If I am convicted of a motoring offence will I have a criminal record?

If you commit a motoring offence and are convicted, it will go on your criminal record. This applies to all sentences available to the court, including fines, which are imposed by the court in respect of most, if not all, motoring convictions. A criminal record could have a devastating impact on your life, both personally and professionally, as it may affect your ability to get and maintain employment, and cause people to distrust you.

Below, we answer frequently asked questions about motoring offences and how they affect criminal records. Visit our Motoring and Driving Offences page for expert help with your driving offence case or for legal advice.

Is a driving offence a criminal offence?

A driving offence is a criminal offence, like any other type of offence that you may be convicted of. However, unlike some more serious crimes, a criminal record for a motoring conviction does not stay with you for life. After a certain period, a criminal record related to a motoring conviction will become ‘spent’. This essentially means that you no longer have to declare it to your insurers or, in most cases, when you are applying for a job.

When do motoring convictions become spent?

Criminal records relating to some motoring convictions are normally spent after five years, although details of certain offences, such as drink driving, remain on your driving licence and DVLA driving record for a much longer period.

Is drink driving a criminal offence?

Drink driving is a criminal offence and is dealt with very seriously by the police. If you are found guilty of drink driving, you may receive a driving ban of over 12 months and an unlimited fine, or even potentially suffer imprisonment.

How can I avoid getting a criminal conviction for a driving offence?

If you are being prosecuted for a driving offence, your best option is to seek help from a professional motoring offences solicitor. The team at JMW will be able to help you by assessing your situation, informing you of your chances of a successful dispute, and building a case to defend you. We will help advise you on how best to proceed following the incident and will gather evidence with you to support your claim. Following this, our expert team of solicitors will represent you in court. 

We may not always be able to remove your charges, but we will always work to reduce them and could help you to retain your licence, pay less in fines and get back on the road as soon as possible.