Understanding the New License Penalty Point System in Place for 2026 SMX Season and Beyond

But also worth explaining is a new "License Penalty Point System" that is in place for '26 and beyond. Similar to what is seen in Formula 1, riders will carry points on their racing license that will continue to add up throughout the year if they continue to make transgressions. 

Essentially, when riders are penalized, whether on the track with aggressive riding, or off the track when it comes to technical inspection of a motorcycle, or even for code of conduct violations, those penalties are marked on each rider's license. After a certain amount of points on a license, penalties will begin, everything from potentially getting last gate pick for the next event, or losing championship points.

It's important to know that the rider license penalties are in addition to the traditional penalties. For example, riders will face the same penalty as previous for jumping through a red cross flag, which is a loss of championship points. But they will now also have points added to their license, and multiple infractions could add up to additional penalties. Before, multiple violations in a year didn't really impact penalties.

Ezra Lusk, former pro racer turned AMA rider representative, spoke with our own Jason Weigandt at the SMX Media Days in December about some of changes to the '26 AMA Supercross rulebook. Lusk notes the changes to the late-race red flag/staggered restart rule and this all-new license penalty point system. Watch it below.

Penalties noted towards a rider's license range from one to three license points (one point being failed sound test, three being aggressive riding on track, for example). If a rider gets to five points towards their license, they will receive a written warning. If they get ten points, said rider will start the next round with the last gate selection. If they get to 15 license points, said rider will automatically lose ten championship points and receive a fine. Then, that rider who reached 15 points will reset to five points, with a written warning. They could again get to 15 points and lose more championship points and receive more monetary fines if they get back to 15 points. 

Things to note this this system is that it will last for 365 days from the first violation, so a rider with penalties for aggressive riding in SX, could be hit hard after a couple of infractions, even if it is during the AMA Pro Motocross Championship or the SMX Playoffs. So, two or three or more offenses will add up and points towards a rider license will "remain active on a rider’s license for 12 months and expire on the anniversary date of the original infraction."

Read the change to the rulebook below, with the entire bulletin of updates lower in this post. 

You can view the entire rulebook updates bulletin down in the post below, or view them directly via link:

View the 2026 AMA Supercross Rulebook Updates bulletin file here.
View the full 2026 AMA Supercross Rulebook here.

And note, the following comments are posted related to the 2027 AMA Supercross rulebook:

View the full 2026 AMA Supercross Rulebook Updates bulletin in the screenshots below (click to make each photo large).