New York VTL Codes.
Complete Reference
Every VTL code that can appear on a New York traffic ticket — with current point values, risk levels, and what each one means for your license.
Find Your Code Instantly
Enter the code from your ticket (example: 1180D, 1111D1, 1225C) or a keyword like “speeding” or “cell phone”
February 2026 Point System Changes:
• DMV look-back expanded from 18 to 24 months • DWI/DWAI now 11 points • School bus violations 8 points
• Construction zone speeding flat 8 points • Over-height vehicle 8 points • VTL 1146 now 5 points
How Points Affect Your License (24-Month Look-Back)
0–3
Minor — no DMV action
4–6
Warning letter + DRA fees at 6
7–10
Mandatory clinic required
11+
Suspension hearing
See the full updated points chart for details on each threshold.
Most Common Tickets in New York
3–11 points
5 points
Red Light (1111)
3 points
Stop Sign (1172)
3 points
Seat Belt (1229-c)
3 points
Following Too Close (1129)
4 points
Scroll below for the complete code list, or use the search tool above to find your specific code.
The fine on your ticket is the smallest part of the problem.
Insurance increases + DMV Driver Responsibility Assessment fees can cost $1,000–$3,000+ for a single ticket. Our flat fee to fight it is a fraction of that.
Speeding Violations — VTL § 1180
| Code | Description | Pts | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1180(a) | Speed not reasonable and prudent | 3 | LOW |
| 1180(b) | Speeding — over state 55 mph limit | 3–11 | VARIES |
| 1180(c) | Speeding in school zone (doubled fines) | 3–11 | VARIES |
| 1180(d) | Speed over posted limit (most common speeding ticket) | 3–11 | VARIES |
| 1180(e) | Unreasonable speed — special hazards | 3 | LOW |
| 1180(f) | Speeding in construction/work zone (Feb. 2026: flat 8 pts) | 8 | HIGH |
| 1181(a/b) | Driving too slow / too slow in zone | 2 | LOW |
| 1182 | Speed contest / drag race (Feb. 2026: 5 pts) | 5 | MODERATE |
What this means: Speeding tickets are the fastest way to accumulate points. Just 21 mph over the limit gives you 6 points — enough to trigger the $300 Driver Responsibility Assessment. 31+ mph over puts you at 8 points and mandatory clinic territory. Points depend on how far over: 1–10 mph = 3 pts, 11–20 = 4, 21–30 = 6, 31–40 = 8, 41+ = 11.
Traffic Signals, Stop Signs, and School Buses
| Code | Description | Pts | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1110(a) | Disobeyed traffic device (includes signs, signals, pavement markings, HOV lane) | 3 | LOW |
| 1111(a) | Failed to yield right-of-way at green light / green arrow | 3 | LOW |
| 1111(d) | Red light violation (includes right/left turn on red, red arrow) | 3 | LOW |
| 1113(a) | Passed flashing red light | 3 | LOW |
| 1172(a) | Failed to stop at stop sign | 3 | LOW |
| 1172(b) | Failed to stop at yield sign when required | 3 | LOW |
| 1174(a) | Passed stopped school bus (Feb. 2026: 8 pts) | 8 | HIGH |
| 1170(a/b) | Failed to stop at railroad crossing / drove through railroad barrier | 5 | MODERATE |
What this means: Most signal and sign violations carry 3 points — not catastrophic alone, but they add up fast. School bus violations jumped to 8 points in February 2026, putting you in mandatory clinic territory from a single ticket. Railroad crossing violations carry 5 points.
Right of Way and Pedestrian Safety
| Code | Description | Pts | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1140(a/b) | Failed to yield right-of-way at intersection / to vehicle on right | 3 | LOW |
| 1141 | Failed to yield right-of-way on left turn | 3 | LOW |
| 1142(a/b) | Failed to yield right-of-way at stop sign / yield sign | 3 | LOW |
| 1144(a) | Failed to yield right-of-way to emergency vehicle | 3 | LOW |
| 1144-a | Move Over Law — failed to use due care passing emergency vehicle | 3 | LOW |
| 1146(a) | Failed to use due care — bicycle/pedestrian/animal (Feb. 2026: 5 pts) | 5 | MODERATE |
| 1146(b) | Failed to use due care — personal injury | 5 | MODERATE |
| 1151(a) | Failed to yield to pedestrian in crosswalk / on sidewalk | 3 | LOW |
What this means: Most failure-to-yield violations carry 3 points. But VTL 1146 — failure to use due care for pedestrians, cyclists, or animals — jumped to 5 points in February 2026. This is a major change prosecutors are now taking more seriously.
Cell Phone and Electronic Device Violations
| Code | Description | Pts | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1225-c(2)(a) | Using mobile phone while driving | 5 | MODERATE |
| 1225-d(1) | Texting / using portable electronic device while driving | 5 | MODERATE |
What this means: Cell phone and texting tickets carry 5 points each — one of the highest single-violation point values. A single cell phone ticket combined with any prior 3-point violation puts you at 8 points and mandatory clinic range under the new 24-month look-back. For CDL holders, a cell phone violation is a “Serious Traffic Violation” with career-ending consequences.
Lane Keeping, Passing, and Following
| Code | Description | Pts | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1120(a/b/c) | Failed to keep right / slow moving vehicle | 3 | LOW |
| 1122(a) | Passed vehicle on right / failed to give right-of-way | 3 | LOW |
| 1126(a) | Driving to left of pavement markings (double yellow) | 3 | LOW |
| 1127(a) | Driving wrong direction on one-way street | 3 | LOW |
| 1128(a) | Moved from lane unsafely / weaving | 3 | LOW |
| 1129(a) | Following too closely (tailgating) | 4 | MODERATE |
| 1130/1131 | Driving over dividing space / on shoulder | 2–3 | LOW |
What this means: Following too closely at 4 points is the highest single-violation value in this category. Most lane and passing violations carry 3 points. These are commonly reduced through plea bargaining in town and village courts — but never at the NYC TVB, where plea bargaining is not available.
Turns, Signals, and Lane Changes
| Code | Description | Pts | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1160(a–e) | Improper turn (right, left, U-turn, at intersection) | 2 | LOW |
| 1163(a–e) | Improper signal / failed to signal turn or lane change / insufficient signal | 2 | LOW |
| 1162 | Unsafe starting | 2 | LOW |
What this means: Turn and signal violations carry 2 points — the lowest point value for a moving violation. These are often good plea-bargaining targets: a speeding ticket reduced to an “improper signal” drops from 3–11 points down to 2 with much lower insurance impact.
Other Moving Violations
| Code | Description | Pts | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1211(a/b) | Backing unsafely / on controlled-access highway | 2 | LOW |
| 1214 | Opened door unsafely (dooring) | 2 | LOW |
| 600(1)(a) | Leaving scene — property damage crash | 3 | LOW |
| 600(2) | Leaving scene — personal injury (Feb. 2026: 5 pts) | 5 | MODERATE |
| 1225-a | Driving on sidewalk | 2 | LOW |
Seat Belt and Child Safety Restraint
| Code | Description | Pts | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1229-c(3) | No seat belt (driver or adult passenger) | 3 | LOW |
| 1229-c(1/2) | Child safety restraint violations (under 4, 4–7, 8–15 front/back) | 3 | LOW |
Equipment, Registration, Licensing, and Insurance
| Code | Description | Pts | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 375 (various) | Equipment violations — headlights, taillights, mirrors, muffler, brakes, tires, tint, wipers | 0 | NO PTS |
| 509(1) | Unlicensed operator | 0 | NO PTS |
| 401(1)(a) | Unregistered motor vehicle | 0 | NO PTS |
| 319(1) | Operating without insurance | 0 | NO PTS |
| 306(b) | Uninspected motor vehicle | 0 | NO PTS |
| 402(1)(b)(ii) | Plate knowingly covered/obscured (ghost plates) | 0 | NO PTS |
| 385(2) | Over-height vehicle / bridge strike (Feb. 2026: 8 pts) | 8 | HIGH |
What this means: Equipment, licensing, registration, and insurance violations carry 0 points but can result in significant fines, surcharges, and potential license/registration suspension. Operating without insurance under VTL 319 can result in a one-year registration revocation and DMV civil penalties. Over-height vehicles are the major exception — now 8 points after the February 2026 changes.
NYC Traffic Rules (TVB Courts)
| Code | Description | Pts | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-03(a)(3) | Disobeyed steady red light — NYC | 3 | LOW |
| 4-03(a)(5) | Disobeyed stop sign — NYC | 3 | LOW |
| 4-04(b/d) | Failed to yield to pedestrian / collision with pedestrian — NYC | 3–5 | VARIES |
| 4-06(a) | Speeding — NYC (all subsections) | 3–11 | VARIES |
| 4-07(b/c/d) | Obstructed intersection / drove on sidewalk / backing unsafely — NYC | 2 | LOW |
| 4-12(m) | Improper use of bus lane — NYC | 2 | LOW |
What this means: NYC Traffic Rules violations are heard at the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) — Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, or Staten Island. The TVB does not allow plea bargaining. Your only options are guilty or trial. This makes experienced representation critical for NYC tickets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the VTL code on my ticket mean?
The VTL code identifies the specific section of New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law you are charged with violating. Each code has a set point value and fine range. Use the search tool at the top of this page to look up your code instantly.
Will I get points if I just pay the ticket?
Yes. Paying a traffic ticket is the same as pleading guilty. The full point value will be added to your driving record, and the conviction is permanent. It will affect your insurance rates for 3–5 years.
Can my ticket be reduced to zero points?
In most town and village courts outside NYC, yes — through plea bargaining. A common outcome is reducing a moving violation to a non-moving violation like a parking ticket, which carries zero points. The TVB in New York City does not allow plea bargaining.
How long do points stay on my record?
Points count toward DMV administrative action for 24 months from the date of the violation (extended from 18 months in February 2026). The conviction itself stays on your record permanently — it is never “erased.”
Do out-of-state tickets count against my NY license?
Convictions from states that participate in the Driver License Compact (most states) are reported to New York. The DMV will add points based on the equivalent New York violation.
I got a ticket in New York but I live in another state. Do I need to come back?
No. We handle the entire matter on your behalf. You do not need to return for the court date. We represent out-of-state and Canadian drivers in all 62 New York counties.
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Related: Updated Points Chart (Feb. 2026) | Speeding Tickets | Traffic Ticket FAQ | Traffic Ticket Defense | NYC TVB
Last reviewed by Attorney Ronald S. Cook — April 2026
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
