The card by points is fully consolidated in Spain. Since its implementation in July 2006, all drivers know that some traffic offenses lead to the loss of points. Manipulating the mobile phone while driving, not wearing a seat belt and exceeding the speed limits are some of those behaviors that, in addition to being punished with a financial penalty, entail the loss of credits from the license.
All drivers start with 12 points, with the exception of new drivers and drivers who have lost their license, who do so with 8. The maximum balance of points that a motorist can accumulate on their license is 15. From entry In force of the card by points for almost two decades more than a million drivers have lost credits of the card, of which more than 200,000 have squandered them all.
To find out how many points you have on your card, you can make an inquiry online, through the miDGT mobile application or the DGT website, or in person. In the latter case, you must go to any Headquarters or Traffic Office, previously requesting an appointment online or by calling 060.
To achieve the maximum of 15 points that the DGT awards to good drivers, a period of time must elapse in which you must not commit any offence. Novice drivers, who start with 8 points, will reach 12 points if in the two years after obtaining the license they do not commit any infractions. From that moment they will be equated with the rest of the drivers, who initially have 12 points on their license.
To obtain the maximum points, which are 15, it is necessary to add three more credits. These three additional points are obtained in two phases. First, two points are added to the card if no offenses are committed in three years. Then, to go from those 14 points to the plenary session, which are 15, another three-year period must elapse without being penalized.
To recover points, the regulations differentiate between drivers who still have a positive balance and those who have lost them all.
There are two options to recover the points: be a good driver or take a points recovery course. We see it below:
Drivers who have lost their entire balance or have been sentenced by a court sentence to more than two years of imprisonment can obtain a new permit. To do this, they must complete a 24-hour road awareness and re-education course, in addition to passing a theoretical test on the knowledge acquired in said course. The new card will have a balance of 8 points.
Article 384 of the Penal Code establishes that driving without points for having lost the driver’s license is a crime against road safety. It is punishable by prison sentences of 3 to 6 months, or a fine of 12 to 24 months, or by working for the benefit of the community from 31 to 90 days. The severity of the penalty is related to different factors or aggravating factors. Some aggravating factors may be driving under the influence of alcohol, also if there is a recidivism.
