How many points left on the driver's license means you can't drive anymore?

[LeJace]

If a driver's license accumulates 12 penalty points, the holder cannot continue to drive. According to relevant laws and regulations, when a motor vehicle driver accumulates 12 penalty points within a single scoring cycle, the traffic management department of the public security authority shall confiscate their motor vehicle driver's license. Legal basis: Article 8 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses": To drive a motor vehicle, one must legally obtain a motor vehicle driver's license. Article 68: If a motor vehicle driver accumulates 12 penalty points within a single scoring cycle, the traffic management department of the public security authority shall confiscate their motor vehicle driver's license. The motor vehicle driver must, within 15 days, attend a seven-day study session on road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge at the traffic management department of the public security authority where the driver's license was issued or where the violation occurred. After the driver completes the study session, the vehicle management office shall, within 20 days, administer an examination on road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge. If the examination is passed, the penalty points will be cleared, and the motor vehicle driver's license will be returned. If the examination is not passed, the driver must continue to study and retake the examination. If the driver refuses to participate in the study session or take the examination, the traffic management department of the public security authority will announce the suspension of their motor vehicle driver's license. The full name of the driver's license is the motor vehicle driver's license, also known as a "driving license." It is a certificate required by law for individuals who drive motor vehicles. Driving a motor vehicle requires certain driving skills, and lacking these skills can lead to traffic accidents if one drives recklessly. Generally, individuals cannot drive without a license. The age requirements for obtaining a driver's license are: To apply for a license for small cars, small automatic transmission cars, or light motorcycles, the applicant must be between 18 and 70 years old. To apply for a license for low-speed trucks, three-wheeled cars, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, or wheeled self-propelled machinery, the applicant must be between 18 and 60 years old.

[McCharlotte]

Last time, I ran two red lights in a row and got 6 points deducted at once. At that time, I only had 5 points left on my license, and I was really nervous. Actually, according to the regulations, a driver's license has a full score of 12 points. Once you reach or exceed 12 points, you can't drive anymore. I remember my friend was in this situation last year. He was caught crossing the line twice while driving, and with the previous points, it just added up to 12. He was directly stopped by the traffic police and had his license confiscated. He had to attend a seven-day safety training and retake the theoretical test for Subject One, unable to touch the steering wheel for half a month. So now I've developed a habit of checking my points immediately after any violation, trying to keep the deduction within 5 points to feel at ease. If my points drop below 6, I become extra cautious and absolutely avoid taking risks, because going through the process of relearning and retaking the test is really exhausting.

[CassandraFitz]

Having driven for over a decade, I've seen too many people suffer heavy losses due to neglecting their penalty points. A driver's license only has a 12-point capacity, and once these points are exhausted, you can't touch the steering wheel on the spot. I once heard a repair shop owner talk about a customer who, with 11 points deducted, continued driving with a sense of luck, only to be caught speeding on the third day, resulting in an additional 3-point deduction, totaling 14 points. This made the situation even more severe: not only was the license confiscated, but they also had to attend an extra five-day traffic school. The most troublesome part was having to bear all the traffic fines incurred during this period and arranging for a temporary driver to take the car home. In reality, paying attention to three simple points can help avoid trouble: regularly checking the penalty points record on the 12123 app, driving cautiously when points drop below 9, and opting for public transport for a few days if points reach 11, waiting for the cycle to reset.

[BeckettLynn]

As long-haul truck drivers, our driver's license points are our lifeline. Our industry practice is to voluntarily request shift changes when points drop to 6, because highway cameras are everywhere these days - a single speeding ticket costs at least 3 points. I've witnessed the consequences of losing all 12 points: a colleague had his keys confiscated at the toll booth and had to spend two weeks in traffic school. The company treated it as unauthorized absence, costing him four to five thousand yuan in lost wages. Now we follow this rule: at 9 points remaining, we only take urban short-haul jobs; at 6 points, we stop driving completely. We religiously check violation records at month-end and settle any penalties immediately. At traffic lights, we'd rather wait three extra seconds than risk running a yellow - safe driving is the only guaranteed way to protect our points.

[SanMelanie]

In my early days as a driver, I was most afraid of the demerit point system. My instructor repeatedly emphasized that accumulating 12 points would invalidate my license. Later, I learned that once you reach 12 points within a scoring cycle, you can't drive and must attend seven days of traffic regulation classes. My brother learned this the hard way last year—he drove to a suburban outing with only 3 points left, then got 2 points deducted for answering his phone while driving, maxing out at 12 points. His car was impounded roadside, forcing him to pay over 800 yuan for a tow truck. Now, whenever I get a ticket, I immediately check my points on the traffic app. If my points drop below 5, I even switch to biking for trips to the supermarket near my neighborhood. For weekend gatherings involving alcohol, I always hire a designated driver—I’d rather spend a few extra bucks than risk losing points. Honestly, developing good habits like watching road signs can save you a lot of points.

[VanLevi]

I remember the instructor specifically mentioned during the driving test for Subject 3: Losing all 12 points means an immediate driving suspension. I looked up the specific regulations, and if a driver continues to drive after accumulating 12 penalty points, it will be considered driving without a license, resulting in the vehicle being impounded and a fine. Last week, my upstairs neighbor ran into this issue. He was at 11 points when he went to pick up his child, and he got 3 points deducted for not yielding to pedestrians at a turn. The traffic police confiscated his license on the spot, and now he has to take a five-hour traffic rules class at the driving school every day by bus. So, I’ve set a rule for myself: when my points drop to 7, I start recording every trip route to avoid roads with many traffic cameras; at 5 points, I only take the most familiar routes. I set a monthly reminder on the 10th to check my points, and if I have penalty records for two consecutive months, I’ll attend a short-term training camp to review traffic rules.