How long do demerit points last?
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The point system varies from state to state in Australia, but you can always check online to see how much you have left.
You might as well ask, "How long is the piece of rope?" or “how long does the pandemic last?” because the answer may actually vary depending on the state you live in.
In New South Wales, for example, the answer is simple - the penalty points last for three years, but other states don't seem to want you to know the answer. However, three years from the date of the offense seems to be the safest answer.
You may have heard that some points expire in just 12 months, but that's not true, once you get them, you're stuck with them for a whole three years.
What is the point?
You will earn penalty points not only for speeding.
When you think about it, the whole idea of "insufficient points" is completely absurd. In fact, it's so nonsensical that it's hard to explain even to a novice driver on a journey that they think will be freedom, but is actually surrounded on all sides by speed cameras, burdensome regulations, and vigilant highway patrol. officers.
So what is the point of demerit points? Are they the opposite of the points you earned in school, so you earn more for bad driving behavior and collect them like little badges of shame? Or do you start with a collection of demerit points that you can spend if you're crazy enough to do so, knowing that each one will cost you money, and if you throw away too many, your license?
If you've never lost a single point on your license or even received a parking ticket, the demerit points system may be a bit of a mystery to you. But the fact is that even people who have been driving and accidentally received tickets - as can easily happen in the state of Victoria, where speed cameras are hidden and there is almost no speeding error - it is still likely that you are. We are a little confused. about penalty points. So please let us try to explain.
How do demerit points work and how much do you have?
The fear of losing your license should keep you from committing any kind of traffic violation.
Well, I hope you don't, because we all start with zero demerit points in our rights - a state of innocence that lasts longer for some than for others. How much you have to play - that is, how much you can collect before it costs you your license, or at least suspend your license - depends on where you live.
Until recently, their number in Victoria was less than elsewhere, only 11, but in most other states it is 12, although New South Wales, for unknown reasons - perhaps due to superstition - allows its residents to award 13 points.
If you only have a student's permit or are still showing P license plates, you have even fewer opportunities to play at just five locations, no matter where you live. Victoria also has a special rule: if you are under 22 and have a full license from another state or even another country, you still only have five points.
So, what is the point of these cons? Well, fear and punishment, in general. If you accumulate too many points - usually 12 of them over three years or less - your license will be suspended, usually for three months.
The fear of being disenfranchised should prevent you from committing any kind of traffic violation - and no, it's not just speeding that will get you demerit points - in order for you to become a good motorist/citizen.
The reason you can't just get 12 points and lose your license as soon as you get caught for one thing is because the first few penalties are supposed to act as a caution, kind of slowing you down so that the closer you get to your maximum flaws. the more careful you will be. It's a carrot and stick approach without a carrot, because there is no reward for good driving.
How do you accumulate demerit points?
In total, there are more than 200 separate traffic violations.
Unfortunately, there are too many ways to list them all here. There are over 200 separate traffic violations in New South Wales alone, not just speeding, and most of them carry some form of penalty in the form of demerit points. The number of points you can get for a certain violation - say, exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 15 km/h - can also vary depending on whether it was a public holiday, whether you were in a school zone, or even what you license.
Exceeding the speed limit by 10 km/h or less in New South Wales? Probably, this will be one minus. Unless you're on your L or P plates when it's four points. But if you're in your L or P and it's a school zone, that's five points. If you are not on Ls or Ps but are in the school zone, this will be three points. Unless it's a double fine holiday weekend when you commit a crime, which means doubling the points in all the examples above.
How long does it take for your demerit points to burn out?
Penalty points expire three years after the date of the offense.
You might think this is a simple enough question and we wish it were, but here for your education, especially if you live in Queensland, this is how a government agency selects an answer, in this case qld.gov .au.
How long do demerit points last
“If you have a learner, P1, P2, provisional, or probationary license, we will send you a sanction license notice if you receive 4 or more demerit points within any 1-year period.
“If you have an open license and receive 12 demerit points or more in any 3-year period, we will send you a license penalty notice.
"Insufficient scores reported in the sanction notice are considered 'eliminated' and are no longer counted."
So if you just received a fine and three demerit points, those points will be added to your total for three years and then disappear after three years if you do not accumulate 12 points in that time. time.
If you press 12 you will get a license sanction and those points will disappear so you will start from scratch once you have been subject to this sanction which will probably be a three month license suspension but in most cases you will be offered the chance to play with your licensed at that point by asking for an "extended penalty period", as VicRoads helpfully explains:
“(This is) a 12-month period during which you are allowed to continue driving, but your driver's license/learner's license will be suspended for twice the originally proposed period if you:
“Suspend or revoke your driver/student license for a driving violation, or
“Commit an offense that has a penalty point. It's designed to help you adopt safer driving practices."
Yes, it's basically Good Behavior Pledges, and every state and territory offers you that sort of option, with slight variations in the details, but the basic premise remains the same: if you get the maximum points allowed, you'll get a letter asking you to choose between the suspension you faced or continuing to drive but without getting another demerit point within a certain period, which is usually 12 months.
Break the rules during this period - we're only talking about one point - and the government will double that initial suspension period.
It's also worthless that in Victoria the suspension, if you manage it, will be three months, "plus one month for every 4 points over the limit." So it could be even worse if you somehow manage to score 16 points or more.
VicRoads also helpfully informs us that your demerit points become "active" from the date you committed the offense and not from the date you officially registered it.
You may also be interested to know that sometimes when your points have run out, they are still there. As nswcourts.com.au explains: “While demerit points no longer count after three years, they remain permanently on your driving record.
“After three years, they can no longer count towards a suspension, meaning that in order to be suspended from penalty points in New South Wales, you need to earn 13 or more penalty points within a three-year period.
"If you have other previous offenses and demerit points from more than three years ago, they will not count."
Surprisingly, South Australia gives a really clear answer to our question:
“Dispatch points expire three years after the date of the offense. For example, if the offense was committed on May 18, 2015, these points will expire on May 18, 2018.”
However, it's clear that things can get a little confusing, so it's probably best to break the situation down by state and point out that the best thing you can do is keep track of your position and avoid either a suspension or a good score. The Behavior Bond is a regular check on the status of your license and your points balance, so we will provide links for that as well.
Drawbacks - New South Wales
By far the most generous state, as it offers its drivers an extra point, at 13, before the basket of sin, NSW's long and complicated list of fines is also the most confusing.
NSW drivers are allowed to score 13 demerit points, while professional drivers (e.g. taxi drivers or couriers - yes, seriously, taxi drivers) can score 14. Drivers with provisional P2 score seven points, while student drivers and drivers with temporary P1 status, only four can receive.
Common offenses (under full license, not in school zone):
| Exceeding the speed limit by 10 km/h or less | One point |
| Exceeding the speed of 10 km/h - exceeding the speed of 20 km/h. | three points |
| Speed 20km/h – 30km/h | four points |
| Don't stop at a red light | three points |
| Use your phone while driving | four points |
How to check your points balance:
NSW drivers can check their points balance here.
Cons - Victoria
If you live and drive in Victoria, you've probably already lost your license, but just in case, drivers can get 12 demerit points (used to be 11), and drivers with a P or L number five (was four).
Common offenses (under full license, not in school zone):
| Exceeding the speed limit by 10 km/h or less | One point |
| Exceeding the speed of more than 10 km / h - 25 km / h. | three points |
| Speed 25km/h – 35km/h | four points |
| Don't stop at a red light | three points |
| Use your phone while driving | four points |
How to check your points balance:
Victorians can check their points balance here.
Disadvantages - WA
Point demerit rules in Western Australia are the most generous in the country, with lower penalty rates than New South Wales and Victoria, but be aware that some offenses carry a seven point fine, meaning you could lose your license instantly at weekend with a double penalty. .
Common offenses (under full license, not in school zone):
| Exceeding the speed limit of 9 km/h | Zero points |
| Speed 9km/h - 19km/h | Two points |
| Speed 19km/h – 29km/h | three points |
| Speeding over 40 km/h | seven points |
| Don't stop at a red light | three points |
| Use your phone while driving | three points |
How to check your points balance:
Drivers in Western Australia can check their points balance here.
Disadvantages - QLD
While the people of Queensland radiate an aura of the Wild West, the reality - at least on the roads of the state - is a bit different. The demerit point system in Queensland is roughly the same as in the rest of the country, with drivers with a full license being allowed 12 demerit points, while drivers with L and P numbers are allowed only four.
Common offenses (under full license, not in school zone):
| Exceeding the speed of 13 km/h and below | One point |
| Speed 13km/h – 20km/h | three points |
| Speed 20km/h – 30km/h | four points |
| Speed 30km/h - 40km/h | six points |
| More than 40 km / h | 8 points and a six-month suspension |
| Don't stop at a red light | three points |
| Use your phone while driving | three points |
How to check your points balance:
Queenslanders can check their points balance here.
Drawbacks - South Australia
Another country of hidden speed cameras, South Australian drivers are often unaware they have committed an offense until the ticket arrives in the post office.
Pilots can get 12 points, while L and P can get four. Once you reach the maximum number, you will have the opportunity to experience South Australia's world-class public transport system.
For how long depends on how many points you scored: 12-15 points - suspension for three months, 16-20 points - four months, and more than 20 points - five months of crying on the bus.
Common offenses (under full license, not in school zone):
| Exceeding the speed of 10 km/h and below | Two points |
| Speed 10km/h – 20km/h | three points |
| Speed 20km/h – 30km/h | Five points |
| Speed 30km/h - 45km/h | seven points |
| Don't stop at a red light | three points |
| Use your phone while driving | three points |
| And our personal favorite: driving with attitude (hoon driving) | four points |
How to check your points balance:
Drivers in South Australia can check their scores here.
