Guides · updated July 2026
Demerit points in NZ — the 100-point rule, and how to keep your licence
The short answer: rack up 100 demerit points within two years and your licence is suspended for three months. Officer-issued speeding tickets carry 10–50 points, using your phone is 20 — and camera tickets carry none. Points can't be bought off or coursed away: the only early exit is getting the notice that created them waived.
How the system works
- The rolling window. Every offence's points last two years from the offence date. Your active total is whatever sits inside that rolling window — not a calendar-year count.
- The 50-point warning. NZTA writes to you when you pass 50 active points. Treat it as the real alarm: one more officer-issued ticket at open-road speeds can close most of the remaining gap.
- The 100-point suspension. At 100 points your licence is suspended for three months. Driving while suspended is a criminal offence and can see the vehicle impounded.
- Common point values. Speeding (officer-issued): 10–50 by speed band. Using a phone while driving: 20. Camera-detected offences of any kind: zero — the fine arrives, the points don't.
Near the threshold? The maths changes
A $120 ticket that carries 35 points is not a $120 problem when you're sitting on 70 points — it's a three-month-suspension problem, and for many people a job problem. This is the situation where disputing stops being optional: a waived notice cancels both the fine and its demerit points. The grounds are the same as ever — the clean-record waiver, tracking history, calibration and certification, notice defects — laid out in the full dispute guide. And check your current total first (NZTA, 0800 822 422) so you know exactly what's at stake.
Points on the line? Check your ticket free
Photograph your notice and we'll assess every ground the adjudicator responds to and give you an honest estimate of your chances — free. For NZ$9.99 we write the full representations letter. If the notice is waived, the demerit points go with it.
Check my ticket freeCommon questions
How many demerit points do you get for speeding in NZ?
Officer-issued speeding tickets carry 10 to 50 demerit points depending on the speed band: 10 points at up to 10 km/h over, rising through 20, 35, 40 and 45 to 50 points at more than 30 km/h over. Camera-detected speeding carries no demerit points at all — only the fine.
How long do demerit points last?
Two years from the date of the offence. Points don't 'reset' on a fixed calendar — each offence's points drop off exactly two years after that offence. Your active total at any moment is the sum of everything inside the rolling two-year window.
What happens at 100 demerit points?
Your licence is suspended for three months. NZTA sends a warning letter when you pass 50 points, and a suspension notice at 100. Driving while suspended is a criminal offence with escalating consequences, including vehicle impoundment.
Do speed camera tickets add demerit points?
No. Offences detected by safety cameras — fixed, mobile, or average-speed — carry fines but zero demerit points. This is one of the most misunderstood rules in NZ driving: only officer-issued speeding tickets add points.
Can I remove demerit points from my licence?
You can't pay to remove points, and there's no points course in NZ. The only way points come off early is if the notice that created them is waived or withdrawn — which is exactly what written representations to the Police Infringement Bureau can achieve. A waived notice cancels its fine and its demerit points together.
How do I check my demerit points?
Request your driver record from NZTA (Waka Kotahi) — online or by calling 0800 822 422. The record shows each offence, its points, and when they expire. If you're anywhere near 100, check before deciding whether to pay or dispute your next ticket.
Related: the full speeding fine schedule · how to get out of a speeding ticket · why camera tickets carry no demerits
Sources: Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Regulations 1999, Land Transport Act 1998 (demerit points and suspension), NZTA (Waka Kotahi) driver licensing guidance. GetMeOff.co.nz provides automated document drafting and general information only — it is not legal advice and no outcome is guaranteed.