Your driving privileges can be suspended, canceled, or revoked if you break certain laws or drive carelessly, even if you've never been issued a license. ITD keeps a record of your crashes and moving violations, including those in other states.
Driver License Compact
An agreement among member states, including Idaho, to send serious offenses and minor moving violations to the driver's home state, which acts as if they happened there.
Handbook p. 122 ↗Know the rule
If you're a licensed Idaho driver convicted of a traffic offense in another state, it goes on your Idaho record, and a suspendable offense gets you suspended by ITD.
Handbook p. 122 ↗Point system penalties
| Points | Within | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 11 | Any 12 months | Warning letter |
| 12 to 17 | Any 12 months | 30-day suspension |
| 18 to 23 | Any 24 months | 90-day suspension |
| 24 or more | Any 36 months | 6-month suspension |
Know the rule
Points may be removed once every three years with an ITD-approved Defensive Driving Course (DDC) or a law-enforcement Traffic Safety Education Course (TSC). Courses remove points, not the conviction.
Handbook p. 123 ↗Point-reduction courses
| Course | Max points removed | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive Driving Course (DDC) | 3 | Points must already be on your record |
| Traffic Safety Course (TSC) | 4 | Offered and accepted at the citation |
Know the rule
A TSC must be completed within 45 days of the citation, and removes the number of points tied to that citation.
Handbook p. 124 ↗Reasons for suspension, revocation, or cancellation include:
- DUI of alcohol or other drugs; using a vehicle to commit a felony
- Leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, injury, or death
- False statements to ITD under oath; unlawful use of a license or ID card
- Reckless driving; fleeing or eluding a peace officer
- Failing to pay a crash damage judgment; failing to carry insurance
- Failing or refusing an evidentiary test (breath, blood, or urine)
- Violating a restriction (daylight only, lenses, etc.)
- Failing to attend school or comply with school requirements
- Failing to pay child support, honor visitation, or obey a paternity subpoena
Put it into practice
You get 13 points in ten months. That falls in the 12-to-17-in-12-months range: a 30-day suspension. Completing a DDC earlier could have removed up to 3 points, if they were already on your record.