Does the Ohio remedial driving course remove points? What the two-point credit actually does
No. Ohio's BMV says completion "does not remove points from your record." The two-point credit raises the suspension threshold instead. Here is exactly how it works and who qualifies.
Short answer: No. The Ohio BMV's own page says completing a remedial driving course "does not remove points from your record, but can act as a cushion against future convictions that may take you to 12 points within a two-year period." What you get is a two-point credit, which changes when a twelve-point suspension is triggered. Your violations stay on the record.
The rule, from the statute
Ohio Revised Code 4510.037 lets a driver who has at least two but fewer than twelve points complete an approved remedial driving course and apply to the BMV registrar for a two-point credit. Three limits apply:
- Once every three years. One credit per three-year period.
- Five in a lifetime. After five credits, no more.
- Not for court-ordered courses. If a judge ordered the course, the registrar may not approve a credit.
What "credit" means in practice
Think of it as raising the ceiling rather than lowering the floor. With a two-point credit on file, a twelve-point suspension is not triggered until your points within the two-year window reach fourteen. Nothing on the record is erased. Insurers, employers and courts see the same convictions they saw before.
That is still valuable. If you are sitting at eight or ten points with a year left in the window, two points of headroom is the difference between one more ticket being expensive and one more ticket being a six-month suspension.
Who this is for, and who it is not for
It is for you if you have between two and eleven points, you have not used the credit in the last three years, and you want a margin.
It is not for you if you already have twelve or more points. At that point the course is a reinstatement requirement, not a credit, and completing it does not reduce the suspension. See our guide to reinstating after a twelve-point suspension.
It is also not for you if a judge ordered the course. Take it, file the certificate, satisfy the order. Just know that no credit follows.
What the course is
Eight hours of measured online instruction covering the nineteen topics Ohio requires, with knowledge checks after each unit and a forty-question final exam passed at 75%. Ohio gives you thirty days from the moment you start to finish. Our course is $69.95 with the certificate included.
How to apply for the credit
- Complete the course and download your certificate.
- Take it to the BMV or follow the submission instructions the BMV provides.
- The registrar reviews your record and, if you are eligible, applies the credit.
Keep your certificate. The BMV can see completions entered through the state's DETS system, but a paper copy settles any question quickly.
Sources
More Ohio guides
- Ohio 12-point suspension: how long it lasts and the four things you must do to get your license back
Twelve points in two years is a six-month suspension in Ohio. Reinstatement takes a remedial course, a full exam retake, an SR-22 and a fee. Here is the order to do them in.