension of up to 30 days, then a 90-day education and employment only restriction
Third	Suspension of up to 180 days	Suspension of up to 180 days, a young-driver improvement program, then a 180-day education and employment only restriction
Fourth or later	Suspension or revocation for up to 180 days	Revocation for at least 180 days, and you may have to pass the license exams again

How does the 18-month clock work, and when does it restart?

You cannot get a full license sooner than 18 months after the latest of these dates: the day you got the provisional license, your last conviction or PBJ for a moving violation or a provisional restriction violation, or the day a suspended, revoked or canceled license was restored. You must also be at least 18. See our free question on when a driver can move to a full license.
Example: you get your provisional license on March 1 and are convicted of a moving violation on October 1. Your earliest full license date moves from September 1 of the next year to April 1 of the year after.

Maryland point limits: when the MVA acts

Maryland point limits: when the MVA acts
Points	What the MVA does
3 points in 2 years	Sends a warning letter
5 points in 2 years	Requires a driver improvement program
8 points in 2 years	Suspends the license
12 points in 2 years	Revokes the license
5 or more points in 12 months, provisional license, under 18	Must suspend the license: 6 months the first time, 1 year after that

How many points do common tickets carry?

A moving violation that is not on the point list and does not cause a crash is 1 point. Speeding by 10 mph or more over the limit is 2 points. Failing to stop for a school vehicle with flashing red lights is 3 points. Reckless driving, or speeding by 30 mph or more over the limit, is 6 points. So for a provisional license holder under 18, one reckless driving conviction is enough for the 5-point suspension. When one event leads to several charges, points count only for the charge with the most points.

What happens if you break a provisional license restriction?

You are under 18 and drive between midnight and 5 a.m. with no licensed driver age 21 or older, and not for work, school, a volunteer program or a sports event

The MVA says the penalty is a 1-year suspension. Maryland law also lets the MVA suspend or revoke a provisional license when it gets evidence of a restriction violation. Try our free question on driving at 1 a.m. on a provisional license.

You are under 18 and, in the first 151 days, drive with passengers under 18 who are not immediate family and no qualified supervising driver

The MVA says the penalty is a 1-year suspension. Our guide to the Maryland provisional license rules explains who counts as immediate family.

You are under 18 and use a phone or other wireless device while you drive, also hands-free

Maryland law bans any handheld or hands-free wireless device for a driver under 18, except to call 911. The MVA may suspend the license for up to 90 days. See the Maryland phone rules for new drivers.

You are under 21 and drive with any measurable alcohol in your system

The MVA says that after a first violation you must use an Ignition Interlock device or accept a 6-month suspension. After a second violation the license is revoked.

You are convicted of high risk driving

The MVA says high risk driving means speeding, racing, reckless, aggressive or negligent driving. The suspension is 6 months for a first offense and 1 year after that.

Key takeaways

Provisional license sanctions come on top of the fine and points, and they start only after a conviction or PBJ.
Offense 1: driver improvement program. Offense 2: suspension of up to 30 days. Offense 3: up to 180 days. Offense 4 or later: up to 180 days of suspension or revocation for an adult, and under 18 a revocation of at least 180 days.
Under 18, 5 or more points in 12 months means a 6-month suspension, then 1 year for each later time.
Each conviction or PBJ restarts the 18-month wait for a full license, and you must be at least 18.
Next step: practice on the free Maryland Class C practice test.

Maryland provisional license penalties: common questions

Does a PBJ count as a conviction on a Maryland provisional license?

For the provisional sanctions, yes. Maryland law counts a moving violation as an offense when you are convicted or granted probation before judgment. A PBJ also restarts the 18-month wait for a full license, the same as a conviction.

Does a speeding ticket restart the 18 months on my provisional license?

Yes, if the ticket ends in a conviction or PBJ. Any moving violation restarts the wait, not only speeding. The new 18 months count from the date of the conviction or PBJ, not from the day you got the ticket.

Can I ask for a hearing about a provisional license suspension?

Yes, in these cases Maryland law gives you the right to ask for a hearing: a suspension of a driver under 18 for 5 or more points in 12 months, a suspension or revocation for a provisional license restriction violation, and a suspension of a driver under 18 for phone use.

Will my parents know if I get a ticket on a provisional license?

Yes, if you are under 18. When a driver under 18 is cited for a moving violation, the MVA notifies the adult who co-signed the license application. The notice is for the citation itself, so it can come before the court decides the ticket.

Does a ticket count if I was already eligible for my full license?

Not for the provisional sanctions. A moving violation is not an offense under the sanction rules if you were already eligible for a full license on the day of the violation, and the MVA may still issue that full license. You are eligible when you are at least 18 and your 18-month wait is over.