Demerit points in Ontario: everything you need to know

What are demerit points?

Demerit points are penalties assigned to drivers who break traffic laws. Each province handles demerit points differently, so the rules and point-assignment schemes in Ontario might not be the same everywhere else.

In Ontario, drivers receive demerit points on their driver’s licences if they’re convicted of specific traffic offences. The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has a defined list of traffic violations that will result in demerit points under the Highway Traffic Act.¹

Minor offences start at two points, gradually increasing to seven for the most serious offences. Depending on what you’ve done, an officer may issue more than one ticket when you’re pulled over, each with its own corresponding points.

A driving offence is serious, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be convicted. When a police officer issues a traffic ticket, you typically have three options for handling it: pay the fine, challenge it in court, or request a resolution meeting with a prosecutor. A conviction is only registered if you choose to pay the ticket (which counts as an admission of guilt) or you’re found guilty at trial. If a judge rules to dismiss the charges, you’ll walk away with no conviction and no demerit points.

Although you may have received a ticket for an offence that includes demerit points, they will only be added to your licence if you are convicted of the offence, either when you pay the ticket without challenging it in court, or you challenge it but lose your case.

In the event of a conviction, the Ministry of Transportation will register the corresponding demerit points against your licence and driving record. You won’t see any points written on the original ticket, as police officers generally have no authority to assign them.²

Some of the most serious violations don’t carry any demerit points. For example, driving without insurance leads to extremely steep fines and a conviction, but no licence points. The same goes for impaired driving, which, in fact, is a criminal conviction. Demerit points are explicitly reserved for Highway Traffic Act violations, so Criminal Code offences won’t count for points, either.

Moreover, demerit points do not apply to tickets for speeding or running a red light when the offence is captured by a speed camera or red-light camera. These cameras only record the licence plate, and the ticket is issued to the vehicle’s owner, not necessarily the person driving it.

How do demerit points work in Ontario

Many drivers question whether you gain or lose points on your driver’s licence.

In Ontario (and most other provinces), demerit points are added to driver’s licences. Every driver begins with zero demerit points. Each demerit-earning conviction you receive adds the corresponding points to your record, increasing your demerit point total.

Demerit points remain on your driving record for two years from the offence date (the date the ticket was issued). Once two years pass, they’re automatically erased. Driving convictions, however, stay on your driver’s abstract for three years after the conviction date, which is the date you paid your ticket or were found guilty in court. The conviction is what matters for insurance purposes (more on this later).

Now, what happens if you rack up too many points?

Eventually, your licence would be suspended. However, the thresholds and penalties leading up to that vary depending on the class of your driver’s licence.

For drivers with a full, unrestricted licence (G):

• 6 to 8 points: You’ll receive a warning letter.
• 9 to 14 points: You’ll receive a second warning letter. Some convictions may also require that you complete a driver improvement interview.
• 15 or more points: Your licence will be suspended for 30 days.

For drivers with a novice-level licence (G1 and G2):

• 2 to 5 points: You’ll receive a warning letter.
• 6 to 8 points: You’ll receive a second warning letter and potentially an interview invitation.
• 9 or more points: Your licence will be suspended for 60 days.

Drivers with enough points for a suspension will receive a Notice of Suspension letter from the Ministry of Transportation instructing them to surrender their driver’s licence. The letter will indicate which date the suspension takes effect. Unfortunately, holding onto your licence will not do you any favors. Your licence will still be suspended even though you hold the physical copy, and failing to surrender it when required can lead to an automatic two-year suspension.

Until you’re back on the road legally, find a different way to get around. And whatever you do, don’t even think about getting behind the wheel. If an officer catches you driving with a suspended licence, you may be looking at a prolonged suspension, fines in the thousands of dollars, or even imprisonment.

Novice drivers may also receive “escalating” penalties, which means that if you’re convicted of an offence, the penalty will be stiffer if you’re caught again. This can happen if any of the following occur:³

• Any repeat violations of graduated-licensing rules
• Any Highway Traffic Act conviction worth four or more demerit points
• A court-ordered licence suspension

The penalties escalate as such:

• First offence: 30-day suspension
• Second offence: 90-day suspension
• Third offence: licence cancellation

Unlike some other offences, these violations do not come with demerit points.

With a third offence, the driver loses their novice licence and any driving credits earned during their graduated licensing. To earn their licence again, they would need to re-apply for licensing, pay the required driving test fees, and redo all driving tests as if it were their first time.

What happens after a licence suspension?

In most cases, if you’re compliant with the terms of your suspension, you can reinstate your driver’s licence afterward. Reinstatement involves completing specific steps:⁴

1. Serve the full suspension term.
2. Complete any court-mandated programs needed to lift the suspension.
3. Pay a $281 reinstatement fee online or at a ServiceOntario centre. You may be asked to provide the suspension number on the Notice of Suspension letter you initially received.
4. Undergo driver re-examination (vision, written, or driving exams) as required by the Ministry of Transportation and pay any applicable fees.

Upon reinstatement, your accumulated demerit points will be reduced. For full-licence drivers, the points drop to 7, and for novice drivers, they reduce to 4. These points will stay on your licence for two years from the date of reinstatement, and if you add any new ones, you could be called in for a driver improvement interview. If you accumulate too many points, your licence will be suspended for another six months.

Which offences lead to demerit points?

Ontario’s demerit system distributes points based on the severity of the offence:

7 points	6 points	5 points	4 points
Fleeing a collision scene (hit-and-run) Ignoring police signals to stop	Careless driving (e.g. stunt driving) Street racing Exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h (or by 40km/h on roads with a limit below 80 km/h) Failing to stop for a school bus with flashing signals	Failing to stop at a railway intersection (applicable to bus operators only)	Exceeding the speed limit by 30 to 49 km/h Tailgating Failing to stop at a pedestrian crossing

3 points

2 points

Distracted driving (e.g. using your phone) Exceeding the speed limit by 16 to 29 km/h Ignoring a railway crossing barrier Driving on a closed road or the wrong way on a divided road Failing to yield the right of way Disobeying a stop sign, traffic signal, or directions of an officer Not moving over or slowing down when passing a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing signals Improper passing Unsafe lane changes Crowding the driver’s seat Installing a radar detector Improperly using the HOV lane

Improper or prohibited turns Unnecessary slow driving Reversing on a highway Opening door while unsafe Disobeying traffic signs Failing to use turn signals Failing to share the roadway Failing to lower higher beams Driving without a seatbelt (or driving without ensuring an infant or passenger under 16 years old is properly secured) Failing to stop at a pedestrian crossing Towing a person, such as on a bicycle or skis

Insurance and legal considerations

Many drivers worry that licence demerit points will impact their car insurance rates. Here’s some relief — they don’t, at least not directly.

Insurers don’t consider demerit points when underwriting or pricing car insurance policies, just as they don’t consider traffic tickets. What really matters are the driving convictions. Insurance companies in Ontario consider convictions from the past three years.

Premium increases are closely linked to the nature of convictions added to your record. Impaired driving, for example, has no demerit points associated with it, but it will still dramatically affect your premiums — impaired driving is a criminal conviction. In fact, it might impact your premium much more than, say, a three-point speeding offence, which is categorized as a minor conviction.

Ultimately, it comes down to the severity and number of convictions that raise red flags for your car insurance provider.⁵ Too many convictions or particularly serious convictions will lead many to decline coverage altogether. A suspended licence can make you ineligible for insurance, too — so while demerit points themselves don’t affect your rates, racking up too many could still have serious insurance consequences.

There are other implications to consider.

For instance, is it actually worth your time to fight the ticket? Unless you have strong, undeniable evidence to challenge the charge, most officer-issued tickets aren’t worth fighting. Some people go to trial hoping the officer is a no-show (often resulting in a dismissed case), but that’s more wishful thinking than a reliable strategy.

If you do choose the legal route, however, consider hiring a lawyer to defend your case, as court proceedings can get super complicated. Depending on the evidence presented, the judge may offer one of the following verdicts:

• Acquittal: You’re free from the charge; the conviction and associated demerit points are withdrawn.
• Lesser charges: You may be charged with a lesser offence, reduced fines, or fewer licence demerit points than the original charge.
• Guilty judgment: You will be convicted of the charge and will receive the associated licence demerit points. Additional penalties may apply depending on the nature of the offence.

In some jurisdictions in Ontario, it’s possible to request an early resolution meeting with a prosecutor before your trial date. The prosecutor has some discretion to withdraw charges, so it’s sometimes possible to negotiate a reduction in fines or demerit points.⁶ While that might soften the penalties, the conviction itself still carries weight when it comes to your insurance.

Commonly asked questions

Can you receive out-of-province demerit points in Ontario?

Yes.

All Canadian provinces (except BC and Nunavut) have agreements with Ontario to share convictions and demerit points.⁷ A speeding offence in Quebec, for instance, will apply points to your Ontario driver’s licence as if it had occurred in Ontario; and a Quebec driver convicted in Ontario will have the demerit points added to the Quebec licence.

The Ministry of Transportation also has reciprocal agreements with some US regions, specifically New York and Michigan.

Notably, only a handful of out-of-Ontario offences count for demerit points. These include speeding, running stop signs, failing to obey a signal light, failing to stop for a school bus, racing, leaving the scene of a collision, and careless driving.

A criminal offence in another province can lead to an automatic suspension of the driver’s Ontario licence if it involves vehicular manslaughter, criminal negligence, dangerous driving, leaving the scene of a collision, impaired driving, or driving while disqualified or prohibited. Criminal driving convictions appear on all provincial and territorial driving records.⁸

Which common violations do not earn demerit points in Ontario?

Speed camera tickets don’t result in licence demerit points. Unlike a police officer, these cameras can only identify vehicles, not who is behind the wheel. Accordingly, they also won’t result in car insurance rate increases.

Red-light camera tickets work the same way. Since they can’t confirm a driver’s identity, there are no penalties besides the fine.

Parking tickets are not considered moving violations, so they won’t apply any points either.

How do you check your demerit point total?

You can download an uncertified three-year driver’s abstract online to check your demerit point total. Remember, it will only include points earned in the previous two years. The record also lists any Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code convictions, licence and active fine suspensions, and reinstatements from the past 3 years.⁹

You can also request this record in person at a ServiceOntario centre or have it mailed to your address.

Sources

1. Government of Ontario. “Understanding demerit points.” ontario.ca, 13 Sep. 2012, ontario.ca/page/understanding-demerit-points.
2. Street Legal. “Demerit Points in Ontario” street-legal.ca, https://street-legal.ca/demerit-points-ontario/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
3. Government of Ontario. “Other ways to lose your licence.” ontario.ca, 28 Nov. 2016, ontario.ca/document/official-mto-drivers-handbook/other-ways-lose-your-licence.
4. Government of Ontario. “Reinstate a suspended driver’s licence.” ontario.ca, 25 Oct. 2012, ontario.ca/page/reinstate-suspended-drivers-licence.
5. Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan. “How collisions and driving convictions impact your auto insurance rate.” otip.com, otip.com/why-otip/news/how-collisions-and-driving-convictions-impact-your-auto-insurance-rate. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
6. Ontario Court of Justice. “Guide for Defendants in Provincial Offences Cases.” ontariocourts.ca, ontariocourts.ca/ocj/notices/guide-for-defendants-in-provincial-offences-cases. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
7. Tchir, Jason. “I got a traffic ticket in B.C. as a non-resident. Can those follow me if I move to the province?” The Globe and Mail, 27 Aug. 2021, theglobeandmail.com/drive/mobility/article-i-got-a-traffic-ticket-in-bc-as-a-non-resident-can-those-follow-me-if.
8. Tchir, Jason. “With a few exceptions, an out-of-province ticket will go on your record.” The Globe and Mail, 27 Nov. 2017, theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/with-a-few-exceptions-an-out-of-province-ticket-will-go-on-your-record/article37037235.
9. Government of Ontario. “Get a driving record.” ontario.ca, 9 Feb. 2021, ontario.ca/page/get-driving-record.

Want to learn more? Visit our vehicle owner resource centre for dozens of helpful articles. Or, get an online car insurance quote in under 5 minutes and find out how affordable personalized coverage can be.