Demerit points are added to your driving record for convictions for certain driving offences in Ontario. Demerit points can lead to consequences such as a warning or a licence suspension. Demerit points themselves won’t increase your insurance cost, but the conviction that comes with them may increase it.
For this guide, our team checked Ontario’s current demerit-point rules, the Demerit Point System regulation, ServiceOntario’s driver-record information and FSRA’s auto-rating guidance.
How Do Demerit Points Work In Ontario?
Points are given as of the offence date once you are convicted. Points remain on your driving record for two years from the offence date. All drivers start with zero points. In most cases, paying your ticket is a conviction. Always check your ticket for your options and deadlines.
Totals and convictions are related but are not the same. The Ministry of Transportation uses points to take driver-control action against drivers. Insurers assess tickets and convictions on driving records under approved rating and underwriting rules.
Read More: How to Deal With Traffic Tickets
When Can Demerit Points Suspend Your Licence?
| Licence | Point total | Current consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Full licence | 6 to 8 | First warning letter |
| Full licence | 9 to 14 | Second warning letter |
| Full licence | 15 or more | 30-day suspension |
| Novice licence | 2 to 5 | First warning letter |
| Novice licence | 6 to 8 | Second warning letter |
| Novice licence | 9 or more | 60-day suspension |
In Ontario, a person with a G1, G2, M1, M2, M1-L, or M2-L class of licence is considered a novice driver. Escalating sanctions apply to novice drivers in certain circumstances, such as violating a condition of graduated licensing, being convicted of a four-or-more-point offence, or receiving a court-ordered licence suspension for an offence that would otherwise receive four or more demerit points.
If the Ministry issues a notice that your licence is suspended, do not drive during the suspension. Follow the directions in the notice and surrender your licence by the date shown.
Read More: Understand Red-Light Camera Tickets in Ontario
How Many Points Does A Speeding Conviction Add?
| Speed over the posted limit | Demerit points |
|---|---|
| 15 km/h or less | 0 |
| 16 to 29 km/h | 3 |
| 30 to 49 km/h | 4 |
| 50 km/h or more | 6 |
| 40 km/h or more where the limit is under 80 km/h | 6; stunt driving under Ontario rules |
Stunt driving is a separate allegation with penalties beyond the six points.
Read More: Top 10 Ontario Cities With the Highest & Lowest Speeding Ticket Rates
Examples Of Other Point-Carrying Convictions For Fully Licensed Drivers
| Points | Examples |
|---|---|
| 2 | Improper turn, failing to signal, driver seat-belt offence |
| 3 | Hand-held device use, failing to obey a stop sign or signal, improper passing |
| 4 | Following too closely, failing to stop at a pedestrian crossover |
| 6 | Careless driving, racing or stunt driving, failing to stop for a school bus |
| 7 | Failing to remain at a collision, failing to stop when directed by police |
Can An Out-Of-Province Conviction Add Ontario Points?
Yes. Under Ontario’s current regulation, the Registrar may add demerit points if an Ontario resident is convicted of an equivalent offence in another Canadian province or territory or any U.S. state. The points may be recorded as if the offence occurred in Ontario.
How Do You Check Your Ontario Driving Record?
You can check your Ontario driving record online, in person, or by mail.
ServiceOntario offers three-year driver records, which include convictions and suspensions on your driving record. This is the most common choice. These records are available for $12 uncertified and $18 certified.
Complete driver records include your total demerit points, as well as all convictions, suspensions, reinstatements and collisions on record. They are available for $48 uncertified and $54 certified.
A driver’s licence history does not show convictions or demerit points. Make sure you select the correct record type before paying. Most personal checks do not require a certified seal.
How Can A Conviction Affect Your Insurance?
FSRA recognizes speeding tickets as one aspect of your driving record used to determine your auto insurance premium in Ontario. The size of the increase depends on the offence, insurers’ approved rules, your licence and insurance claims history, and any convictions.
What MyChoice Quote Data Shows
Analysis of 50,000 auto insurance quotes collected using our MyChoice insurance comparison tool since the beginning of 2026 found that for our standardized Ontario driver with a clean driving history, the average premium was $2,345. That premium goes up $899, or about 38%, to an average of $3,244 for having one minor speeding ticket.
Rates and consequences vary by conviction type, insurance company, vehicle, location, coverage amount and speed. This is a profile comparison and does not necessarily reflect what will happen to each driver.
What Should You Do After Receiving A Ticket?
Check the ticket and respond before its due date. Either pay the ticket, which usually results in a conviction, or dispute it. The prosecutor may agree to something else but is under no obligation to reduce your ticket. Follow the instructions to dispute the ticket and choose an option, such as an early resolution hearing if available or a trial. Demerits are not negotiated; they come with the conviction.
Answer all insurer queries honestly and correctly. If you face serious charges, a sanction as a novice, a possible licence suspension, or an effect on a commercial licence, get legal advice before deciding.
Read More: See How Out-of-Province Speeding Tickets Affect Ontario Drivers