How Demerit Points Work | NSW Government

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1. Home
2. Driving, boating and transport
3. Demerits, penalties and offences
4. How demerit points work

How demerit points work

Find out about demerit points, demerit point limits, and how long demerits last.

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What are demerit points?

Demerit points are penalty points that you receive if you commit certain offences. All drivers and riders start with zero demerit points. If you drive safely and do not break any laws, you continue to have zero demerit points.

If you commit an offence while driving or riding, you may have demerit points added to your record. Offences that attract demerit points also come with a fine.

If you reach your demerit point limit, your licence can be suspended.

Demerit points can be accrued while driving anywhere in Australia. If you commit an offence outside NSW, the number of demerit points that the offence attracts in NSW may still be applied to your licence.

Demerit point limit

Your demerit point limit is the number of demerit points you can accumulate before your licence is suspended, or your application to renew your licence is refused. If this happens, Transport will send you a Notice of Suspension, or when you make application for a driver licence, issue you a Notice of Refusal. The notice will include the date your suspension or refusal period begins.

Your demerit point limit depends on the type of licence you have:

• unrestricted licence – 13 points
• professional drivers – 14 points
• provisional P2 licence – 7 points
• provisional P1 licence – 4 points
• learner licence – 4 points
• unrestricted licence during a good behaviour period – 2 points.

How long do demerit points last?

Demerit point offences remain on your driving record; they are never removed. Demerit points for driving offences are added to your record when:

• a fine payment is made, or
• an unpaid fine is enforced by Revenue NSW, or
• if the court issues a conviction for the offence.

An offence can take time to be recorded on a driving record which means demerit points are not applied immediately after the offence is committed. For example, if a fine goes to court, it can be months before it is finalised and recorded with Transport.

Demerit point offences used in a licence suspension or refusal must be committed within a 3-year period. The law does not specify a time-limit on which 3-year period that the offences must have occurred in.

Offences will age with time, and it would be unfair for old offences to contribute to a suspension. Transport doesn’t consider offences older than 40 months towards a suspension. This ensures drivers are only suspended for recent offences.

Use the demerit point check to see if you have any demerit points on your licence.

Demerit point reward for safe drivers

The first year of the demerit points reward for safe drivers trial ran from 17 January 2023 until 16 January 2024. The trial was extended for two extra years and will continue until 31 January 2026.

All unrestricted NSW licence holders – including professional drivers – were included in the trial to reward responsible driving behaviour.

If an eligible driver maintains a 12-month offence-free record during the trial period, one demerit point will be removed from their driving record.

Transport for NSW is identifying those who will have a demerit point deducted.

The demerit point deduction processing period starts in mid-Apriland takes approximately several months to complete depending on the payment of fines and court outcomes.

Learner and provisional licence holders are not included in the trial.

The trial was extended for a second and third year as the NSW Government incentivises motorists to adopt safe driving behaviours on NSW roads.

In December 2025, the NSW Government announced that the demerit point reward program would be made permanent, with legislation to support the program to be introduced in early 2026.

See more information on the demerit point reward for safe drivers.

Double demerit periods

Some driving offences attract twice the number of demerit points during holiday periods. These offences include:

• speeding offences
• seatbelt offences
• motorcycle helmet offences
• mobile phone offences.

See upcoming double demerit periods on the Centre for Road Safety website.

Check your demerit points

School zones and demerits

Some driving and parking offences can attract additional demerit points if you commit them in a school zone.

School speed zones operate on all school days, including school development days, when teachers may be at the school.

Double demerits can also apply in school zones during holiday periods. You can lose your licence if you commit an offence in an operating school zone during a holiday period. The larger number of demerit points that would apply to the school zone will be doubled.

For information about when school zones are operating, see the Centre for Road Safety website.

Repeatedly exceeding your demerits limit

If you hold a provisional or unrestricted licence and you exceed your demerit point limit twice within 5 years, you need to pass the Driver Knowledge Test in-person. If you hold an unrestricted licence, you also need to complete a driver education course with an approved provider (PDF 219.65KB). Enquire with the provider for any costs incurred to complete the course. Once you complete the course, you must present your completion certificate to a service centre.

These extra requirements aim to develop positive driver attitudes and develop safer driving behaviours.

If you need to complete a Drink Driver Education course, do not contact any of the above providers. You will need to complete the Sober Driver Program.

Printable fact sheets

A helpful fact sheet on how demerit points work and how to nominate the person responsible for the offence is available in English and community languages.

• English (PDF 277.99KB)
• Arabic (PDF 364.34KB)
• Korean (PDF 347.53KB)
• Hindi (PDF 262.44KB)
• Simplified Chinese (PDF 354.21KB)
• Urdu (PDF 433.34KB)

Related information

• Check your demerit points
• Search offences and penalties
• Demerit points relief for safe drivers
• Nominate someone else for a fine

Demerits, penalties and offences

• How demerit points work
  • Learner and provisional drivers
  • Professional drivers
  • Licence suspension and disqualification
• Offences
  • Search offences and penalties
  • Speeding offences and penalties
  • Licence and registration offences and penalties
  • Alcohol and drug driving offences
  • Serious driving offences and penalties
  • Heavy vehicle offences and penalties
  • Street racing and hoon offences
  • Minor traffic and driving offences
  • If your car gets towed
• Demerits, Penalties & Offences: Case detail request form
• Vehicle sanctions and penalties

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