Where a person commits two or more offences arising from the same incident, she or he will only receive points for the most serious offence. For example, a person charged with both driving without due care and failing to give way, will only attract 3 demerit points. However, if a person is convicted of or expiates two or more offences arising from the same incident   and one of the offences is a red light offence and another is a speeding offence, demerit points are incurred in respect of both the red light offence and the speeding offence.

If I commit an offence interstate will this result in demerits against my South Australian licence?

Offences committed interstate are also recorded against a South Australian licence [Motor Vehicles Act

1959 s.98BB] and the Registrar has the power to suspend or cancel an interstate licence under the law of another State. This power also extends to foreign driver's licences.

When do demerit points take effect?

Demerit points apply from the date the offence was committed and not from the date of the conviction or the

payment of the expiation notice.

When do demerit points cease to count?

Demerit points are erased three years after an offence is committed. Where excess points are accumulated and a disqualification is served these points will be erased at the end of the disqualification period.

How do I find out how many demerit points I have?

You can contact the Registration & Licensing Branch for the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure on 13 10 84 or 1300 360 067 to find out how many demerit points you have incurred.

When will I be disqualified for having too many demerit points?   

If you receive 12 or more demerit points within a three year period, the Registrar of Motor Vehicles will suspend you for:

• 3 months if you have 12-15 demerit points 
• 4 months if you have 16-19 demerit points 
• 5 months if you have 20 or more demerit points

How will I know I am disqualified?

The disqualification notice is served in the first instance by ordinary post to your last known address. Once received you are required to the attend personally at the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure to acknowledge receipt of the notice and pay the Registrar an administration fee.

What will happen if I don’t get the notice or fail to respond to it?

If you fail to comply with the notice another notice will be issued personally by a process server, the cost of which will be met by you. If personal service is unsuccessful you will be prohibited from transactions with the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure until you provide acknowledgement of receipt of the notice and pay the administration and service fees.

When does the disqualification begin?

The disqualification takes effect 28 days from the date specified in the notice or 28 days from the date the notice was served. If you are already disqualified for another reason (for example, as part of a penalty imposed by a court), the demerit point disqualification begins once the other period of disqualification ends.

What happens to the points at the end of the disqualification period?

All of the demerit points that led to the disqualification will be erased at the end of the disqualification period. Also erased will be any demerit points resulting from other offences committed prior to the disqualification, whether or not you had been convicted of, or expiated, those offences when the disqualification took effect.

What happens if I accumulate further points after I have been disqualified?

If you accumulate further points after a notice has been served advising of your disqualification, any new demerit points disqualification will start immediately after the existing disqualification ends.

Is there any way I can keep my licence if I have exceeded the maximum demerit points?

You can keep your licence by choosing to take a ‘good behaviour’ option instead of serving a demerit points

disqualification. The good behaviour option is offered with the demerit points disqualification notice. Instead of

surrendering your licence you make a formal application to accept a 12 month good behaviour option. This must be done within 21 days of receiving the notice.

What is the effect of the good behaviour option?

By taking the good behaviour option, you can continue to drive but your licence will be subject to the condition that you do not incur 2 or more demerit points during the 12 month good behaviour period. If you incur 2 or more points you will be disqualified for double the original disqualification period [Motor Vehicles Act 1959   s98BE (2a)]. For example if you incurred 14 points, your licence would be disqualified for 3 months. By accepting a good behaviour option, you would face 6 months disqualification if you incurred 2 or more demerit points during the 12 month period. After successfully completing the period of the conditional licence all the demerit points previously recorded are erased.

What if I have served a court ordered disqualification for an offence and demerit points also apply?

If you have served a court ordered disqualification period you will need to renew your licence once the disqualification period has been served. If you fail to do so this will mean that you are not eligible for the good behaviour option if demerit points also apply for the original offence.