Tracker · updated every quarter
Twelve points and still driving
11,177 people in Great Britain hold a driving licence with 12 or more penalty points on it, the number that normally means a ban. 46 have 30 or more, and one licence carries 62. Search your postcode district below, see how the areas compare, and come back each quarter: the figures move every time DVLA publishes.
- Snapshot
- DVLA, 15 August 2026
- Next DVLA release
- November 2026
- Written by
- TIUK Editorial Team
Search a postcode district
The first half of a postcode, such as M18 or CF45. The figures are licence holders whose licence address is in that district.
Great Britain
Enter a district above
Every district with at least 5,000 full licence holders is ranked on 12-point drivers per 10,000; smaller districts show their counts without a rank, because one or two drivers would swing them.
Where 12-point drivers are most common
By postcode area, per 10,000 full licence holders. Liverpool (L) tops the table at 5.1; Shetland (ZE) is lowest at 0.0. Great Britain: 2.6.
Most 12-point drivers per 10,000, by area
All 120 postcode areas of Great Britain are in the table below.
- Liverpool (L) 5.1
- Bradford (BD) 4.6
- Halifax (HX) 4.6
- Blackburn (BB) 4.4
- Cardiff (CF) 4.4
- Huddersfield (HD) 4.3
- Twickenham (TW) 4.2
- Leeds (LS) 4.1
- Sunderland (SR) 4.0
- Swansea (SA) 3.9
Most 12-point drivers per 10,000, by district
Districts with at least 5,000 full licence holders. Select one to open its card.
- TS1 Teesside 15.0
- LE1 Leicester 14.7
- SA1 Swansea 14.3
- L8 Liverpool 12.2
- CF45 Cardiff 12.0
- L20 Liverpool 10.6
- CV1 Coventry 10.4
- SS13 Southend-on-Sea 9.8
- SA5 Swansea 9.4
- L13 Liverpool 9.3
Fewest 12-point drivers per 10,000, by district
The same measure, from the bottom.
- ZE2 Shetland 0.0
- ZE1 Shetland 0.0
- YO41 York 0.0
- YO22 York 0.0
- YO14 York 0.0
- WS6 Walsall 0.0
- WR15 Worcester 0.0
- WR12 Worcester 0.0
- WR8 Worcester 0.0
- WA13 Warrington 0.0
Most drivers with any points per 10,000, by district
Districts with at least 1,000 full licence holders. Great Britain: 784.
- LS23 Leeds 1754
- HX5 Halifax 1747
- HX6 Halifax 1744
- HX2 Halifax 1705
- BD19 Bradford 1631
- HX1 Halifax 1624
- PL5 Plymouth 1608
- LS14 Leeds 1590
- LS15 Leeds 1568
- HX4 Halifax 1568
Every postcode area
| Aberdeen (AB) | 357,525 | 21,160 | 592 | 18 | 0.5 | 0 |
| Bath (BA) | 328,750 | 25,662 | 781 | 49 | 1.5 | 0 |
| Birmingham (B) | 1,186,620 | 111,092 | 936 | 412 | 3.5 | 1 |
| Blackburn (BB) | 328,763 | 28,842 | 877 | 146 | 4.4 | 1 |
| Blackpool (FY) | 181,783 | 12,406 | 683 | 44 | 2.4 | 0 |
| Bolton (BL) | 258,027 | 19,131 | 741 | 80 | 3.1 | 0 |
| Bournemouth (BH) | 417,833 | 35,489 | 849 | 51 | 1.2 | 0 |
| Bradford (BD) | 363,388 | 39,974 | 1100 | 166 | 4.6 | 0 |
| Brighton (BN) | 566,014 | 41,807 | 739 | 103 | 1.8 | 0 |
| Bristol (BS) | 698,478 | 53,700 | 769 | 146 | 2.1 | 1 |
| Bromley (BR) | 219,884 | 15,640 | 711 | 65 | 3.0 | 1 |
| Cambridge (CB) | 319,613 | 18,348 | 574 | 47 | 1.5 | 0 |
| Canterbury (CT) | 339,315 | 19,316 | 569 | 54 | 1.6 | 0 |
| Cardiff (CF) | 665,263 | 63,724 | 958 | 292 | 4.4 | 1 |
| Carlisle (CA) | 229,653 | 14,994 | 653 | 46 | 2.0 | 0 |
| Central London (EC) (EC) | 18,499 | 929 | 502 | 5 | 2.7 | 0 |
| Central London (WC) (WC) | 14,087 | 738 | 524 | 1 | 0.7 | 0 |
| Chelmsford (CM) | 535,993 | 37,765 | 705 | 139 | 2.6 | 1 |
| Chester (CH) | 461,034 | 41,651 | 903 | 154 | 3.3 | 4 |
| Colchester (CO) | 324,761 | 20,654 | 636 | 72 | 2.2 | 0 |
| Coventry (CV) | 613,903 | 55,724 | 908 | 170 | 2.8 | 0 |
| Crewe (CW) | 257,310 | 16,453 | 639 | 41 | 1.6 | 0 |
| Croydon (CR) | 270,015 | 23,140 | 857 | 81 | 3.0 | 0 |
| Darlington (DL) | 252,279 | 19,150 | 759 | 74 | 2.9 | 0 |
| Dartford (DA) | 310,833 | 24,253 | 780 | 100 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Derby (DE) | 531,736 | 43,073 | 810 | 151 | 2.8 | 0 |
| Doncaster (DN) | 509,689 | 41,718 | 819 | 178 | 3.5 | 0 |
| Dorchester (DT) | 167,646 | 12,337 | 736 | 14 | 0.8 | 0 |
| Dudley (DY) | 282,310 | 24,989 | 885 | 69 | 2.4 | 0 |
| Dumfries (DG) | 104,926 | 6,719 | 640 | 28 | 2.7 | 0 |
| Dundee (DD) | 177,502 | 11,037 | 622 | 19 | 1.1 | 0 |
| Durham (DH) | 203,103 | 16,999 | 837 | 55 | 2.7 | 0 |
| East London (E) | 545,571 | 38,622 | 708 | 169 | 3.1 | 0 |
| Edinburgh (EH) | 595,358 | 31,188 | 524 | 60 | 1.0 | 0 |
| Enfield (EN) | 244,953 | 18,830 | 769 | 69 | 2.8 | 0 |
| Exeter (EX) | 433,255 | 45,192 | 1043 | 145 | 3.4 | 0 |
| Falkirk (FK) | 190,786 | 12,589 | 660 | 17 | 0.9 | 1 |
| Galashiels (TD) | 82,915 | 4,171 | 503 | 13 | 1.6 | 0 |
| Glasgow (G) | 740,383 | 53,842 | 727 | 74 | 1.0 | 0 |
| Gloucester (GL) | 482,570 | 38,896 | 806 | 85 | 1.8 | 0 |
| Guildford (GU) | 590,201 | 38,156 | 647 | 105 | 1.8 | 0 |
| Halifax (HX) | 105,363 | 16,913 | 1605 | 48 | 4.6 | 0 |
| Harrogate (HG) | 108,069 | 8,015 | 742 | 11 | 1.0 | 0 |
| Harrow (HA) | 352,561 | 23,510 | 667 | 81 | 2.3 | 0 |
| Hemel Hempstead (HP) | 396,659 | 28,814 | 726 | 74 | 1.9 | 3 |
| Hereford (HR) | 135,113 | 10,525 | 779 | 37 | 2.7 | 1 |
| Huddersfield (HD) | 177,081 | 23,478 | 1326 | 76 | 4.3 | 0 |
| Hull (HU) | 278,517 | 21,580 | 775 | 93 | 3.3 | 0 |
| Ilford (IG) | 226,236 | 17,653 | 780 | 81 | 3.6 | 1 |
| Inverness (IV) | 169,847 | 10,364 | 610 | 18 | 1.1 | 0 |
| Ipswich (IP) | 459,416 | 41,885 | 912 | 122 | 2.7 | 0 |
| Kilmarnock (KA) | 247,125 | 14,203 | 575 | 18 | 0.7 | 0 |
| Kingston upon Thames (KT) | 428,633 | 34,901 | 814 | 134 | 3.1 | 0 |
| Kirkcaldy (KY) | 247,625 | 14,497 | 585 | 33 | 1.3 | 0 |
| Kirkwall (KW) | 36,793 | 1,966 | 534 | 4 | 1.1 | 0 |
| Lancaster (LA) | 225,896 | 13,734 | 608 | 50 | 2.2 | 0 |
| Leeds (LS) | 500,105 | 62,607 | 1252 | 205 | 4.1 | 1 |
| Leicester (LE) | 712,888 | 58,496 | 821 | 255 | 3.6 | 0 |
| Lincoln (LN) | 219,121 | 15,369 | 701 | 65 | 3.0 | 1 |
| Liverpool (L) | 507,230 | 52,928 | 1044 | 257 | 5.1 | 1 |
| Llandrindod Wells (LD) | 38,280 | 2,172 | 567 | 6 | 1.6 | 0 |
| Llandudno (LL) | 366,520 | 25,665 | 700 | 97 | 2.6 | 0 |
| Luton (LU) | 251,204 | 21,918 | 873 | 66 | 2.6 | 0 |
| Manchester (M) | 731,126 | 54,801 | 750 | 191 | 2.6 | 0 |
| Medway (ME) | 469,670 | 38,818 | 827 | 132 | 2.8 | 1 |
| Milton Keynes (MK) | 425,288 | 30,410 | 715 | 101 | 2.4 | 1 |
| Motherwell (ML) | 255,569 | 13,902 | 544 | 24 | 0.9 | 0 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne (NE) | 716,079 | 48,301 | 675 | 131 | 1.8 | 0 |
| Newport (NP) | 339,009 | 28,414 | 838 | 132 | 3.9 | 1 |
| North London (N) | 501,042 | 35,083 | 700 | 140 | 2.8 | 0 |
| North West London (NW) | 362,361 | 24,979 | 689 | 96 | 2.6 | 1 |
| Northampton (NN) | 528,801 | 43,397 | 821 | 161 | 3.0 | 0 |
| Norwich (NR) | 538,253 | 47,941 | 891 | 158 | 2.9 | 0 |
| Nottingham (NG) | 774,098 | 68,835 | 889 | 273 | 3.5 | 4 |
| Oldham (OL) | 295,463 | 25,952 | 878 | 101 | 3.4 | 0 |
| Outer Hebrides (HS) | 18,922 | 799 | 422 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Oxford (OX) | 470,313 | 29,892 | 636 | 66 | 1.4 | 0 |
| Paisley (PA) | 213,216 | 14,334 | 672 | 19 | 0.9 | 0 |
| Perth (PH) | 122,819 | 7,204 | 587 | 15 | 1.2 | 0 |
| Peterborough (PE) | 687,424 | 51,833 | 754 | 186 | 2.7 | 1 |
| Plymouth (PL) | 390,680 | 47,710 | 1221 | 146 | 3.7 | 1 |
| Portsmouth (PO) | 580,933 | 32,211 | 555 | 73 | 1.3 | 0 |
| Preston (PR) | 393,093 | 29,633 | 754 | 99 | 2.5 | 1 |
| Reading (RG) | 629,281 | 41,788 | 664 | 100 | 1.6 | 0 |
| Redhill (RH) | 439,679 | 35,956 | 818 | 113 | 2.6 | 0 |
| Romford (RM) | 359,955 | 28,319 | 787 | 138 | 3.8 | 1 |
| Salisbury (SP) | 188,910 | 12,608 | 667 | 18 | 0.9 | 1 |
| Sheffield (S) | 875,650 | 64,506 | 737 | 217 | 2.5 | 1 |
| Shetland (ZE) | 15,960 | 332 | 208 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Shrewsbury (SY) | 258,239 | 17,000 | 658 | 32 | 1.2 | 0 |
| Slough (SL) | 295,654 | 25,841 | 874 | 83 | 2.8 | 0 |
| South East London (SE) | 549,824 | 44,459 | 809 | 187 | 3.4 | 1 |
| South West London (SW) | 575,096 | 41,438 | 721 | 158 | 2.8 | 1 |
| Southall (UB) | 257,425 | 21,659 | 841 | 82 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Southampton (SO) | 488,248 | 28,756 | 589 | 38 | 0.8 | 0 |
| Southend-on-Sea (SS) | 373,047 | 27,317 | 732 | 105 | 2.8 | 1 |
| St Albans (AL) | 193,439 | 12,268 | 634 | 30 | 1.6 | 0 |
| Stevenage (SG) | 323,801 | 22,186 | 685 | 50 | 1.5 | 0 |
| Stockport (SK) | 447,178 | 28,710 | 642 | 97 | 2.2 | 1 |
| Stoke-on-Trent (ST) | 439,384 | 30,990 | 705 | 94 | 2.1 | 0 |
| Sunderland (SR) | 142,064 | 11,471 | 808 | 57 | 4.0 | 0 |
| Sutton (SM) | 154,196 | 12,808 | 831 | 39 | 2.5 | 0 |
| Swansea (SA) | 509,494 | 38,795 | 761 | 200 | 3.9 | 2 |
| Swindon (SN) | 365,461 | 24,171 | 661 | 58 | 1.6 | 0 |
| Taunton (TA) | 262,202 | 25,936 | 989 | 83 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Teesside (TS) | 389,789 | 25,413 | 652 | 81 | 2.1 | 0 |
| Telford (TF) | 163,826 | 15,864 | 968 | 39 | 2.4 | 0 |
| Tonbridge (TN) | 536,121 | 33,519 | 625 | 89 | 1.7 | 1 |
| Torquay (TQ) | 214,716 | 25,417 | 1184 | 68 | 3.2 | 1 |
| Truro (TR) | 231,224 | 25,642 | 1109 | 66 | 2.9 | 0 |
| Twickenham (TW) | 358,894 | 34,057 | 949 | 151 | 4.2 | 1 |
| Wakefield (WF) | 349,913 | 38,950 | 1113 | 133 | 3.8 | 2 |
| Walsall (WS) | 299,884 | 27,070 | 903 | 93 | 3.1 | 1 |
| Warrington (WA) | 451,158 | 36,933 | 819 | 138 | 3.1 | 0 |
| Watford (WD) | 203,329 | 16,502 | 812 | 51 | 2.5 | 0 |
| West London (W) | 342,129 | 23,575 | 689 | 106 | 3.1 | 0 |
| Wigan (WN) | 207,890 | 17,219 | 828 | 67 | 3.2 | 1 |
| Wolverhampton (WV) | 254,898 | 21,976 | 862 | 89 | 3.5 | 0 |
| Worcester (WR) | 234,206 | 22,181 | 947 | 50 | 2.1 | 0 |
| York (YO) | 406,579 | 28,935 | 712 | 81 | 2.0 | 0 |
Download every district as a CSV: 2,794 districts with licence counts, drivers with points, the points bands and the rates.
Who holds 12 points
Men hold 80% of the licences with 12 or more points, against 70% of licences with any points. The 30-39 age band holds the most, and the single most common age is 38.
How many points people hold
Twelve points within three years normally means a six-month ban under the totting-up rule. A court can decline to ban a driver who shows it would cause exceptional hardship, and a driver banned under the rule gets the licence back with the points still recorded on it. That is how 11,177 licences carry 12 or more.
The tracker
Licence holders with 12 or more points at each DVLA snapshot.
The other studies in this series
About the data
Source
DVLA, GB Driving Licence Data (tables DRL0102, DRL0131 and DRL0132), published by the Department for Transport on data.gov.uk. Snapshot as at 15 August 2026; DVLA publishes the tables every quarter. Table DRL0132 gives, for every postcode district, the number of licence records holding each number of current penalty points. DRL0131 gives the same by age and gender, and DRL0102 the number of provisional and full licences in each district, which is the denominator for the rates.
What the figures mean
- A "current" point is one DVLA still holds on the licence record. Points stay on the record for four years from the offence for most offences and eleven years for drink and drug driving, so a driver can hold 12 current points without having reached 12 in the three-year window the totting-up rule counts.
- The counts are licence records, not people on the road. DVLA's own note says holding a licence does not mean the person is driving, resident in Britain or alive. Someone disqualified by a court can hold a licence record with points on it, and someone banned under the totting-up rule gets a licence back with the points still shown.
- The district is the address on the licence, which is where the driver lives rather than where the offences happened. Rates use full licence holders in the same district as the denominator.
- Districts with fewer than 5,000 full licence holders are not ranked on 12-point drivers, and those with fewer than 1,000 are not ranked on any points, because small numbers swing the rate. Their counts are still shown.
- DVLA writes single-digit districts with a leading zero (CR0 appears as CR00). The page corrects that. Rows that are not real postcode districts, such as old pre-1996 codes with a handful of records, are left out of the district figures but are in the national totals.
- Great Britain only: Northern Ireland licences are issued by a different agency and are not in the file.
Using this research
The analysis is published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Quote it, chart it or republish the data with a credit to Temp Insurance UK and a link to this page. The CSV holds every district. Questions about the method go to the contact page.
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