OWI and Points on Your Michigan Driving Record

A Michigan OWI conviction puts 6 points on your driving record.^[1] Points are set by statute in MCL 257.320a, they stay on the record for two years from the date of conviction, and enough of them within two years can lead the Secretary of State to call you in for an interview or a reexamination.^[8][5][9][7]

Points are only one part of the license picture. The suspension or revocation that follows an OWI is imposed separately, by the Secretary of State on receiving the conviction.^[10] That is covered on what an OWI does to your driver's license.

Points for drunk- and drugged-driving offenses

Offense	Points
OWI under 625(1): under the influence, 0.08 or more, or 0.17 or more (high BAC)	6[1][11]
Any amount of a Schedule 1 drug or cocaine, 625(8)	6[1]
OWI or OWVI with a passenger under 16, 625(7)	6[1][12]
OWI or OWVI causing death or serious impairment, 625(4) and (5)	6[1]
Snowmobile or ORV impaired operation under NREPA 81134 or 82127(1)	6[1]
Chemical-test refusal suspension under 625f	6[4]
Operating while visibly impaired (OWVI), 625(3)	4[2]
Under-21 any bodily alcohol content, 625(6)	4[2]
Under-21 refusal of a roadside preliminary breath test	2[13]
Open intoxicants (624a) or under-21 transport of alcohol (624b)	2[14]
Commercial vehicle at 0.04 to under 0.08, 625m	0[3]

The 6-point category also covers a "law or ordinance substantially corresponding" to the listed offenses, so a local ordinance or other-state OWI conviction gets the same 6 points.^[1] Several other offenses that can arise from the same driving carry 6 points too: reckless driving, failing to stop and identify yourself at the scene of a crash, and fleeing or eluding an officer.^[15] See charges often filed alongside OWI.

The commercial-vehicle 0.04 offense carries no points, but that does not mean no consequences. The regular license is suspended and the CDL is disqualified.^[3] See OWI in a commercial vehicle.

How points are entered

• Only after a conviction. The SOS manual says points go on the record only after a conviction for a moving violation, and the point values are set by the Vehicle Code.^[8]
• Within 5 days. SOS records the conviction date and points within 5 days after receiving a properly prepared abstract from a court in Michigan or another state.^[16]
• One incident, one set of points. When one incident produces more than one conviction, points are entered only for the violation with the highest points.^[16]
• No stacking with a refusal. SOS enters 6 points when a license is suspended for an implied-consent refusal, but adds no more for a conviction from the same incident.^[4] More on refusals is on refusing a breath or blood test.
• No points for bond forfeitures.^[17]

How long points last

The SOS driver manual says points remain on the driving record for two years from the date of conviction.^[5] That two-year figure comes from the SOS manual, not the text of the statute. The two-year period applies to the points, not to the conviction: each abstract is entered on the master driving record.^[5][18] The SOS manual says impaired-driving convictions stay there permanently.^[6]

A common mistake is to treat "the points fell off" as "the OWI is gone." It is not. Courts also cannot order a reportable violation expunged from the driving record, except as the Vehicle Code allows.^[19] See how long an OWI stays on your record.

What points can trigger

Nine points: a possible interview

At 9 points, the Secretary of State may call the driver in for an interview about driving ability and record. If the driver does not appear, SOS adds 3 points.^[9]

Twelve points: a possible reexamination

The Secretary of State may investigate or reexamine a driver who has 12 or more points within 2 years.^[7] The same section allows a reexamination after a crash resulting in a death, or after a conviction for violating license restrictions.^[7] At a reexamination, according to the SOS manual, a driver analyst reviews the record and discusses driving behavior; licensing controls may include restrictions, suspensions, revocations or a combination, and the driver is told of appeal rights.^[20]

Limits on what follows:

• SOS may restrict, suspend, revoke or impose other conditions, and must set the period.^[7]
• A suspension under the reexamination section may not exceed 1 year.^[21]
• It is in addition to other suspensions, and the reexamination can be held even while an OWI suspension or revocation is in effect.^[21]
• Missing a scheduled reexamination can lead to an immediate suspension that lasts until the driver appears.^[22]

Because one OWI is 6 points, an OWI plus other moving violations within two years can reach these thresholds. The statute says SOS "may" call a driver in at 9 points and "may" reexamine at 12, although the SOS manual tells drivers that 12 or more points within two years means "you will be required to undergo a driver assessment reexamination."^[9][7][5]

Points and insurance

SOS points are not insurance points. The Secretary of State says its point system is separate from the points an insurance company assigns to set a rate.^[23] Insurers do have access to driving-record information for rating and underwriting.^[24] The insurance consequences of an OWI, including the 3-year "eligible person" rule, are on OWI and car insurance.

Points used to cost money; they no longer do

From 2003 to 2018, Michigan charged a driver responsibility fee to drivers with 7 or more points within two years, on top of separate fees for specific violations.^[25] No new fees have been assessed since 1 October 2018.^[26] The history is on driver responsibility fees: repealed.

Out-of-state convictions

An OWI conviction in another state reaches the Michigan record. SOS records points from other-state abstracts within 5 days, and the SOS manual says convictions from other states appear on the Michigan record with Michigan points.^[16][27] One narrow exception does not apply to OWI: an out-of-state conviction for what would be a civil infraction in Michigan, entered only because the driver did not appear, is noted but gets no points.^[28][29] See out-of-state OWI and your Michigan license. For the OWVI offense itself, see operating while visibly impaired.