What to Do If Your Driver's License Has Accumulated 12 Points and Remained Unaddressed for Over 15 Days?
3 Answers
Temporarily prohibited from driving: Once 12 points are accumulated, driving is not allowed, otherwise it may be treated as driving without a license (regulations vary by region; for example, Zhejiang only imposes fines without treating it as unlicensed driving). Attend traffic authority study and assessment: Failure to attend study sessions or skipping the exam will result in a suspension notice (equivalent to driving without a license). The license will be reinstated upon passing the exam. If the exam is not taken within the six or ten-year validity period of the license, exceeding one year past the validity period (or one year past the inspection period for large and medium-sized vehicle licenses) will lead to revocation. Within two years of revocation, the license can be reinstated by passing a theoretical exam, but it will be permanently revoked if this period is exceeded.
Last time, because I was busy with work, I waited 20 days to deal with the 12-point deduction issue, which was a real headache. First, I went to the DMV to pay the fine, only to be told that I also had to pay a late fee, calculated at 3% per day—the longer you delay, the heavier the penalty. Then, I had to enroll in a full-point learning course, which required 6 hours a day for 7 consecutive days, and just arranging time off was troublesome enough. After completing the course, I had to schedule the written test (Subject 1), and only after passing could I get my license back. During this period, if caught driving secretly, it would be considered driving without a license, with fines starting at 2,000 yuan. So I advise you to take leave and handle it ASAP. Later, I calculated that I lost half a month's salary and regretted not dealing with it earlier.
I've handled this situation dozens of times. The key point is that the driver's license gets automatically suspended after 15 days overdue, and driving thereafter constitutes unlicensed operation. The process involves three steps: First, pay all traffic fines plus additional late fees at the DMV (late fees won't exceed the original fine amount). Then enroll in the full-score education program, which requires seven consecutive days of in-person attendance with facial recognition check-ins. Finally, pass the written test (90% score required) to reinstate the license. Note: attempting to drive during the study period triggers automatic alerts in the traffic police system. If left unresolved for six months, the license gets revoked entirely, requiring retaking all driving tests from scratch.