North Carolina has two different point systems if you receive a moving traffic violation. One point system goes against your driver’s license which is assessed by the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the system goes against your insurance premium and is assessed by your insurance company. The only way you can get points on your driver’s license is if you are written a ticket and you either pay the fine or you are found guilty of the ticket in court. However, insurance points can affect your insurance costs without you ever receiving a ticket (ie being involved in a traffic accident will result in insurance points). You are allowed only a certain number of points to be assessed against your driver’s license within a three year period and if you exceed this number of points your driver’s license can be revoked. You do not lose your driver’s license for insurance points but the cost of your insurance premium can greatly increase with insurance points.

Under a North Carolina Statute, insurance companies are not allowed to assess points on your insurance rating for a speeding ticket ten miles or less over the speed limit assuming you have no other tickets during the three year period that is being examined by the insurance company for purposes of rating your premium. This does not mean that you could not be placed in a higher bracket for insurance coverage such as a higher risk. But it does mean that points cannot be assessed against you. This is why many people desire to have their speeding tickets reduced to nine or ten miles over the limit if this is there only ticket in the last three years. It makes a big difference on their insurance bill.

Also, North Carolina recognizes a court order that most states do not have. It is called a “Prayer for Judgment Continued” or PJC. These are matters that are dealt with by the Judge where prayer for judgment is continued upon the payment of court costs only. This will not work if a fine is assessed. You are allowed one PJC every three years by your insurance company for a traffic ticket. Any ticket that you receive a PJC for is not supposed to count against you if you have no other tickets except for one ticket for speeding ten miles or less over the limit. This is why a person who receives a ticket for 54 in a 45 can pay that ticket off and still be able to use a PJC on a stop sign violation or other speeding ticket that may occur within three years of the first ticket. However, if you get a third ticket after you have received the first for speeding ten miles or less over the limit and the second being a PJC then all three tickets will count against you for purpose of your insurance. You have to be careful in determining when to ask for a PJC and when not to.

PJC’s also mean that you do not get points assessed against your driver’s license by the Division of Motor Vehicles. That helps you with your total point count every three years not to exceed the maximum number before losing your license. Also you should be careful to not get more than two tickets exceeding 55 miles per hour during any twelve month period or that will also cause a loss of license.