Auto Insurance Verified Answer 5 min read • Updated October 2026

How long do motoring convictions stay on your licence, and how long do they affect car insurance?

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Insurance Bhaiya Auto Claims Group Verified Answer
Reviewed by Licensed Motor Underwriter • Updated October 2026 • 5 min read
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Quick Answer / Executive Summary

In the UK, most endorsements stay on your driving record for 4 years from the date of the offence. Reckless or dangerous driving endorsements (DD40, DD60, DD80) and offences that lead to a disqualification stay for 4 years from the date of conviction. Drink- and drug-driving codes (DR10, DR20, DR30, DR31, DR61, DR80) and causing death while unfit (CD40–CD70) stay for 11 years from conviction. For insurance, what usually matters is whether the conviction is unspent: typically 5 years from conviction for adults (see do you have to declare spent convictions). Insurers commonly ask about the last 5 years. See our car insurance for high-risk and convicted drivers hub.

Key Takeaways at a Glance
  • 4 years from offence: most endorsements, such as SP30 speeding, CU80 (mobile phone) and IN10 (no insurance).
  • 4 years from conviction: DD40, DD60, DD80, and offences resulting in disqualification.
  • 11 years from conviction: drink/drug driving (DR codes) and CD40–CD70.
  • Totting up: 12 points within 3 years normally leads to a ban. New drivers lose their licence at 6 points within 2 years of passing.
  • The insurance loading falls each year. A DR10 premium uplift typically drops from about double in year 1 to a modest loading by year 5.

UK Endorsement Durations at a Glance

• SP30 (speeding), CU80 (phone), IN10 (no insurance), most others: 4 years from the date of the offence.
• DD40 / DD60 / DD80 (dangerous or reckless), or any offence where you were disqualified: 4 years from conviction.
• DR10 / DR20 / DR30 / DR31 / DR61 / DR80, CD40 / CD50 / CD60 / CD70: 11 years from conviction.

Penalty points count towards totting up for 3 years. Driving uninsured (IN10) is itself one of the most heavily loaded convictions. See is it against the law to drive without insurance and what happens if you crash without insurance.

Licence Record vs Insurance Disclosure: Two Different Clocks

Your DVLA record and your duty to disclose run separately. A DR10 stays on the licence for 11 years, but under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act the conviction is usually spent after 5 years for an adult (or when a longer ban ends). After that, you don't have to declare it to an insurer. Full rules: do you have to declare spent convictions. Non-motoring offences follow their own rules, and insurers vary in whether they ask about them. See which insurance companies do not ask about criminal convictions.
How a DR10 Loading Fades (Published Estimate)

One specialist analysis put the uplift at about +118% in year 1, +61% in year 2, +40% in year 3, +28% in year 4 and +20% in year 5, against a clean-licence driver. Building a no-claims bonus speeds up the recovery.

US Comparison: How Long Violations Affect Premiums

US insurers typically rate minor violations for about 3 years and major ones (DUI, reckless driving) for 3–5 years, sometimes longer depending on the state. See how long does reckless driving affect insurance, how long do accidents stay on your record for insurance and how much does car insurance go up after a DUI. A DUI often adds an SR-22 insurance filing on top. Drivers no standard insurer will cover can turn to non-standard auto insurance or an assigned risk auto insurance plan.

Adding a Write-Off to the Mix

Drivers with endorsements often look at cheaper repaired write-offs. Are Cat N cars more expensive to insure? Not always, but a conviction plus a write-off narrows the insurer pool. See Cat S vs Cat N and Ryan's DR10 and Cat N scenario.
Real-Life Case Incident & Precedent
Precedent: DVLA endorsement rules; Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 as amended.

Illustrative Case: One DR10, Three Different Dates

Scenario: Leah was convicted of drink driving (DR10) on 10 May 2023 and banned for 14 months, cut to 10.5 months by completing an approved rehabilitation course.

Resolution & Judicial Outcome: The ban ended in late March 2024. The conviction becomes spent for insurance on 10 May 2028 (5 years), and the endorsement leaves her licence on 10 May 2034 (11 years). Leah can stop declaring it from May 2028, even though it stays on her licence for another six years.

Related Case Study Simulation: Ryan's DR10 and Cat N Car Insurance Scenario

What You Should Do: Step-by-Step Action Plan

1 Check your licence record on GOV.UK ('View your driving licence') for codes and dates.
2 Note whether each code runs from the offence date or the conviction date.
3 Work out each conviction's spent date separately.
4 Re-quote whenever a conviction becomes spent or drops off your licence.
5 Compare specialist and mainstream quotes each time.

Critical Mistakes to Avoid

  • Assuming every endorsement lasts 4 years. DR codes last 11.
  • Continuing to declare spent convictions.
  • Driving during a ban, which brings fresh, heavily loaded convictions.

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