Red light Fines and Demerit Points by State (2026-27)
$213–$690 on-the-spot fine, lowest to highest state
Running a red light: QLD highest, TAS lowest
8 official offence schedules · verified between 17 July and 23 September 2026- For running a red light, the highest on-the-spot fine is QLD's $690 and the lowest TAS's $213: a spread of $477, with the highest 3.2 times the lowest.
- The median across the 8 states with an on-the-spot fine is $542.50; QLD, ACT, SA, NSW charge more than that.
- The most demerit points for running a red light are 3, in NSW and VIC and QLD and WA and SA and TAS and ACT and NT.
- 2 of the 8 states add demerit points on top for this offence in some circumstances: WA, ACT.
Every red light penalty, state by state
| Offence | Points | Fine | Licence consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | |||
| Running a red light | 3 | $562 | — |
| Victoria | |||
| Running a red light | 3 | $523 | — |
| Queensland | |||
| Running a red light | 3 | $690 | — |
| Western Australia | |||
| Running a red light | 3 | $300 | — |
| South Australia | |||
| Running a red light | 3 | $592 | — |
| Tasmania | |||
| Running a red light | 3 | $213 | — |
| Australian Capital Territory | |||
| Running a red light | 3 | $619 | — |
| Northern Territory | |||
| Running a red light | 3 | $240 | — |
Double demerits
| State | Treatment of running a red light |
|---|---|
| NSW | Holiday periods — points double for speeding, phone, seatbelt and helmet offences (fines unchanged) |
| VIC | None — Victoria has no double-demerit scheme |
| QLD | Year-round repeat-offence doubling — a second offence in the same group (phone, seatbelt, helmet, speeding 21+ km/h) within 12 months doubles the points |
| WA | Yes — points double during WA holiday double-demerit periods |
| SA | None — SA does not use double demerit points |
| TAS | None — Tasmania has no double-demerit scheme |
| ACT | +1 point during ACT holiday periods (applies to all other point offences) |
| NT | None — the NT has no double-demerit scheme |
How close one offence takes you to the limit
| State | Points | Full-licence limit | Offences to reach it | Learner and provisional limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 3 | 13 | 5 | P2: 7 points; P1 and learner: 4 points; good-behaviour period: 2 points. |
| VIC | 3 | 12 | 4 | Learner, P1, P2 (and overseas licence holders under 22): 5 points in any 12 months. |
| QLD | 3 | 12 | 4 | P1, P2 and learner: 4 points in 12 months. |
| WA | 3 | 12 | 4 | Learner and first-year provisional: 4 points; second-year provisional: 8 points. |
| SA | 3 | 12 | 4 | Learner and provisional: 4 points; probationary: 2 points. |
| TAS | 3 | 12 | 4 | Learner and provisional: 4 points in 12 months. |
| ACT | 3 | 12 | 4 | Provisional and learner: 4 points; probationary: 2 points. |
| NT | 3 | 12 | 4 | Learner and provisional: 5 points in any 12 months. |
| Full-licence points, first offence, before any double-demerit period. Learners and provisional drivers often face higher points or an automatic suspension for the same offence; see each state's row above. | ||||
Frequently asked questions
- Which state has the highest red light fine?
- For running a red light, QLD ($690). The lowest is TAS ($213).
- Which states apply double demerits to red light offences?
- WA, ACT — see the table above for how each applies them.
Other offences compared
- Speeding
- Mobile phone
- Seatbelt
- Drink-driving
- Drug-driving
- Unregistered and uninsured vehicles
- All demerit rules by state
Sources — figures verified between 17 July and 23 September 2026.
- NSW Government offence and demerit scheduleverified
- Transport Victoria / Fines Victoria (2026-27 schedule)verified
- Queensland Government demerit and fines schedule (1 July 2026)verified
- WA Road Safety Commission / Department of Transport (2026-27)verified
- SA expiation fees (Road Traffic (Miscellaneous) Regulations, 1 July 2026)verified
- Transport Tasmania offence list at the 2026-27 penalty unitverified
- ACT Road Transport (Offences) Regulation (Republication 104, 1 July 2026)verified
- NT Government traffic offences and penaltiesverified
Standard first-offence penalties for a full-licence holder from each state's own schedule. Bands are each state's own; a like-for-like comparison uses the same conduct or the same km/h over. Information, not legal advice.