What you need to Know About Ontario’s Demerit Point System
If you’re convicted of a traffic offence in Ontario, the number of demerit points added to your driving record depends on the offence. You begin with zero points.
When convicted, many offences will cause you to gain or accumulate demerit points to your driving record with the Ministry of Transport. Demerit points remain on your record for two years from the date of the offence. Note that the number of points you are permitted to accumulate before the Ministry takes action varies dependent upon whether you are a new (Novice) driver or a fully licenced driver. If you gain too many demerit points, you could lose your driver’s licence.
The Government of Ontario e-Laws website has the complete Highway Traffic Act Demerit Point System table.
Below is a list of the more common offences and the Ontario demerit points for each.
7 Demerit Points
- Failing to remain at the scene of a collision
- Failing to stop for police
6 Demerit Points
- Careless/Distracted Driving/Driving with a Cellphone
- Racing
- Exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h or more
- Failing to stop for a school bus
5 Demerit Points
- Driver of bus failing to stop at unprotected railway crossing
4 Demerit Points
- Exceeding the speed limit by 30 to 49 km/h
- Following too closely
3 Demerit Points
- Exceeding the speed limit by 16 to 29 km/h
- Driving through, around or under a railway crossing barrier
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Failing to obey a stop sign, traffic light or railway crossing signal
- Failing to obey traffic control stop sign
- Failing to obey traffic control yield sign
- Failing to obey school crossing stop sign
- Failing to obey the directions of a police officer
- Driving the wrong way on a divided road
- Failing to report a collision to a police officer
- Improper driving where road is divided into lanes
- Crowding the driver’s seat
- Going the wrong way on a one-way road
- Driving or operating a vehicle on a closed road
- Crossing a divided road where no proper crossing is provided
- Failing to slow and carefully pass a stopped emergency vehicle
- Pedestrian Crossover offences
- Failing to move, where possible, into another lane when passing a stopped emergency vehicle
- Driving a vehicle that is equipped with or carrying a speed measuring warning device (such as a radar detector)
- Improper use of a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane
- Using a handheld device/cellphone while driving/distracted driving
2 Demerit Points
- Failing to lower headlight beam
- Improper opening of a vehicle door
- Prohibited turns
- Towing people – on toboggans, bicycles, skis, for example
- Failing to obey signs
- Failing to share the road
- Improper right turn
- Improper left turn
- Failing to signal
- Unnecessary slow driving
- Reversing on a highway
- Driver failing to wear a seatbelt
- Driver failing to ensure infant passenger is secured
- Driver failing to ensure toddler passenger is secured
- Driver failing to ensure child is secured
- Driver failing to ensure passenger under 16 years is wearing seatbelt
- Driver failing to ensure passenger under 16 years is occupying a position with a seatbelt
- Failure to leave at least one metre when passing a cyclist
Demerit Points outside of Ontaio
You can also gain demerit points when you are convicted of violating driving laws in:
- Other Canadian provinces and territories
- New York
- Michigan
Have questions about demerits points, traffic violations and how to dispute traffic tickets? Contact the HELP office near you.
DID YOU KNOW?
If you are a fully licensed G driver and decide to get your M1 your license is classified as NOVICE driver again?