In the Northern Territory, demerit points are managed by the Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR). On a full licence you’re suspended once you reach 12 points; learners and provisional drivers have much lower limits. Points last up to three years from the offence date. Here’s how the limit, the suspension periods and the good behaviour option work, and how you get your licence and points back.
Demerit points apply from the date of the offence and stay active for up to three years. Open licences are tested over three years; learners and provisional drivers also face a 12-month test.
Your limit before a suspension depends on your licence type:
| Licence type | Limit before suspension |
|---|---|
| Open licence | 12 points in any 3 years |
| Learner & provisional | 5 points in 12 months, or 12 in 3 years |
Once you reach your limit, the Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) suspends your licence. For a full licence the time off the road steps up with the number of points:
| Points | Off the road for |
|---|---|
| 12–15 points | 3 months |
| 16–19 points | 4 months |
| 20 or more points | 5 months |
Learner and provisional drivers are suspended at lower counts: 5–8 points = 3 months, 9–12 = 4 months, 13 or more = 5 months.
You can apply for a 12-month good driving behaviour option, but you must do it at least 7 days before the suspension start date on your notice, and interstate or overseas licence holders aren’t eligible. Stay under 2 points for the year or your licence is suspended for double the original period.
Once the suspension is over you can drive again straight away, as long as your NT licence hasn’t expired (renew it first if it has). The NT doesn’t spell out a formal "reset", points drop off individually as they pass their three-year life.
Learner and provisional drivers face a dual test, 5 points in any 12 months, or 12 in any 3 years, and a lower suspension scale (5–8 points = 3 months, rising to 5 months at 13+). Points don’t reset when you upgrade, so if you hit the provisional limit you still serve the suspension even after moving to an open licence.
These limits and suspensions are about your licence, but the points themselves come from a fine, so there is a separate path worth remembering. You can request a review of the underlying fine through the issuing authority, and if the fine is withdrawn the demerit points that came with it are removed too, which can stop you reaching your limit in the first place. Fight My Fine helps you draft that review letter.
Official sources: NT Government, demerit points · NT Government, good driving behaviour option.
On a full licence, 12 points. Learners and provisional drivers reach their limit much sooner (5 in 12 months).
They generally stay on your record for up to three years, from the date of the offence.
Learners and provisional drivers have a much lower limit (5 in 12 months), so a single serious offence can be enough to lose the licence.
The NT doesn’t state a formal reset; points drop off individually as they pass their three-year life.
If the fine that added the points looks wrong, Fight My Fine helps you draft a review or leniency letter, structured around what the reviewing officer looks for. You get a free case-strength check first, and if your grounds are weak we tell you before you pay. Flat price: $10 for parking and toll fines, $15 for all other fines.
Fight My Fine is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and this page is general information, not legal advice. You are the author and sender of every letter. The issuing authority makes the final decision on any review. For serious matters or court, speak with a qualified lawyer or a free service such as LawAccess NSW.