How Many Points Can Be Reduced Through Traffic Law Learning?
2 Answers
Traffic law learning is not about adding points but is a policy that allows motor vehicle drivers to reduce points for road traffic safety violations through education. Within one scoring cycle, a maximum of 6 points can be deducted. According to Article 5 of the Notice on the "Work Standards for Reducing Points for Road Traffic Safety Violations Through Accepting Traffic Safety Education (Trial)" issued by the Ministry of Public Security on January 14, 2020 (Public Traffic Management [2020] No. 14), motor vehicle drivers who apply to participate in traffic safety education to reduce points for traffic violations must participate in corresponding road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge learning, examinations, or traffic safety public welfare activities based on their highest permitted driving license type and meet relevant requirements to apply for point reduction. Traffic law learning is a measure for drivers holding a driving license who have been penalized for traffic violations. After participating in online traffic safety learning and passing the examination, their penalty points can be reduced. This is a convenient traffic management measure uniformly deployed by the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security. Function: Traffic law learning reduces existing penalty points on a driving license rather than adding points or substituting for violation penalties. The points obtained through free learning are used to clear penalty records. For example, if a driver is penalized 6 points for a violation, passing the point-reduction examination will clear these 6 points, allowing a fresh start. Regulations: The number of points that can still be deducted after traffic law learning depends on how many points the driver had before participating in the learning. However, the cumulative penalty points cannot exceed 11. Regardless of participation in traffic law learning, a driving license only has 12 points. Traffic law learning can only reduce existing penalty points and does not increase the total points to 18. Specific considerations are as follows: Eligible Individuals: Motor vehicle drivers holding a driving license issued by the People's Republic of China, regardless of the permitted driving license type or whether they are commercial vehicle drivers, can participate in traffic law learning. They must participate in corresponding road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge learning and examinations based on their highest permitted driving license type. Specific Rules: Motor vehicle drivers participating in online road traffic laws, regulations, and related content learning must complete 5 minutes of continuous learning each time, accumulating 30 minutes of study within 3 days. They can then register for an examination within 7 days. Passing the examination reduces 1 point. Drivers can also attend on-site learning, with each session lasting no less than 1 hour. After completing the required study hours, they can apply for an examination. Passing the examination reduces 2 points. Drivers can also participate in offline safety public welfare activities, with each hour-long session reducing 1 point. Cases Not Accepted: The following situations will not be accepted: In the previous scoring cycle, the driver had two or more full-point penalty records. Within a 3-point cycle, the driver was involved in hit-and-run accidents, drunk driving, or the use of forged or altered documents or license plates. The driving license is in the probationary period or has not been reviewed on time. The driver has unresolved traffic violation records. The driver owns a vehicle with an expired safety technical inspection or one that has not been deregistered as required. The driver has already reduced the maximum of 6 points in the current cycle.
I've been driving for almost ten years and have occasionally violated traffic rules, resulting in point deductions. I've tried the 'point reduction through learning' method several times. Generally, you can reduce up to 6 points per scoring cycle by studying traffic regulations on the official app and passing an exam to regain points. I remember last year I had 5 points deducted, and after completing the course and passing the test, I got 3 points back. However, the maximum reduction is 6 points—it's not unlimited. You need to pay attention to the app's procedures as they might slightly differ from local policies. The benefit is avoiding the panic of license suspension while refreshing your knowledge and reminding yourself not to repeat the same mistakes. Overall, all drivers should give it a try. The 6-point cap serves as a buffer, but the core principle remains safety first.
