How many demerit points can you get in NSW before losing your licence?

13 points within 3 years on a full (unrestricted) licence — 14 for professional drivers. P2: 7 points; P1 and learner: 4 points; good-behaviour period: 2 points.

Demerit Points & Fines in New South Wales (2026-27)

13 points on a full licence triggers suspension

13 points within 3 years on a full (unrestricted) licence — 14 for professional drivers.

NSW Government offence and demerit schedule · 2026-27 schedule

New South Wales gives fully licensed drivers a higher points allowance than most other states before a licence is suspended, and licensed professional drivers are given a slightly larger allowance again in recognition of the hours they spend on the road. That headroom does not extend to newer drivers: learner and provisional licence holders sit on much lower caps, so a single serious offence, or a small run of minor ones, can put a restricted licence at risk far sooner.

Fines in New South Wales are adjusted for the cost of living each year, and the official schedule is usually refreshed after that adjustment, so the dollar figures move over time even when the offences and their point values stay the same. The version shown here carries the date of the schedule it was drawn from.

NSW traffic offences — points and fines, 2026-27
Offence	Points	Fine
Speeding by 10 km/h or less · details Double demerits: Yes — points double during NSW holiday double-demerit periods (fines unchanged) Learner / provisional: Learner/provisional same band: $149 but 4 demerit points; any speeding offence by a learner or P1 holder attracts at least 4 points and at least a 3-month licence suspension/refusal. School zone (non-L/P): $246 and 2 points.	1	$149
Speeding by 10–20 km/h Double demerits: Yes — points double during NSW holiday double-demerit periods (fines unchanged) Learner / provisional: Learner/provisional: $345 and 4 points. School zone: $443 and 4 points (non-L/P).	3	$345
Speeding by 20–30 km/h Double demerits: Yes — points double during NSW holiday double-demerit periods (fines unchanged) Learner / provisional: School zone: $738 and 5 points.	4	$592
Speeding by 30–45 km/h Licence consequence: On court conviction: minimum 3 months disqualification (court maximum fine $2,200) - official speeding offences page, effective wording as of 1 July 2020 Double demerits: Yes — points double during NSW holiday double-demerit periods (fines unchanged) Learner / provisional: School zone: $1,429 and 6 points. P2 drivers caught exceeding by 30+ km/h stay on P2 an extra 6 months each time, plus suspension.	5	$1,133
Speeding by more than 45 km/h Licence consequence: Minimum 6 months disqualification (court maximum fine $3,300 light vehicles / $5,500 heavy vehicles) - official speeding offences page Double demerits: Yes — points double during NSW holiday double-demerit periods (fines unchanged) Learner / provisional: School zone: $3,242 and 7 points. Heavy vehicles (Class B/C): $3,054-$4,630 depending on class/zone.	6	$3,054
Using a mobile phone illegally Double demerits: Yes — points double during NSW holiday double-demerit periods (fines unchanged) Learner / provisional: Learner, P1 and P2 drivers must not use a mobile phone at all while driving, including hands-free and while stationary in traffic (official nsw.gov.au safe-driving page). Same penalty notice applies (offence dataset lists identical fine for L/P under Road Rules 2014 Rule 300-1); 5 points (10 in double demerit periods) exceeds the L/P1 4-point cap, so a single offence costs a learner or P1 driver their licence. Fine basis: Penalty notice, 2026-27 (current TfNSW figure)	5	$434
Driver not wearing a seatbelt · details Double demerits: Yes — points double during NSW holiday double-demerit periods (fines unchanged)	3	$423
Driving with an unrestrained passenger · details Double demerits: Yes — points double during NSW holiday double-demerit periods (fines unchanged) Learner / provisional: Passengers aged 16+ who fail to wear an available seatbelt are also personally fined (no demerit points) - official nsw.gov.au seatbelts page; the passenger's own fine amount is not published on a fetchable official page (see unresolved).	3	$423
Running a red light · details Learner / provisional: School zone: $704 and 4 points. Double demerits do NOT apply to traffic light offences (dataset 'Double demerits' = No for all red-light rows).	3	$562
Low-range drink driving (first offence) Licence consequence: Immediate 3-month licence suspension accompanies the penalty notice (first offence). If dealt with by a court instead: LOW range - max fine $2,200 first / $3,300 subsequent, automatic disqualification 6 months first / 12 months subsequent (minimum 3 / 6 months), interlock not required for first offence; MID range - max fine $2,200 first / $3,300 subsequent, max imprisonment 9 / 12 months, automatic disqualification 12 months / 3 years (minimum 6 / 12 months), interlock required; HIGH range - max fine $3,300 first / $5,500 subsequent, max imprisonment 18 months / 2 years, automatic disqualification 3 years / 5 years (minimum 12 months / 2 years), interlock required. Learner / provisional: Novice range (any alcohol) applies to learner and provisional drivers - zero alcohol limit. Fine basis: Penalty notice as published 17 July 2026 (official page does not state the indexation year)	—	$722
Drug driving — drug presence (first offence) Licence consequence: 3-month licence suspension accompanies the penalty notice (first offence). Second/subsequent or court-elected matters go to court. Fine basis: Penalty notice as published 17 July 2026 (official page does not state the indexation year)	—	$722
Driving an unregistered vehicle Learner / provisional: Heavy vehicles (GVM over 4.5 t): $1,728 and 4 demerit points per the same page; the official offence dataset shows $1,784 and 4 points for the equivalent row (RT Act 2013 s 68(1)) - conflicting official figures, see unresolved. Fine basis: Penalty notice as published 17 July 2026 (official page does not state the indexation year)	0	$818
Fine basis: Penalty notice from the official NSW offence schedule, which still showed its 2025–26 amounts when re-checked on 23 September 2026 while NSW's mobile-phone page already carries the indexed 2026–27 fine, so this may sit one indexation behind; we re-stamp when the schedule updates. Court-only offences carry no on-the-spot fine; where a figure is shown it is the court-imposed maximum.

How NSW compares with the other states

Holding or using a handheld phone while driving (full licence): NSW's $434 fine ranks 7th highest of the 8 states with an on-the-spot fine; the highest is QLD ($1,295) and the lowest TAS ($426).
Driver not wearing a seatbelt: NSW's $423 fine ranks 7th highest of the 8 states with an on-the-spot fine; the highest is QLD ($1,295) and the lowest VIC ($418).
Driving an unregistered vehicle (shortest lapse where the fine depends on it): NSW's $818 fine ranks 2nd highest of the 6 states with an on-the-spot fine; the highest is VIC ($1,046) and the lowest TAS ($266.25).
NSW's 13-point limit on a full licence is higher than every other state's (12 points).

NSW against the other states, like for like
Offence compared	NSW fine	Rank (1 = highest)	Highest	Lowest
Each state's lowest speeding band	$149	6 of 8	ACT $394	WA $100
Holding or using a handheld phone while driving (full licence)	$434	7 of 8	QLD $1,295	TAS $426
Driver not wearing a seatbelt	$423	7 of 8	QLD $1,295	VIC $418
Running a red light	$562	4 of 8	QLD $690	TAS $213
Each state's lowest drink-driving range, first offence, full licence	$722	3 of 6	WA $1,000	NT $400
Drug presence, first offence	$722	3 of 6	WA $1,250	NT $400
Driving an unregistered vehicle (shortest lapse where the fine depends on it)	$818	2 of 6	VIC $1,046	TAS $266.25
Speeding 12 km/h over the limit	$345	5 of 8	QLD $518	NT $150
Speeding 27 km/h over the limit	$592	3 of 8	SA $987	NT $300
Each state's own band for the same conduct; court-only matters are not ranked against on-the-spot fines.

Losing your licence in NSW

Licence type	Threshold
Full / open licence	13 points within 3 years on a full (unrestricted) licence — 14 for professional drivers.
Provisional / learner	P2: 7 points; P1 and learner: 4 points; good-behaviour period: 2 points.

NSW penalty amounts were indexed from 1 July 2026 (Transport for NSW's mobile-phone page shows the 2026–27 fine), but the official offence dataset behind the NSW Government's offence search still carried the 2025–26 amounts when re-checked on 23 September 2026 (dataset labelled last updated 4 September 2026). We show the officially published figures and re-stamp when the indexed schedule is published; the mobile-phone fine is already the 2026–27 amount.

Double demerits in NSW

New South Wales doubles demerit points during declared holiday periods, which are gazetted around the Christmas and New Year break, Australia Day, Easter, Anzac Day, the King's Birthday long weekend and the Labour Day long weekend. The doubling applies to speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt and helmet offences, and it affects the points only: the fine attached to the offence stays the same whether or not the holiday loading is in force. Red-light offences are not part of the scheme, so they carry their usual points even during these periods. The exact dates are set each year, so it is worth checking the official notice before a long weekend.

Frequently asked questions

How many demerit points can you get in NSW before losing your licence?: 13 points within 3 years on a full (unrestricted) licence — 14 for professional drivers. P2: 7 points; P1 and learner: 4 points; good-behaviour period: 2 points.
Does NSW have double demerits?: New South Wales doubles demerit points during declared holiday periods, which are gazetted around the Christmas and New Year break, Australia Day, Easter, Anzac Day, the King's Birthday long weekend and the Labour Day long weekend. The doubling applies to speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt and helmet offences, and it affects the points only: the fine attached to the offence stays the same whether or not the holiday loading is in force. Red-light offences are not part of the scheme, so they carry their usual points even during these periods. The exact dates are set each year, so it is worth checking the official notice before a long weekend.

Compare a penalty across all 8 states

Other states

Sources — figures current as at 23 September 2026.

NSW Government offence and demerit scheduleverified

Penalties are the standard on-the-spot amounts for a first offence by a full-licence holder unless noted. Aggravated, repeat and court-elected matters differ. This is information, not legal advice.