The Points Demerit Scheme was introduced to make drivers more aware of road safety and to stop repeat offenders.

Demerit points are allocated to a range of traffic offences against the Road Traffic Act 1961 and the Australian Road Rules. The number of points for each offence depends on how likely it is to cause an accident. A detailed list of rule and section descriptions along with applicable demerit points are available from any Customer Service Centre.

The complete list of Motor Vehicle Regulations 1996 is available from the South Australian Legislation web site.

If you accumulate 12 or more demerit points in any 3 year period, you will be disqualified from driving. Each 3 year period is based on the offence date, not a court or conviction date.

If you accumulate

• 12 to 15 points you lose your right to drive for 3 months
• 16 to 20 points you lose your right to drive for 4 months
• over 20 points you lose your right to drive for 5 months.

A demerit points disqualification starts 28 days after a formal notice is sent to you.

If you are already disqualified, any new demerit points disqualification will start immediately after the existing disqualification ends.

South Australia has 2 offence tables

• National Offence Table

• Offences for South Australia

If you hold a Provisional licence

If you hold a P1 licence and accumulate 1,2 or 3 demerit points, you can still progress to a P2 licence after one year but you must successfully complete a Driver Awareness Course as well as the mandatory Hazard Perception Test. However, you will be required to hold your P1 and P2 licences until your 20 th birthday. In addition to this, if you become disqualified, when your Provisional Licence is re-issued it will be extended for a further 6 months or even longer if set by the courts. Where the holder of a provisional licence commits a serious disqualification offence, a night curfew prohibiting driving between 12.00am to 5.00am, unless accompanied by a qualified supervising driver, will be imposed for 12 months when they return to driving.

Will you be sent a warning notice?

A warning notice is sent (unless you have an interstate address) to warn you that if you collect 6 demerit points or more you may lose your licence.

The warning notice shows the offence details, the date the offence was committed and the number of demerit points for each offence.

Can you keep your licence?

You may keep your licence by electing to take a "good behaviour" option instead of the demerit points disqualification. The good behaviour option will be offered with the demerit points disqualification notice.

Instead of surrendering your licence you must make formal application to accept a 12 month good behaviour option.

You will be able to continue to drive but your licence will be subject to the condition that you do not incur 2 or more demerit points during the good behaviour period. If you incur 2 or more points you will be disqualified for twice the original disqualification period.

Demerit points associated with an existing demerit disqualification or good behaviour option are not further accumulated.

What happens if you commit an offence interstate?

Any conviction for which demerit points are issued will be recorded against your South Australian Driver's Licence, whether the offence is committed in South Australia or interstate.

Alcohol offences