how many demerit points do you get

You don’t get a fixed number of demerit points for everything – it depends on the offence, your licence type, and where you live.

How demerit points work

• Demerit points are penalties recorded against your licence when you break certain road rules (like speeding, running a red light, or using a phone while driving).

• Each offence has its own point value; more dangerous behaviour means more points.

• If you reach your state or territory’s demerit point limit within the set period (often 3 years), your licence can be suspended or a renewal refused.

Typical demerit point limits

• Many Australian states and territories use a limit of around 12–13 points for full, unrestricted licence holders over about 3 years.

• Provisional (P‑plate) and learner drivers usually have lower limits, for example 4–7 points before suspension in some jurisdictions.

• Some places give professional drivers a slightly higher limit because they are on the road more often.

Examples: how many points you might get

Exact numbers vary by state, but common patterns look like this.

• Minor speeding (a little over the limit): often around 1–3 points.

• Higher‑range speeding: can climb to 6–8 points or more for serious excess speeds.

• Running a red light or stop sign: commonly about 3 points.

• Using a mobile phone while driving: often 4 points, sometimes more in high‑risk zones.

• Not wearing a seatbelt or not properly restraining a child: typically 3 or more points.

• Very serious offences (e.g., drink or drug driving, dangerous driving): can attract 10+ points at once, enough to lose your licence on a clean record.

Special cases: double demerits and repeat offences

• Some states apply double demerit points during holiday periods or long weekends for offences like speeding, seatbelts, phones, and helmets.

• In certain places, if you repeat the same offence within a set period (for example 12 months), the points for the second offence can be doubled.

What you should do next

• Check your local roads or transport authority’s website for a current table of offences and demerit points, as the exact numbers and rules depend on your state or country.

• If you already got a fine, you can usually log into your online licensing or service portal to see exactly how many demerit points have been added and your current total.

Bottom line: “How many demerit points do you get?” always needs two extra details – where you are and what the offence was.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.