Ontario Demerit Points: How the System Works

How the demerit-point system works

When you’re convicted of certain driving offences in Ontario, the Ministry of Transportation adds a set number of demerit points to your driving record. Points are assigned by conviction, not by ticket — if you pay a ticket or are found guilty at trial, the conviction (and its points) is recorded once the case concludes. Points from red-light or speed-camera tickets are the exception: because those tickets go to the vehicle’s registered owner rather than an identified driver, they don’t carry demerit points, only a fine.

Points stay on your driving record for two years from the date of the offence, not the date of conviction. A new conviction can add to whatever points are already active on your record during that window.

What happens as points add up

Ontario applies different thresholds depending on whether you hold a full G licence or are still in the graduated licensing system (G1 or G2).

Fully licensed (G) drivers

Novice drivers (G1, G2, M1, M2)

Novice drivers reach these thresholds faster than fully licensed drivers, and the escalation from warning to suspension is steeper — part of why the same ticket can carry heavier practical consequences for a G1 or G2 driver than for someone with a full G licence.

See the full point-value chart

Individual offences carry different point values — typically 2, 3, 4, 6, or 7 points depending on the offence. The Ontario demerit-point chart lists point values by offence, cross-referenced against ontario.ca and Ontario Court of Justice guidance.

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