In Victoria, demerit points are managed by VicRoads. On a full licence you’re suspended once you reach 12 points; learners and provisional drivers have much lower limits. Points last four 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.
In Victoria demerit points last four years from the date of the offence. You’re suspended if you reach 12 points in any 3-year period, and learners and P-platers also have a tighter limit of 5 points in any 12 months.
Your limit before a suspension depends on your licence type:
| Licence type | Limit before suspension |
|---|---|
| Full licence | 12 points in any 3 years |
| Learner, P1 and P2 | 5 points in any 12 months, or 12 in any 3 years |
Once you reach your limit, VicRoads 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 |
| 20–23 points | 5 months |
The formula is 3 months for the first 12 points, plus 1 extra month for every 4 points beyond that.
When you reach the limit VicRoads sends a demerit point option notice with two choices: accept the suspension, or extend your demerit point period for 12 months and keep driving. Take the extension and you must not incur any further demerit points during those 12 months, a single new point suspends you for double the length originally offered. You have 21 days to respond or the suspension applies automatically.
If you serve the suspension in full, the points that counted toward it are used up. If instead you complete a 12-month extended demerit period with no new points, all the points on your licence when the option notice was issued are removed. Either way you can drive again from the end date on your notice.
Learners and probationary (P1/P2) drivers face a tighter dual limit, 5 points in any 12 months, or 12 in any 3 years, whichever comes first. On top of that, a driver under 22 can be disqualified for reaching 5 or more points in a single 12-month period.
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 You can request a review of the underlying fine through the issuing authority, and if the fine is withdrawn the demerit points that came with it are removed too, which can stop you reaching your limit in the first place.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: Transport Victoria (VicRoads) · Legal Aid Victoria.
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 four 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.
Serve the suspension and those points are used up; complete a 12-month extended period instead and the points on your licence when you were notified are removed.
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.