How Long Does a Speeding Ticket Stay on Your Missouri Driving Record?

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

If you are asking how long does a ticket stay on your record in Missouri, the answer has two parts: the points from a speeding ticket fade over 3 clean years, and the ticket itself may be removed 3 years after the conviction. If the ticket led to a point suspension or revocation, the wait is 5 years after reinstatement, and some convictions stay for good. Removal is not automatic, so you ask the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) to do it.

Key Facts

  • Points: cut by one-third after 1 clean year, by one-half after 2 and to zero after 3. See the points clock.
  • The ticket entry: may be removed 3 years after the conviction. See the entry clock.
  • After a suspension: a ticket that caused it may be purged 5 years after reinstatement. See suspension tickets.
  • Permanent items: some convictions must stay on the record. See what stays.
  • The DIP: keeps points off one court-ordered ticket, but the conviction stays. See the DIP and your record.

How Long Does a Ticket Stay on Your Record in Missouri?

A speeding ticket runs on two separate clocks. One clock controls the points. The other controls the conviction entry that shows on your record.

Both clocks start at the conviction, not at the traffic stop. Points come only “after a conviction or forfeiture of collateral,” under RSMo 302.302. Under RSMo 302.225, the court sends the conviction to the DOR “within seven days thereafter.”

The table shows each clock and who acts.

What can changeWhen it can changeWho actsWhere the rule is
Points from the ticketFade over 3 years with no moving-violation convictionThe point law applies itRSMo 302.306
The ticket convictionMay be removed 3 years after the convictionYou ask the DORDOR Tickets and Points FAQ
A ticket that caused a point suspension or revocationMay be purged 5 years after reinstatementYou ask the DORDOR Tickets and Points FAQ
A Failure to Appear in Court or Pay for Traffic Violation (FACT) suspensionCan be removed only 5 years after reinstatementAsk the DORDOR FACT FAQ
Certain convictionsStay permanentlyState lawDOR Tickets and Points FAQ

The Points Clock

A speeding ticket adds 3 points when charged under state law and 2 points under a city or county ordinance. The DOR Form 899 lists the same values. The number does not change with how fast you were going.

Those points shrink with clean time under RSMo 302.306. A clean year is one with no moving-violation conviction. The DOR FAQ says it this way:

  • “1 year – total remaining points reduced by one-third”
  • “2 years – remaining points reduced by one-half”
  • “3 years – points reduced to zero”

Here is the math for one 3-point ticket and no other tickets. After 1 clean year, the total is 2.

After 2 clean years, it is 1. After 3, it is zero.

Clean time does not count while you cannot drive. The law in RSMo 302.304 says no credit is given during a suspension, a revocation or a limited privilege. Our guide on how long points stay on a Missouri license covers the rest of the points clock.

A Side-by-Side Timeline

Take one 3-point speeding conviction and no other tickets. Here is how the two clocks line up:

  • Conviction date: 3 points count from this date.
  • Within 7 days: the court has reported the conviction to the DOR.
  • After 1 clean year: the total drops to 2 points.
  • After 2 clean years: the total drops to 1 point.
  • After 3 clean years: the points reach zero. The conviction may be removed if you ask.

A new moving-violation conviction breaks the clean time. Then the points from both tickets stay longer.

The Ticket Entry Clock

Points reaching zero does not mean the ticket is gone. The conviction entry follows a separate DOR rule.

The DOR Tickets and Points FAQ says “Ticket convictions may be removed” three years after the conviction. Note the word may. It is an option, not a promise.

The same FAQ adds a limit. It says “timeframes vary depending on class of license,” and the conditions do not apply for all convictions. So the 3-year rule is a starting point, not a rule for every driver.

The path of a Missouri speeding ticket on the record, from conviction to the 3-year mark and a removal request to the DOR

Tickets That Led to a Suspension

A ticket can push your total to a suspension or revocation level. Under RSMo 302.304, the DOR suspends at 8 points in 18 months. It revokes at 12 in 12 months, 18 in 24 or 24 in 36.

For those tickets, the wait is longer. The DOR FAQ says “the ticket can be purged five years from the reinstatement date of the suspension/revocation.”

A suspension for failing to appear in court or pay a ticket has a similar rule. The DOR calls it a Failure to Appear in Court or Pay for Traffic Violation (FACT) suspension. Its FACT FAQ says, “The FACT or NRVC suspension can only be removed after five years from the reinstatement date.”

What Stays on the Record

Some entries never come off. The DOR FAQ says “certain types of convictions must remain listed permanently on your Missouri driver record.”

The FAQ also bars removal in two cases. One is a ticket that supports an existing action on your record. The other is a ticket that “must remain on the record in accordance with state law” for another reason.

The FAQ does not list every conviction that stays. Ask the DOR about your own record.

License class matters too. The DOR FAQ says timeframes vary by class of license, but it does not explain how. If you hold a CDL, ask the DOR how the removal rules apply to your record.

How to Ask for Removal

The DOR FAQ says you can ask for removal by email, phone or letter. The DOR’s number for questions about points on your record is 573-526-2407.

These steps keep the request simple:

  1. Get a copy of your record. It costs $2.82, plus $2 at a license office.
  2. Find the conviction date. The 3-year count starts there, not at the traffic stop.
  3. Check for a suspension. If the ticket led to one, count 5 years from reinstatement instead.
  4. Contact the DOR. Ask by email, phone or letter, and name the ticket.
  5. Order a new copy later. Confirm the entry is gone.

Our guide to your Missouri driving record explains how to order a copy and read it.

The DIP and Your Record

The Driver Improvement Program (DIP) can keep points off one ticket. It does not take the ticket off your record.

The DOR accepts the DIP “in lieu of the assessment of points” under RSMo 302.302. It does so only when the court on that ticket orders and verifies it. The Missouri Safety Center process sheet says the program “WILL NOT remove the ticket from the drivers record, only the points.”

The DIP has firm limits:

  • You must finish within 60 days of the conviction date.
  • It counts no more than once in any 36-month period.
  • The court forwards a record of completion to the DOR within 15 days.
  • It never applies to anyone who has or must have a CDL, in any vehicle.

When the DIP counts, no points start a clock for that ticket. The conviction entry still follows the DOR removal rules. Our guide to the DIP and point reduction lists every way points go down.

How Long a Ticket Matters for Insurance

Insurers set their own rules, and no Missouri source we checked says how far back they look. The Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) tips page says, “Nothing affects your auto insurance rates more than your driving record.”

DCI also warns that a moving violation can lead to a higher premium or a cancelled policy. Ask your insurer how it uses your record.

Tickets From Other States

A speeding ticket from outside Missouri can still reach your Missouri record. The DOR FAQ says that for out-of-state and federal convictions, “our staff will post the ticket to that person’s Missouri driver record.”

The points come from the conviction code. The FAQ says, “The point value is determined by the violation conviction code.” After that, the same clocks apply.

Checking Where a Ticket Stands

You can check your record before you ask for removal. The DOR FAQ says to call 573-526-2407 to learn how many points you have. You can also email [email protected].

The same phone line gives ticket, suspension and revocation details. The DOR says the line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also log in to your MyDMV profile.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the DOR Tickets and Points FAQ we checked on October 27, 2026, the removal rule said tickets “may be removed” after three years. It did not say the DOR removes them on its own.

The FAQ did not list which convictions must stay permanently. The DOR Driver Records page did not say how long items stay at all. RSMo 302.306, the clean-time law, showed an effective date of August 28, 1989.

Summary card of how long a Missouri speeding ticket matters: points over 3 clean years, removal at 3 years, 5 years after a suspension and permanent items

Common Mistakes

Each item is checked against a statute or DOR page:

  • Waiting for the ticket to drop off alone. Removal “may” happen, and you ask for it.
  • Thinking zero points means a clean record. The conviction entry runs on its own clock.
  • Counting from the ticket date. Both clocks start at the conviction.
  • Expecting more points for higher speed. Speeding is 3 or 2 points at any speed.
  • Counting clean time during a suspension. No credit is given then.
  • Using the DIP to erase a ticket. It only keeps points off one court-ordered ticket.

How Requirements Can Vary

Missouri’s point values, suspension levels and Driver Improvement Program rules come from Missouri law (RSMo 302.302 and 302.304) and apply statewide. Whether a court orders the DIP for your ticket, and how your case is handled, is up to the court on your ticket. Fines and court costs depend on the court and the charge.

Laws, forms and court practice can change. Check your ticket, any court order, the Missouri DOR website and the Missouri Revised Statutes before you enroll or pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do points from a Missouri speeding ticket last?

With no new moving-violation conviction, points drop by one-third after 1 year, by one-half after 2 and to zero after 3. No credit is given during a suspension or revocation.

Does a speeding ticket fall off my record after 3 years?

Not by itself. The DOR says a ticket conviction “may be removed” 3 years after the conviction. You ask the DOR by email, phone or letter.

What if the ticket caused a suspension?

Then the DOR says the ticket can be purged 5 years after the reinstatement date of that suspension or revocation.

Can a ticket stay on my record forever?

Yes. The DOR says certain convictions must remain listed permanently. A ticket that supports an existing action also cannot be removed.

Do out-of-state speeding tickets count on my Missouri record?

Yes. The DOR posts out-of-state and federal convictions to your Missouri record. The points depend on the violation conviction code.

When does the clock start?

At the conviction. The court must report it to the DOR within seven days, and points count from the conviction date.

Does the DIP keep a speeding ticket off my record?

No. A court-ordered DIP keeps the points off that one ticket. The conviction still shows on your record.

Conclusion

A Missouri speeding ticket can lose its points after 3 clean years, while the conviction entry needs a removal request to the DOR. Check your record, note the conviction date and contact the DOR when the time comes. If the court on your ticket has ordered the DIP and you qualify, take the Missouri Driver Improvement Program online.

Sources

Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, a driver improvement course provider serving Missouri and other U.S. states.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Driver Improvement Program rules, point values, fines and penalties depend on your ticket, court and case facts, and they can change. Use official Missouri DOR, Missouri Revised Statutes and court sources, and consult a qualified Missouri attorney for advice about your own case.