Ontario Licence Suspensions

Demerit-point suspensions

One common path to suspension is accumulating too many demerit points. The thresholds differ depending on whether you’re a fully licensed driver or a novice driver. Fully licensed drivers generally receive a warning letter at 2 to 8 points, face a possible interview at 9 to 14 points, and face a suspension (commonly 30 days) at 15 or more points. Novice drivers — G1 and G2 — face a lower scale: a warning at 2 to 5 points, a second warning at 6 to 8 points, and a suspension (commonly 60 days) at 9 or more points. Points generally stay on your record for 2 years from the offence date. See our demerit points section and demerit-point chart for how individual offences are scored.

Stunt-driving roadside suspensions

Stunt driving is treated differently from most other offences because it can trigger an immediate roadside licence suspension and vehicle impoundment before the case is ever heard in court — separate from whatever happens at trial. On conviction, reported penalties commonly include a multi-year suspension for a first offence, 6 demerit points, and a substantial fine, though exact figures should be confirmed with an official source since they can change and depend on the specifics of the charge. Ontario reportedly tightened mandatory suspension rules for stunt driving effective January 1, 2026 — if you’re dealing with a stunt-driving matter, it’s worth confirming the current rules directly given this recent change.

Court-ordered suspensions

Certain convictions can carry a licence suspension as part of the sentence, ordered by the court separately from any demerit-point consequence. These suspensions vary in length depending on the offence and the circumstances of the conviction, and can sometimes come with conditions that must be met before the suspension ends.

Suspension length varies by cause

There’s no single suspension length that applies across the board — how long a suspension lasts depends heavily on what caused it, whether it’s a first occurrence, and in some cases a court’s specific order. Rather than assuming a suspension length based on something you’ve heard about a different situation, confirm the specifics of your own suspension through the notice you received or by contacting ServiceOntario.

Driving while suspended is a serious separate offence

Whatever caused the original suspension, driving during it is treated as its own distinct offence under the Highway Traffic Act, generally carrying significant consequences beyond whatever led to the suspension in the first place. See our page on driving while suspended for more detail on why this is treated so seriously.

Getting your licence back

Once a suspension period has run its course, reinstatement generally isn’t automatic — there are often additional steps involved, such as addressing the cause of the suspension or paying a reinstatement fee. See our licence reinstatement page for a general checklist of what’s often involved.

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