How many licence points can be lost in one day?

At most 8 points through accumulated offences in the same day. That cap does not apply when one of the offences is classed as very serious: in that case the corresponding points come off whatever balance the driver holds at that moment, and it can fall to zero.

How many points does a Spanish driving licence have?

Eight on a first licence, and also on a new licence obtained after losing the previous one through point depletion. After two years without point-deducting offences the balance rises to 12, the general figure for a driver with a valid licence and no sanctions. The maximum is 15: a 2-point bonus after three years without a sanction and 1 more after another three.

What is the most points a single offence can cost?

Six points, and only for offences classed as very serious: driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, reckless driving, endangering a group of cyclists while overtaking, or taking part in unauthorised races. The least a point-deducting offence costs is 2.

What happens when the points balance reaches zero?

The licence loses its validity from the moment the Provincial Traffic Office notifies the resolution. To obtain a new one you must wait six months — three for professional drivers — attend a 24-hour course and pass a multiple-choice test, and the licence is recovered with a balance of 8 points. Those periods double if the whole balance is lost again within the following three years.

Are DGT licence points counted separately for each licence class?

No. The balance is tied primarily to the driver and is shared by every licence they hold rather than counted per class. The points-based licence applies to drivers of every kind of motor vehicle.

Driving licence points | DGT glossary

Definition

Driving licence points are the balance the DGT assigns to each driver, from which points are deducted for serious or very serious offences. A first licence starts with a credit of 8 points and rises to 12 after two years without any point-deducting offence; from there good conduct adds a bonus of 2 more points after three years without a sanction and 1 more after another three, up to a maximum of 15. The balance belongs to the driver and is shared by every licence class they hold, not counted separately per class. A single offence deducts between 2 and 6 points depending on its type, and no more than 8 points can be lost in one day through accumulated offences. When the balance reaches zero, the licence loses its validity.

Points deducted per offence, and the per-offence and per-day caps

Points deducted per offence, and the per-offence and per-day caps
Offence or limit	Points
Maximum losable in a single day through accumulated offences	8
Maximum for a single offence, when it is very serious	6
Minimum for a single point-deducting offence	2
Alcohol above 0.50 mg/l in exhaled air (0.30 mg/l for professionals and novices) or drugs in the body	6
Reckless driving	6
Endangering a group of cyclists while overtaking	6
Unauthorised races or competitions on public roads	6
Testing positive for alcohol, depending on the reading	4 to 6
Failing to keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead	4
Throwing objects onto the road that could start a fire	up to 4
Driving without the required child restraint system	3
Operating the GPS navigator while the vehicle is moving	3

How many points can be lost in one day

A driver cannot lose more than 8 points through accumulated offences in a single day. That cap has one exception: if one of the offences is classed as very serious, the corresponding points are deducted from whatever balance the driver holds at that moment, and it can fall to zero. A single offence deducts between 2 and 6 points depending on its type, and 6 is reserved for offences classed as very serious — so reaching 8 points in one day requires several separate offences.

Starting balance: 8 points, 12 points and the bonus up to 15

A first driving licence always starts with a credit of 8 points, as does a new licence obtained after losing the previous one through point depletion. If no point-deducting offence is committed in the following two years, the credit rises automatically to 12, the general figure for a driver with a valid licence and no sanctions. From there the law rewards responsible driving: a bonus of 2 points after three years without a final administrative sanction and 1 more point after another three, up to the maximum of 15 points.

Points belong to the driver, not to each licence

The points balance is tied primarily to the driver and is shared by every licence they hold rather than counted per class: points lost riding a motorcycle come out of the same balance used for the car, because the points-based licence applies to drivers of every kind of motor vehicle. And not every offence deducts: minor offences carry only a monetary fine, while serious and very serious offences are the ones that cost points.

What happens when the balance reaches zero

Losing all the points means the licence loses its validity, which takes effect when the Provincial Traffic Office notifies the holder of the resolution. From that notification the driver must wait six months to obtain a new licence — three months for professional drivers — and those periods double if the whole balance is lost again within the following three years. After that the driver must attend a 24-hour course and pass a multiple-choice test at the Provincial Traffic Office; anyone who fails at the first sitting may try up to twice more, with 4 hours of training at an approved centre before each further attempt. The recovered licence is granted with 8 points, regardless of how many were held before.

How lost points are recovered

Short of losing them all, the balance comes back two ways. The first is time: if the loss came from serious offences, two years without a sanction restore the initial figure, and three years if any of them was very serious — the ones deducting 6 points. The second is the road-safety awareness and re-education course, which can only be taken once every two years — yearly for professional drivers — and returns points within the regulatory limit, without the balance exceeding the licence maximum or the points actually lost. The guide to recovering licence points, linked below, covers the course and the deadlines step by step.

Key facts

No more than 8 points can be lost in a single day through accumulated offences.
A single offence deducts between 2 and 6 points; 6 is reserved for very serious ones.
Starting balance: 8 points on a first licence, 12 after two years without sanctions.
Maximum balance: 15 points — 2 after three years without a sanction, 1 more after another three.
Minor offences deduct no points: only serious and very serious ones do.

Exam tip

Don't mix up the three caps: 6 points is the most a single offence can cost, 8 the most that can be lost in one day across several, and 15 the highest balance a driver can reach.

Keep studying

Recovering licence points: the DGT course and the deadlines →

Frequently asked questions

How many licence points can be lost in one day?: At most 8 points through accumulated offences in the same day. That cap does not apply when one of the offences is classed as very serious: in that case the corresponding points come off whatever balance the driver holds at that moment, and it can fall to zero.
How many points does a Spanish driving licence have?: Eight on a first licence, and also on a new licence obtained after losing the previous one through point depletion. After two years without point-deducting offences the balance rises to 12, the general figure for a driver with a valid licence and no sanctions. The maximum is 15: a 2-point bonus after three years without a sanction and 1 more after another three.
What is the most points a single offence can cost?: Six points, and only for offences classed as very serious: driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, reckless driving, endangering a group of cyclists while overtaking, or taking part in unauthorised races. The least a point-deducting offence costs is 2.
What happens when the points balance reaches zero?: The licence loses its validity from the moment the Provincial Traffic Office notifies the resolution. To obtain a new one you must wait six months — three for professional drivers — attend a 24-hour course and pass a multiple-choice test, and the licence is recovered with a balance of 8 points. Those periods double if the whole balance is lost again within the following three years.
Are DGT licence points counted separately for each licence class?: No. The balance is tied primarily to the driver and is shared by every licence they hold rather than counted per class. The points-based licence applies to drivers of every kind of motor vehicle.

Driving licence points