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Demerit points

Ontario demerit point schedule

Every offence that carries demerit points in Ontario, grouped by points, with the section for each. Points only follow a conviction, so a ticket you beat costs you none.

7 demerit points

  • Leaving the scene of a collision

    HTA s. 200

  • Failing to stop for police

    Points apply unless the court makes a suspension order under s. 216(3)

    HTA s. 216

6 demerit points

  • Careless driving

    HTA s. 130

  • Racing, contests and stunt driving

    HTA s. 172

  • Speeding: 50 km/h or more over the limit

    50 km/h or more over. Also applies to speed limits set by municipal by-law, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 829 s. 13(3), and NCC regulations under the National Capital Act.

    HTA s. 128

  • Failing to stop for a school bus

    HTA s. 175(11), 175(12)

5 demerit points

  • Bus or school bus driver not stopping at a railway crossing

    Bus and school bus drivers only

    HTA s. 174(1), 174(2)

4 demerit points

  • Speeding: 30 to 49 km/h over the limit

    30 km/h or more but less than 50 km/h over. Also applies to speed limits set by municipal by-law, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 829 s. 13(3), and NCC regulations under the National Capital Act.

    HTA s. 128

  • Failing to yield to a pedestrian

    HTA s. 144(7)

  • Following too closely (tailgating)

    HTA s. 158

  • Pedestrian crossover offence

    HTA s. 140(1), 140(3)

  • Disobeying a school crossing guard's stop sign

    HTA s. 176(3)

3 demerit points

  • Speeding: 16 to 29 km/h over the limit

    More than 15 km/h but less than 30 km/h over. Also applies to speed limits set by municipal by-law, R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 829 s. 13(3), and NCC regulations under the National Capital Act.

    HTA s. 128

  • Going through, around or under a railway crossing gate

    HTA s. 164

  • Failing to yield the right of way

    HTA s. 135(2), 135(3), 136(1)(b), 136(2), 138(1), 139(1), 141(5), 144(8), 144(21)

  • Running a stop sign, red light or railway crossing signal

    Also municipal by-laws and NCC regulations requiring a stop at a sign or signal

    HTA s. 136(1)(a), 144(14)-(18), 144(21), 146(3), 146(4), 163

  • Disobeying a police officer's directions

    HTA s. 134(1)

  • Driving on a closed highway

    HTA s. 134(3)

  • Failing to report a collision

    HTA s. 199(1), 199(1.1)

  • Improper passing

    HTA s. 148(8), 149, 150, 166

  • Improper lane driving on a laned road

    HTA s. 154

  • Crowding the driver's seat

    HTA s. 162

  • Driving the wrong way on a divided highway

    HTA s. 156(1)(a)

  • Crossing a divided highway where there is no proper crossing

    HTA s. 156(1)(b)

  • Wrong way on a one-way street or highway

    HTA s. 153

  • Opening a vehicle door improperly

    HTA s. 165(1)

  • Not pulling to the right for an emergency vehicle

    HTA s. 159(1)(a)

  • Not stopping at the nearest curb for an emergency vehicle

    Same clause as item 36.1

    HTA s. 159(1)(b)

  • Not stopping at the nearest edge of the road for an emergency vehicle

    Same clause as item 36

    HTA s. 159(1)(b)

  • Not slowing down for a stopped emergency vehicle or tow truck

    Wording expands to include work-related vehicles on Jan 1, 2027

    HTA s. 159(2)

  • Not changing lanes for a stopped emergency vehicle or tow truck, if safe

    Wording expands to include work-related vehicles on Jan 1, 2027

    HTA s. 159(3)

  • Following a fire truck too closely

    Renumbered to s. 159(6) on Jan 1, 2027

    HTA s. 159(4)

  • Vehicle with a radar detector

    HTA s. 79(2)

  • Misusing an HOV lane

    HTA s. 154.1(3)

  • Disobeying a traffic-control STOP sign

    Hand-held sign, e.g. construction zone

    HTA s. 146.1(3)

  • Disobeying a traffic-control SLOW sign

    Hand-held sign, e.g. construction zone

    HTA s. 146.1(4)

  • Display screen visible to the driver

    6 points instead if within 5 years of a prior s. 78 or 78.1 conviction (O. Reg. 339/94, s. 2(2))

    HTA s. 78

  • Distracted driving: holding or using a hand-held device

    6 points instead if within 5 years of a prior s. 78 or 78.1 conviction (O. Reg. 339/94, s. 2(2))

    HTA s. 78.1

2 demerit points

  • Backing up on a highway

    HTA s. 157(1)

  • Failing to share the road

    HTA s. 148(1), 148(2), 148(4), 148(5), 148(6), 148(7)

  • Improper right turn

    HTA s. 141(2), 141(3)

  • Improper left turn

    HTA s. 141(6), 141(7)

  • Failing to signal

    HTA s. 142(1), 142(2), 142(8)

  • Driving unnecessarily slowly

    HTA s. 132

  • Not dimming high beams

    HTA s. 168

  • Prohibited turn

    Also municipal by-laws prohibiting turns

    HTA s. 143, 144(9)

  • Towing people on toboggans, bicycles, skis, etc.

    HTA s. 160

  • Disobeying a sign prescribed under s. 182(1)

    HTA s. 182(2)

  • Driver not wearing a seat belt properly

    HTA s. 106(2)

  • Passenger under 16 not in a seat-belted position

    HTA s. 106(4)(a)(i)

  • Passenger under 16 not wearing a seat belt properly

    HTA s. 106(4)(a)(ii)

  • Child passenger not properly secured

    HTA s. 106(4)(b)

  • Infant passenger not secured as required

    Cites the regulation, not an HTA section

    R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 613 (Seat Belt Assemblies) under the HTA s. Reg. 613, s. 8(2)

  • Toddler passenger not secured as required

    Cites the regulation, not an HTA section

    R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 613 (Seat Belt Assemblies) under the HTA s. Reg. 613, s. 8(3)

  • Child passenger not secured as required (booster)

    Cites the regulation, not an HTA section

    R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 613 (Seat Belt Assemblies) under the HTA s. Reg. 613, s. 8(4)

  • Passing a cyclist with less than one metre of space

    HTA s. 148(6.1)
When points add up

What the Ministry does at each level

Points count for two years from the offence date. Novice drivers (G1, G2, M1, M2) reach each step sooner.

Fully licensed drivers

  • 6-8 points

    Warning letter from the Ministry

    O. Reg. 339/94, s. 7
  • 9-14 points

    May be required to attend an interview to show why the licence should not be suspended; licence may be suspended or cancelled if you skip it, don't comply, or don't show cause

    O. Reg. 339/94, s. 8
  • 15+ points

    Licence suspended: 30 days for a first suspension, 6 months for a subsequent one; points reduced to 7 on the suspension date

    O. Reg. 339/94, s. 9

Novice drivers

  • 2-5 points

    Warning letter from the Ministry

    O. Reg. 339/94, s. 15
  • 6-8 points

    May be required to attend an interview; licence may be suspended or cancelled if you skip it, don't comply, or don't show cause

    O. Reg. 339/94, s. 16
  • 9+ points

    Licence suspended: 60 days for a first suspension, 6 months for a subsequent one; points reduced to 4 on the suspension date

    O. Reg. 339/94, s. 17
How points work

The rules behind the schedule

  • Points are recorded as of the date the offence was committed, and only on conviction (O. Reg. 339/94, s. 2(1); ontario.ca).
  • Points count toward thresholds for two years from the offence date (O. Reg. 339/94, s. 1(1) 'accumulated demerit points'; ontario.ca).
  • If the court's sentence includes a licence suspension, no points are recorded, except for offences under HTA s. 78, 78.1 or 172 (O. Reg. 339/94, s. 3(1)).
  • If several convictions arise from the same incident and there is no court-ordered suspension, only the conviction with the most points is recorded (O. Reg. 339/94, s. 3(2)).
  • A second s. 78 or 78.1 (distracted driving) conviction for an offence within five years of a previous one records 6 points instead of 3 (O. Reg. 339/94, s. 2(2)).
  • Serving a notice of appeal on the Registrar keeps the conviction and its points off the record (or removes them and stays any resulting suspension) unless the conviction is upheld (O. Reg. 339/94, s. 5).
  • Out-of-province convictions the Registrar considers equivalent to an Ontario offence can be recorded as Ontario points; ontario.ca says this applies to other provinces and territories, New York and Michigan (O. Reg. 339/94, s. 4(1); ontario.ca).
  • A 'subsequent' suspension (6 months) means one caused by an offence committed within two years after a prior demerit suspension ended (O. Reg. 339/94, ss. 9(3), 17(3)).
  • Novice drivers (G1, G2, M1, M2, M1-L, M2-L per ontario.ca) are subject to the novice thresholds; a driver who is fully licensed in another class is treated as fully licensed (O. Reg. 339/94, s. 18(1)).
  • Speeding up to 15 km/h over the limit does not appear in the Schedule, so it carries no demerit points (inference from the Table's speeding bands).

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