Driving Tests

West Virginia GDL Violations, Points and Zero Tolerance for Teens

informational·how to guide·Published August 2, 2026

What happens if a teen driver gets a ticket or drinks alcohol in West Virginia?

In West Virginia, breaking the terms of a Graduated Driver License (GDL) is a misdemeanor with fines of $25, $50 and $75. A second conviction revokes a Level 1 permit, with a 90-day wait to retest, and revokes or suspends a Level 2 license until at least age 18. Level 3 tickets bring points. Under 21, the state has zero tolerance for alcohol.

Where the West Virginia GDL penalties come from

The penalties come from West Virginia Code 17B-2-3a, the graduated license law. The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (WV DMV) GDL page and the WV DMV point system page add the Level 3 point rule, the point table and the course rules. The alcohol penalties come from W. Va. Code 17C-5-2. The WV DMV suspension and revocation page and the West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook add the plain-language rules. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (dmv.wv.gov) before you drive.

What a violation costs at each GDL level

What a violation costs at each GDL level
GDL level	First conviction	Second conviction
Level 1 instruction permit	A terms violation is a misdemeanor with a $25 fine.	The DMV revokes the permit at once for a second moving violation or terms violation. You cannot retest for 90 days. A second terms violation also brings a $50 fine.
Level 2 intermediate driver's license	You must enroll in an approved driver improvement program. A terms violation also brings a $25 fine.	The DMV revokes or suspends the license for the statutory period or until age 18, whichever is longer. A second terms violation also brings a $50 fine.
Level 3 full Class E license	A terms violation brings a $25 fine. Points apply to any ticket.	A second terms violation brings a $50 fine. Points from each ticket add up under the point system.

Level 1 permit: a second conviction ends the permit

The law revokes a Level 1 permit at once on a second conviction for a moving violation or for breaking the permit terms. After the revocation, you cannot retest for 90 days; then you may retest if you are otherwise eligible. Two permit terms matter every day: you must stay enrolled in school and make satisfactory academic progress, and under 18 you may not use a wireless device while driving, except to call 9-1-1. A citation for wireless device use also restarts your 6-month conviction-free time.

Level 2 license: driver improvement first, revocation second

On your first conviction for a moving violation or for breaking the Level 2 terms, you must enroll in an approved driver improvement program. The commissioner may let that program cancel the effect of one minor traffic violation, so that it does not count toward a second conviction or against the one-year conviction-free rule for an early Level 3 license. A phone citation restarts your 12-month conviction-free time. Under 18, even a hands-free call is not allowed unless you call 9-1-1; our practice question on hands-free calls for a GDL driver under 18 tests that rule.

If your Level 2 license is revoked

You are still under 18

You wait. The revocation or suspension lasts for the statutory period or until your 18th birthday, whichever is longer.

You have turned 18

You pay a reinstatement fee. The WV DMV then closes the revocation, cancels the license and mails you a re-test letter. You go to your local DMV and test again as a first-time applicant, starting with an instruction permit if you are otherwise eligible.

Level 3 license: points apply to tickets

At Level 3 you hold the same terms as a regular Class E driver, and the WV DMV lists this Level 3 restriction: "Points will now be applied for any tickets received." Zero alcohol tolerance still applies, and under 18 you still may not use a wireless device while driving, except to call 9-1-1. Level 3 is optional: you may keep the Level 2 license and follow its limits until age 18. To qualify, you must be at least 17 and have 12 conviction-free months on a Level 2 license; read the full steps in our guide to the West Virginia Level 3 full Class E license.

West Virginia point suspension periods

West Virginia point suspension periods
Points on your record	Suspension
12 to 13	30 days
14 to 15	45 days
16 to 17	60 days
18 to 19	90 days
20 or more	120 days

How West Virginia points work

At 6 points, the WV DMV sends a warning letter. If you keep driving unlawfully, it can suspend your license.
Points for an offense stay on your record for 2 years from the conviction date. The offense itself stays on the record for 5 years.
After a point suspension ends, you apply for reinstatement by mail, with the fee, a copy of your suspension notice and your license number. WV DMV Regional Offices do not process reinstatement transactions.

How to take 3 points off your record

Complete an approved 8-hour defensive driving class. It removes 3 points from your total.
Choose a listed classroom course. The WV DMV does not accept online defensive driving courses for point reduction.
Use the class once every 12 months. A class taken before the points appear on your record cannot be used for point reduction.
At 12 to 13 points, send proof of completion and the reinstatement fee before the suspension starts, and the DMV cancels the 30-day suspension. A suspension already set for 14 or more points stays in place.

Zero tolerance: any measurable alcohol under 21

Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 all carry zero alcohol tolerance. Under 21, at any class or level of license, driving with any measurable alcohol puts you under the state DUI laws.
A first offense at a blood alcohol level of 0.02% to under 0.08% is a misdemeanor with a $25 to $100 fine and a 60-day license suspension (or a period in the test and lock program). Try our practice question on the under-21 alcohol limit.
A second or later offense brings 24 hours in jail, a $100 to $500 fine and revocation for one year or until age 21, whichever is longer.
Under 18, a DUI offense revokes your license until age 18 or for the statutory period, whichever is longer.

Which tickets reach your West Virginia record

Traffic convictions and adjudications from a juvenile court go to the WV DMV. Violations in other states also become part of your West Virginia driving record, and the DMV assesses points with the West Virginia point schedule if warranted. If one incident brings several offenses, you get points only for the most serious one. An out-of-state offense that is grounds for suspension or revocation can also cost you your West Virginia license.

Key takeaways

Breaking the terms of any GDL license is a misdemeanor, with fines of $25, $50 and $75.
A second conviction revokes a Level 1 permit (90-day wait) and revokes or suspends a Level 2 license until at least age 18.
On Level 3, tickets bring points: 6 points bring a warning letter, and suspensions run from 30 days at 12 points to 120 days at 20 points or more.
Under 21, the state has zero tolerance for alcohol; a first offense at 0.02% to under 0.08% brings a 60-day suspension.
Next step: practice the GDL, phone and alcohol rules on the free West Virginia Class E practice test. It is in English only.

West Virginia GDL violations: common questions

Can a teen lose a GDL license after one ticket in West Virginia?

Not for a first moving violation or terms violation. On Level 1, the permit is revoked on the second conviction. On Level 2, the first conviction means a driver improvement program, and the second brings revocation or suspension until at least age 18. A DUI is different: under 18, one DUI offense revokes the license until at least age 18.

Do points go on a teen's West Virginia license?

The WV DMV lists points for any ticket as a Level 3 rule, and a Level 3 driver has the same terms as a regular Class E driver. So 6 points bring a warning letter, and 12 points bring a 30-day suspension. A classroom defensive driving course can take 3 points off once every 12 months.

What do I do after my Level 2 license is revoked?

Wait until your 18th birthday or the end of the statutory period, whichever is later. Then pay the reinstatement fee. The WV DMV closes the revocation, cancels the license and mails you a re-test letter. You then go to your local DMV and test again as a first-time applicant, starting with an instruction permit.

Can I get a DUI for taking a prescription medicine in West Virginia?

Yes. Driving under the influence of alcohol or any other drug, even an over-the-counter cold remedy or a doctor's prescription, puts you under the West Virginia DUI laws. Do not drive while a medicine stops you from thinking and acting clearly. Under 18, a DUI offense revokes your license until at least age 18.

What happens if a teen drives while the license is revoked or suspended?

The penalties for driving while suspended or revoked include mandatory jail time and an added period of suspension or revocation. More violations during a suspension bring further penalties. For a Level 2 driver, that adds to a revocation that already lasts until at least age 18.