The Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) maintains WA drivers’ motor vehicle records. A WA state driving record contains a history of violations, convictions, collisions, and departmental actions incurred by a driver over a period of time. A copy of the record is referred to as an Abstract of Driving Record (ADR).

According to the DOL, most convictions and violations as well as forfeitures of bail, or court findings stating an infraction was committed is kept on a Washington State driving record for 5 years from conviction or adjudication date. So it is likely that your HOV ticket and other tickets would fall under this category and thus remain on your WA driving record for 5 years.

Alcohol-related convictions are kept on the driver’s history for 15 years from the conviction date. Vehicular Assault and Vehicular Homicide convictions are kept for life (99 years) in Washington State.

Failure to appear or respond to a traffic citation or notice of infraction served by a law enforcement officer is kept on a driver’s record for 10 years from the date the court informs the WA DOL. Departmental actions, such as suspensions, revocations, or disqualifications are kept for 5 years from final release date.

Finally information regarding collisions is also placed on a WA driver's MVR. This information is placed on a Washington state’s driving record for 5 years from collision date for a non-commercial vehicles and 10 years from collision date for commercial vehicles

As for points usually when a state has DMV points they are added to your driving record and accumulate, not get deducted since you start with 0 points. The WA DOL however does not operate under a point system. Even without points there is a system in place where penalties, including license suspension and revocation, can be handed out for receiving multiple tickets within a short period of time and thus exhibiting a pattern of unsafe driving.

The Washington DOL outlines the repercussions of multiple traffic tickets or other citations. If you are ticketed for too many moving violations within a specific period of time your license will be suspended or you will be put on probation (conditional status) for 1 year. If you receive additional tickets during the probation period, your license will be suspended.

If you are ticketed for 6 moving violations in a 12 month period, your license will be suspended for 60 days. There is no probation period following the suspension. To get your license back when this type of suspension is over you must provide the WA DOL with a proof of financial responsibility (SR-22) insurance certificate and pay a $75 re-issue fee the next time you apply for a driver license.

You will be put on probation (conditional status) for 1 year if you are ticketed for:

• Four (4) moving violations in a 12 month period
• Five (5) moving violations in a 24 month period

In Washington State you may also be found to be a habitual offender if you have too many violations on your record. A habitual traffic offender (HTO) is a driver who, within a 5-year period, has been:

• convicted of 3 or more offenses listed in RCW 46.65.020(1); or
• been found to have committed or convicted of 20 or more of the moving violations listed in WAC 308-104-160.

If you are found to be a habitual traffic offender, your driver license will be revoked for 7 years or until reinstated.

For information about what is currently on your Washington State Abstract and how soon the various offenses you have been convicted of will come off of your MVR contact the WA DOL directly.