What are the UK Driving Conviction Codes?

Driving conviction codes, officially known as endorsement codes, are attributed to driving offences in the UK (excluding Northern Ireland). Conviction Codes can stay on your licence for a minimum of four years up to 11 years, and most offences have a range of penalty appoints awarded, starting from three points. The impact of getting a conviction on your Car insurance can vary, with some having little-to-no impact at all, while others can make it difficult for you to find cover anywhere. Below we have listed the different types of conviction codes and explained what each of them relates to. The codes and their definitions have been sourced from the Gov.uk page on endorsement codes.

Accident Offences (AC codes)

The three ‘AC’ codes will stay on a driving record for four years and concern offences related to being involved in an accident. Both the AC10 and AC20 codes could see offenders be given five to 10 penalty points, whereas the AC30 code has a margin of four to nine points.

Disqualified Driver (BA codes)

Endorsement codes for disqualified driving offences start with BA and will stay on a driving record for four years. Being convicted of BA10 and BA30 offences will see a driving record endorsed with six points, however BA40 and BA60 can range from three to 11 penalty points.

Careless Driving (CD codes)

There are several endorsement codes under the ‘Careless Driving’ section, from ‘driving without due care and attention’, to more serious ones involving ‘causing death’. Only three careless driving conviction codes don’t have an upper penalty points limit of 11; They are CD10, CD20 and CD30 – which have a maximum penalty points limit of nine.

Most careless driving conviction codes stay on an offender’s licence for four years, with the exception of CD40 through to CD70, which must stay on a driving record for 11 years.

Construction and Use Offences (CU codes)

These offences refer to using a vehicle that isn’t roadworthy. For example, if a motorist had a CU30 endorsement code on their driving licence, they would have been convicted of ‘driving with defective tyre(s)’. For the majority of the ‘CU’ codes the punishment is only three penalty points, however CU80, which can be used to prosecute drivers using their mobile phones behind the wheel, can get up to six points.

Reckless/Dangerous Driving (DD codes)

The ‘DD’ codes will stay on a licence for four years and include the driving conviction codes DD40 for ‘dangerous driving’ and DD60 for ‘manslaughter or culpable homicide while driving a vehicle’. All but one of the endorsement codes carry a punishment of up to 11 penalty points, but DD90 has a limit of nine points.

Drink Driving (DR codes)

There are an array of offences under the Drink Driving conviction codes, and the more severe of the offences (DR10 through to DR31, and DR61) will stay on a licence for 11 years and will incur from three to 11 penalty points, with the exception of DR61 which is a flat 10 points added to your licence. Other codes such as DR50 through to DR60, and DR70 will only stay on a licence for four years but have a flat 10 points added to your licence. The exception is DR70 which only carries a four penalty point punishment.

Drugs (DG codes)

Similar to Drink Driving offences, the more severe Drug Driving endorsement codes (DG10, DG60 and DR80) stay on the licence for 11 years and have a range of three to 11 penalty points. The other DG offences (DG40 and DR90) have a punishment of 10 penalty points each, but only stay on a convicted driver’s licence for four years.

Insurance Offences (IN codes)

Despite being described as ‘Insurance Offences’ on the Government website, there is only currently one offence; an IN10 is awarded to drivers caught ‘using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks’. The offence will stay on a licence for four years and anyone convicted of an IN10 offence may have anywhere between six and eight penalty points added to their licence.

Licence Offences (LC codes)

There are four ‘Licence offences' including an LC40 (‘driving a vehicle having failed to notify a disability’), which all garner between three and six penalty points and stay on the driving record for four years.

Miscellaneous Offences (MS codes)

All endorsement codes associated with ‘Miscellaneous Offences’ stay on a driving record for four years, but the number of points can vary from offence-to-offence. Whilst most ‘Miscellaneous Offences’ driving conviction codes carry a flat three penalty points, an MS50, awarded for ‘motor racing on the highway’, can be as high as 11 points, while an MS90 (‘failure to give information as to identity of driver etc’) is six points, and MS30 (‘play street offences’) is an unusual two.

Motorway Offences (MW codes)

There is only one endorsement code under the ‘motorway offences’ banner which is MW10 – ‘contravention of special road regulations (excluding speed limits)’. Anybody given an MW10 will see them issued with three penalty points, and the endorsement must stay on their driving record for four years.

Pedestrian Crossings (PC codes)

All three ‘Pedestrian Crossings’ offences see a convicted driver given three penalty points and the endorsement will stay on the driving record for four years following the date of the offence.

Speed Limits (SP codes)

All five ‘Speed Limits’ motoring offences carry a punishment of between three and six penalty points added to an offender’s driving record, and the codes will stay on their licence for four years.

Traffic Direction and Signs (TS codes)

All ‘Traffic Direction and Signs’ offences, such as TS10 for ‘failing to comply with traffic light signals’, will get an offender three points on their driving record, which must stay on there for four years.

Theft or Unauthorised Taking (UT codes)

There is only one endorsement code under this banner, UT50 for ‘aggravated taking of a vehicle’. This offence will stay on the offender’s driving record for four years, in addition to them being given between three and 11 penalty points.

Special Code (TT codes)

For motorists who have accumulated 12 or more points within three years, they will get the TT99 code, commonly known as the ‘totting-up’, and it must stay on the driving record for four years. In addition the driver may be disqualified from driving.

Full List of UK Driving Conviction Codes

To see the full list of UK driving codes you can do so by going to the official government webpage on the subject.

Get Convicted Driver Insurance

If you’ve been convicted of one or more motoring offences and are struggling to find a suitable Car insurance policy, we can help. Our team of Convicted Driver insurance experts have extensive experience in finding drivers with motoring or non-motoring convictions, a Car insurance policy that suits them. To speak to a Convicted Driver insurance expert please call 0800 221 8077 or click ‘Get a Quote’ below and we’ll be in touch.