Hudson County Traffic Points and Surcharge Attorney

Reviewed by William A. Proetta, Esq. · Updated October 2026

New Jersey assigns MVC points to moving violations under N.J.A.C. 13:19-10.1, from 2 points for speeding 1 to 14 mph over the limit to 8 points for leaving the scene of an injury accident, and 12 or more points gained within two years brings a license suspension of at least 30 days, rising to 180 days or more at 28 points. Points themselves carry no fine or jail; the exposure is the suspension, a possible MVC insurance surcharge, and the fines and penalties of the underlying ticket, while N.J.S.A. 39:5-30.9 lets points come off over time and through approved courses.

Points are assessed by the MVC after a conviction. The conviction happens in the municipal court of the town where the ticket was written, such as Jersey City Municipal Court at 365 Summit Avenue or Hoboken Municipal Court at 100 Newark Street, and that court date is where points are won or lost. I have worked in Hudson County courtrooms for more than 15 years. Bring your driver abstract to our Jersey City office at 242 10th Street, Suite 103, or call (201) 793-8018.

How Points Are Assigned Under N.J.A.C. 13:19-10.1

Points attach to the statute you are convicted of, not the one on the ticket. That single rule is why traffic court matters. A speeding ticket for 32 mph over is 5 points if you plead to it as written and fewer if the speed is amended. A careless driving ticket is 2 points, and a plea to unsafe operation on a first or second offense is none.

Some offenses carry no points at all, however serious. Driving while suspended (39:3-40), driving uninsured (39:6B-2) and failure to exhibit documents (39:3-29) are not on the points schedule. Their consequences come from fines, suspensions and, where they still apply, MVC surcharges.

New Jersey Points Schedule for Common Hudson County Tickets

Violation	Statute	MVC points
Speeding, 1 to 14 mph over	39:4-98, 39:4-99	2
Speeding, 15 to 29 mph over	39:4-98, 39:4-99	4
Speeding, 30 mph or more over	39:4-98, 39:4-99	5
Reckless driving	39:4-96	5
Careless driving	39:4-97	2
Unsafe operation, 1st or 2nd	39:4-97.2	0
Unsafe operation, 3rd or later within 5 years of the last	39:4-97.2	4
Slow speed blocking traffic	39:4-97.1	2
Traffic signal	39:4-81	2 (red-light camera: 0)
Handheld phone, 3rd offense within 10 years of the 2nd	39:4-97.3	3
Leaving the scene, no personal injury	39:4-129	2
Leaving the scene, personal injury	39:4-129	8
Out-of-state moving violation (NJ licensees)	39:5D-4	2
Driving while suspended / uninsured / failure to exhibit	39:3-40 / 39:6B-2 / 39:3-29	0

When Points Lead to a Suspension

Under N.J.A.C. 13:19-10.2(a), the suspension depends on how many points you gained and how fast:

Points gained in 2 years or less	Suspension	Points gained over more than 2 years	Suspension
12 to 15	30 days	12 to 18	30 days (DIP may replace it at 12 to 14)
16 to 18	60 days	19 to 22	60 days
19 to 21	90 days	23 to 26	90 days
22 to 24	120 days	27 to 30	120 days
25 to 27	150 days	31 to 35	150 days
28 or more	At least 180 days	36 or more	At least 180 days

Points From Jersey City, Hoboken and Hudson County Tickets

Hudson County roads produce a particular mix of point tickets. Speed enforcement on the New Jersey Turnpike Extension (I-78) toward the Holland Tunnel, on Route 440 and on Routes 1&9 near the Pulaski Skyway produces many of the 4- and 5-point speeding tickets we see. City streets produce 2-point tickets: signal violations on Kennedy Boulevard and JFK Boulevard in Bayonne, careless driving after crashes on Communipaw Avenue, and Washington Street and Observer Highway tickets in Hoboken.

A driver who commutes through Jersey City every day can collect points quickly. Two 4-point speeding tickets and a 2-point signal ticket in under two years is 10 points. One more 2-point ticket reaches 12 and the 30-day suspension, even though no single ticket was serious.

Hudson highways also include posted construction zones. Fines for speeding, careless, reckless, unsafe operation, signal violations and leaving the scene double in a posted highway construction area or designated safe corridor under N.J.S.A. 39:4-203.5. The points stay the same; the fine is what doubles. A missing or improper sign is not a defense under that statute, and workers do not have to be present.

How Points Can Be Avoided or Reduced

At the court date. The best point reduction is the one that happens before the conviction. Plea agreements are allowed in municipal court under R. 7:6-2(d). A common negotiated result is a plea to a lower-point or no-point offense, such as unsafe operation under N.J.S.A. 39:4-97.2, which is 0 points on a first or second conviction. Subsection (f) of that statute provides for a court-assessed surcharge on every unsafe operation conviction, including the first, though P.L.2019, c.301 provides for ending it after a written notice to the State Treasurer and the MVC. Speed amendments that move a ticket from 30 over to 15 to 29 over, or from 15 to 29 down to 1 to 14, cut points as well. None of these outcomes is guaranteed; each needs the prosecutor’s agreement and the judge’s acceptance.

Over time. Under N.J.S.A. 39:5-30.9, 3 points come off for every 12 consecutive months without a violation that brings points or a suspension. Points never go below zero.

By course. An approved license improvement course removes 3 points, with no credit for a similar course within 2 years. A defensive driving course removes 2 points, with no credit within 5 years of a prior one. The MVC gives defensive driving credit only if points are on your record when you finish, and the course does not substitute for the programs below.

Driver Improvement Program (DIP). The MVC offers DIP in place of a 30-day suspension for drivers who reach 12 to 14 points over more than two years. Completion removes up to 3 points. The fees are $75 to the MVC plus the provider’s training fee. The Chief Administrator also has discretion to allow DIP for good cause.

Probationary Driver Program (PDP). A driver in the two-year probationary period who is convicted of two or more moving violations totaling 4 or more points is sent to PDP, a 4-hour class that removes up to 3 points, with the same fees.

After DIP or PDP you receive a warning. A violation within one year of completing the program, or failing to attend, results in suspension.

MVC Insurance Surcharges

Surcharges are separate from points and separate from your insurance premium. Under N.J.S.A. 17:29A-35, a driver with 6 or more points within the preceding 36 months is surcharged, with the amount rising for each point above six and billed in up to three annual assessments; points older than three years drop off. Certain convictions, including DWI, refusal, driving while suspended, driving uninsured and driving unlicensed, carry their own annual surcharges for three years. P.L.2019, c.301 provides for ending Merit Rating Plan surcharge collection after a written notice, and the MVC surcharge page still describes surcharges as active, so we confirm current status for each client before advising on them.

Defenses That Keep Points Off Your Record

• Speed evidence. Radar and lidar readings, the officer’s position on the Turnpike Extension or Route 440, and the posted limit at the exact spot can all be challenged, and a lower proven speed is a lower point tier.
• Unsafe operation history. A third 39:4-97.2 conviction within 5 years of the last one carries 4 points, so a plea that worked twice may not be point-free a third time. We check the dates before recommending it.
• Phone tickets. Handheld phone points apply only on a third offense within 10 years of the second, so a first or second conviction adds none.
• Out-of-state convictions. For NJ licensees, the MVC assesses 2 points for an out-of-state moving violation. We check whether a ticket from another state actually reached your NJ record.
• Program timing. A DIP or PDP notice has deadlines. Missing one turns a point problem into a suspension.

NJ Points and Surcharge FAQs

How many points before my license is suspended in New Jersey?

Twelve or more points gained within two years, or 15 or more over a longer period. The first suspension tier is 30 days.

How long do points stay on my NJ license?

Three points come off for every 12 consecutive months without a point-carrying violation or a suspension. For surcharge purposes, points older than three years drop off.

Can I take a class to remove points in New Jersey?

Yes. An approved defensive driving course removes 2 points once every 5 years, and a license improvement course removes 3 points once every 2 years. Defensive driving credit applies only to points already on your record.

What is the Probationary Driver Program in NJ?

A 4-hour class required for probationary drivers convicted of two or more moving violations totaling 4 or more points. It removes up to 3 points, and a violation within a year afterward leads to suspension.

Will a Jersey City speeding ticket put points on my license?

Yes. Speeding is 2 points for 1 to 14 mph over, 4 for 15 to 29 and 5 for 30 or more. A negotiated plea can reduce or eliminate them.

Does New Jersey still charge MVC surcharges?

The MVC’s surcharge page still lists point and conviction surcharges, but a 2019 law provides for ending Merit Rating Plan surcharge collection. We check the current status before advising any client.

Talk to a Hudson County Traffic Points Lawyer

Order your driver abstract from the MVC, count your points and look at the dates. If a new ticket could push you to 12, the court date on that ticket is the place to stop it. Call William Proetta Criminal Law at (201) 793-8018 for a free review. The individual charges are covered on our Hudson County traffic tickets hub, including careless driving and reckless driving, and drivers licensed elsewhere should read our out-of-state driver page. Jersey City-specific ticket detail is on our Jersey City traffic violation page.