We were wondering how many points someone with a CDL license could get before getting suspended. We didn't know if it worked the same as a regular driver's license, we know that a CDL cannot elect traffic school, so how do the points for tickets work with a CDL license?

The amount of points received for moving violations differ according to state laws as does the point total which may cause your commercial license to be suspended or revoked.

For example in Florida, if you have a CDL and 3 traffic violations within 3 years you are disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for 120 days. Two traffic violations within 3 years is a 60 day suspension. After either suspension period you have to pay a fee to restore your CDL.

While in Indiana their CDL brochure states that since July 1, 2005, if you are a driver holding a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), and you are convicted of certain offenses, even in your passenger or other non commercial vehicle, these offenses will count towards disqualifying your commercial driver's license. They go on to list the offenses that could cause your CDL to be suspended or revoked.

The California CDL Manual states that the Department of Motor Vehicles keeps a public record of all your traffic convictions and accidents for 36 months or longer. A traffic conviction for driving unsafely counts as one point. Any accident you contributed to or were responsible or at fault for, is normally counted as one point.

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If you are convicted of reckless driving, of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, or of hit-and-run driving, you are charged two points.

A violation received in a commercial vehicle carries one and one-half times the point count. A Class A or B driver who does not have a special certificate or an endorsement may be allowed two additional points before being considered a negligent operator.

If you get too many points, you lose your privilege to drive. You are considered a negligent operator of a commercial motor vehicle in California when your driving record shows the following point counts:

4 points in 12 months
6 points in 24 months
8 points in 36 months

You may be entitled to a higher point count (6, 8, or 10 points) if you request and appear for a hearing and if 4, 6, or 8 points were not obtained in a Class C vehicle.

Convictions reported by other states are added to your CA driving record and may result in license sanctions.

To find out what your specific state's rules are regarding suspensions due to a points total or offenses for a commercial driver's license contact your state's Department of Motor Vehicles.