Double demerits are usually in force during major public holiday periods and long weekends, but the exact dates depend on your Australian state or territory and the specific year.

Key dates in early 2026

  • In NSW and the ACT , double demerits apply over the Australia Day long weekend from Friday 23 January to Monday 26 January 2026.
  • In Western Australia , double demerits also run over Australia Day 2026 from Friday 23 January to Monday 26 January 2026 , as part of their listed 2026 public holiday periods.

These periods cover the full days from 12:00am on the start date until 11:59pm on the end date.

Other 2026 double demerit periods (examples)

For 2026, public information shows further double demerit periods such as:

  • Easter (e.g., 2–6 April 2026 in NSW/ACT; 2–6 April listed for WA).
  • King’s Birthday / WA Day / Labour Day long weekends in various states, usually spanning Friday to Monday.
  • Christmas / New Year 2026–27, typically covering several days around 24 December to early January.

Exact days differ by state, so local road safety or police sites should always be checked close to each holiday.

Where double demerits apply

  • Full double demerits during holiday periods are used in NSW, ACT and WA.
  • Queensland uses double points for repeat offences within 12 months, not just on holidays.
  • Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory do not have general double demerit holiday schemes.

This means asking “when is double demerits” really needs a location and year to give a precise answer.

What offences are doubled

During an active double demerit period, the following are commonly doubled in states that use the system:

  • Speeding
  • Illegal mobile phone use while driving
  • Not wearing a seatbelt or child restraint
  • Riding without a motorcycle helmet
  • In WA, some speed camera evasion offences can attract very high demerit totals (e.g., 14 points) during these periods.

Fines (the dollar amounts) usually do not double, but the demerit points do, which can rapidly lead to licence suspension.

How to check the latest for you

To get the exact “when is double demerits” answer for your situation:

  1. Go to your state road safety / transport / police website and search “double demerits dates 2026” (or the relevant year).
  1. Check a reputable motoring body (e.g., NRMA for NSW/ACT) which publishes current year double demerit calendars.
  1. Re-check close to each holiday, as governments can adjust operations or add special enforcement campaigns.

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