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Ontario · Guide

The Ontario demerit point system

Ontario demerit points range from 2 to 7 points per offence. A fully licensed driver is suspended at 15 points; a novice G1, G2, M1 or M2 driver is suspended at 9. Points stay on your record for two years from the date of the offence, and they are removed automatically — there is no course that clears them.

The point that catches most drivers out: demerit points and the conviction are two different things with two different lifespans. Points expire after two years. The conviction stays on your driving abstract for three years, and that is the record your insurer prices from. Losing the points does not undo the premium increase.

How many demerit points is each offence?

Ontario groups convictions into point tiers, from 2 points for a minor infraction up to 7 for the most serious Highway Traffic Act offences. Not every serious charge carries points:driving without insurance carries none, and the licence consequence arrives as a court-ordered suspension instead.

7 points

6 points

5 points

  • Failing to stop at an unprotected railway crossing (bus drivers only)

4 points

3 points

2 points

  • Improper or prohibited turns
  • Turning or changing lanes when it is not safe (s.142(1))
  • Failing to signal
  • Seat belt violations
  • Failing to properly use a child restraint

What happens at each threshold

The consequences of accumulating points differ for a full licence and a novice (G1/G2/M1/M2) licence, and the novice thresholds are lower.

Ontario demerit point thresholds and consequences for full and novice licences
What happensFull licence (G, M)Novice licence (G1, G2, M1, M2)
Warning letter from the Ministry6–8 points2–5 points
Second warning letter, and a possible interview to explain your record9–14 points6–8 points
Licence suspended15 or more points: suspended until 30 days after the licence is surrendered (6 months if within two years of an earlier demerit suspension) O. Reg. 339/94 s.99 or more points: suspended until 60 days after the licence is surrendered (6 months if within two years of an earlier demerit suspension) O. Reg. 339/94 s.17

Novice drivers reach suspension at little more than half the points, and start receiving warning letters at 2 rather than 6.

What this means if you have been charged

Paying a ticket is a guilty plea, and the points follow automatically. Where a driver already has points on their record, the arithmetic matters more than the fine: a second 3-point conviction can be the one that triggers an interview.

The practical work is usually about the points rather than the money. Resolving a charge to a lesser offence that carries fewer points — or none — is frequently worth far more than a reduced fine, because it protects both the licence and the insurance rating. Whether that is available depends on the disclosure and the prosecutor. Fail to remain also has a Criminal Code twin, s.320.16, which carries no demerit points at all but suspends the licence automatically for at least one year under HTA s.41 — seethe Criminal Code version of fail to remain.

Source:Ontario's published demerit point system. Point values are set by regulation (O. Reg. 339/94) rather than by the Highway Traffic Act itself, and can change — verify before relying on them.

Legal information, not legal advice. Laws, fines and demerit points change; check the current Highway Traffic Act and the Ontario Court of Justice set-fine schedule before relying on a figure. Using this site or sending a form does not create a paralegal-client relationship.

Demerit points — common questions

How long do demerit points stay on your record in Ontario?

Demerit points stay on your driving record for two years from the date of the offence — not the date of conviction. The conviction itself remains visible on your driving abstract for three years, which is the figure insurers work from. That is why a conviction can still affect your premium after the points themselves have expired.

How many demerit points before you lose your licence in Ontario?

For a fully licensed driver, at 15 or more points the licence is suspended. It cannot be reinstated until 30 days after it is surrendered, or 6 months if the offence came within two years after an earlier demerit-point suspension ended (or two years after the suspension, if that is sooner; O. Reg. 339/94 s.9). For a novice driver (G1, G2, M1 or M2), at 9 or more points the licence is suspended. It cannot be reinstated until 60 days after it is surrendered, or 6 months if the offence came within two years after an earlier demerit-point suspension ended (or two years after the suspension, if that is sooner; O. Reg. 339/94 s.17). Novice drivers also start receiving warning letters at just 2 points, compared with 6 for a full licence.

Do demerit points get removed if I take a driving course?

No. Ontario does not remove demerit points for completing a driving course. Points expire on their own two years after the offence date. The only way to avoid them is to avoid the conviction — either by defending the charge or by resolving it to an offence that carries fewer points or none.

Do I get demerit points from a red-light camera ticket?

No. Camera-issued tickets are directed at the registered plate holder rather than the driver, carry no demerit points, and do not appear on your driving record. Only a charge laid by a police officer who stopped you results in demerit points.

Can I check how many demerit points I have?

Yes. You can order a driver's licence history (an abstract) from ServiceOntario, which shows convictions and the points attached. If you are unsure where you stand after a charge, that record is the first thing worth obtaining.

How many demerit points is a speeding ticket in Ontario?

Speeding demerit points depend on how far over the limit you were: none for 1 to 15 km/h over, 3 points for 16 to 29 over, 4 points for 30 to 49 over, and 6 points at 50 or more over — a speed that is usually charged as stunt driving instead. The speeding ticket calculator works out the points and the fine for any speed, and shows how they combine with points already on your record.

Do demerit points affect your insurance in Ontario?

Not directly. Demerit points are a Ministry of Transportation system that decides warning letters, interviews and suspensions. Insurers price from the convictions on your three-year driving abstract, not from the point total — so a conviction can raise your premium even after its points have expired, and a zero-point conviction still appears on the abstract insurers read.

Worried about the points on your record?

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