Running a stop sign or yield sign in New Jersey carries 2 points under N.J.S.A. 39:4-144. It’s a routine ticket — and one that’s commonly reduced to a no-point violation.
Points for a Stop Sign Ticket in NJ
| Violation | License Points |
|---|---|
| Failure to stop / yield (39:4-144) | 2 points |
Point values from the official New Jersey MVC point schedule. New Jersey adds points to your license when you’re convicted — and paying a ticket by mail counts as a guilty plea.
What N.J.S.A. 39:4-144 Actually Covers
N.J.S.A. 39:4-144 requires drivers to stop or yield where a sign directs. Whether you came to a full stop is often a judgment call by the officer, which is exactly what makes these tickets contestable — and a frequent candidate for a downgrade to a no-point violation, depending on your record.
Why the Points Matter
Points stack across tickets and follow you. In New Jersey, reaching 6 points on your record within three years triggers an annual state surcharge, and 12 points triggers a license suspension. Points can also raise your insurance for years. You can knock 3 points off after a year with no violations, and 2 more by completing an approved driver-improvement course — but the conviction itself stays on your history. That’s why keeping points off in the first place is almost always cheaper than paying the ticket and dealing with the fallout.
Can You Beat a Stop Sign Ticket?
A 2-point stop-sign ticket is a good candidate for negotiation. The common goal is to keep the points off entirely — often through a downgrade — and to avoid the insurance bump that follows a moving-violation conviction. Since paying by mail locks in the points, a quick free call is usually worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many points is running a stop sign in NJ?
Failure to observe a stop or yield sign under N.J.S.A. 39:4-144 is a 2-point offense in New Jersey.
Can a stop sign ticket be reduced in NJ?
Frequently. A no-point downgrade is a common goal for a stop-sign ticket, depending on your driving record and the facts of the stop.
Will a stop sign ticket raise my insurance?
It can, because it's a 2-point moving violation. Keeping the points off your record through a downgrade is the usual way to limit the insurance impact.
Related: use the free NJ traffic points calculator to total your points, or read more about fighting a New Jersey traffic ticket. This page is general information, not legal advice — every case turns on its own facts, and prior results don’t guarantee a similar outcome.