Demerit
Points
Information on licence demerit points in the Australian Capital Territory
How it Works
Demerit points are a penalty that may be imposed
when you commit a traffic offence.
When issued a driver licence, you start with zero
(0) demerit points recorded against your driver licence and
demerit points are then accumulated for offences committed where
demerit points are applicable.
If you accumulate or exceed the maximum allowable
demerit point threshold for your licence type, within a three (3)
year period, your licence will be subject to a period of
suspension.
For example, if you hold a Full ACT Driver
Licence, for which the allowable demerit points threshold is
twelve, your licence will be demerit point suspended if you accumulate
twelve or more demerit points within a three (3) year period.
The three year period is calculated by the date of
the offence. This means that if you incur an infringement, the
demerit points associated with this infringement will count
towards the three year period either side of the offence. If you
accumulate more than your allowed demerit points within these
periods, your driver licence will be suspended.
The more demerit points that are accumulated
within the three year period, the longer the period of suspension
that is applied.
While demerit points only count towards a
suspension for a three year period, infringements are permanently
recorded in the driver licence history.
Learner licence suspension periods:
| Number of
demerit point in three years demerit |
Length of licence
suspension |
|---|
|
12 or more
|
3 months
|
Provisional licence suspension periods:
| Number of
demerit point in three years demerit |
Length of licence
suspension |
|---|
|
Provisional licence issued before 1 August 2000 - 8 or
more demerit points
Provisional licence issued after 1 August 2000 - 4 or
more demerit points
|
3 months
3 months |
NOTE: The Road Ready Plus (P off course) is available to
clients who obtained their ACT Provisional licence after 1 August
2000. To be eligible for the course, licence holders must
have their provisional licence for a minimum period of 6
months. Upon successful completion of the Road Ready Plus
course, the licence holders points demerit threshold is increased
to 8 points.
Probationary licence suspension periods:
| Number of
demerit point in three years demerit |
Length of licence
suspension |
|---|
|
2 or more
|
6 months
|
Full licence suspension periods:
| Number of
demerit point in three years demerit |
Length of licence
suspension |
|---|
|
12-15
16-19
20 or more |
3 months
4 months
5 months |
| Offence |
Penalty Points |
|---|
| Exceeding the speed limit by 45 km/h or more |
6 points
|
| Exceeding the speed limit by 30 km/h, but less than 45 km/h |
4 points
|
| Disobeying a traffic signal |
3 points
|
| Disobeying major regulatory traffic control sign or Police
directing traffic |
3 points
|
| Failing to give way |
3 points
|
| Failing to stop and/or give way at pedestrian, school or level
crossing |
3 points
|
| Driving with unrestrained passengers under legal age including
children and infants |
3 points
|
| Driving contrary to a major defect notice |
3 points
|
| Driving on wrong side of double lines or divided highway |
3 points
|
| Exceeding the speed limit by 15 km/h but less than 30 km/h |
3 points
|
| Driving without seat belt |
3 points
|
| Motorcyclists not wearing a helmet |
3 points
|
| Careless/negligent driving |
3 points
|
| Using
a Hand Held Mobile Phone while driving |
3
points
|
| Improper overtaking and passing |
2 points
|
| Turning or stopping without signalling |
2 points
|
| Turning improperly |
2 points
|
| Failing to keep left |
2 points
|
| Driving contrary to a minor defect notice |
2 points
|
| Failure to dip headlamps |
1 point
|
| Following too closely |
1 point
|
| Driving at night without headlamps on |
1 point
|
| Exceeding the speed limit by less than 15 km/h |
1 point |
| 
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