How Many Demerit Points Until Your License is Suspended?
In Alberta, most tickets you receive when you are pulled over by the police have demerits attached to them. They range from 2 demerit points to 7 demerits (see our offenses and demerits page for more details). You get your licence suspended when, in a two year period, you accumulate the demerit limit assigned to the Alberta Driver’s License you hold. If this occurs, you’ll have your license suspended for 30 days.
Additional Demerit Suspensions
If you receive a second demerit suspension within a year, your licence will be suspended for 3 months… 3 or more demerit point suspensions within 2 years and your driver’s licence will be suspended for 6 months. You will also be required to attend an in-person hearing with the Driver Control Board.
How Long Do Demerit Points Stay on My Licence?
Two years after the date of your traffic ticket conviction, demerit points are removed from your driving record. For insurance purposes, the conviction shows for a third year but has no demerit points showing. Your conviction date is not when you received the ticket, it’s the date you either pay the ticket, are found guilty in court, or are convicted in absence (you’ll receive a letter notifying you of your conviction in that case).
-
if you accumulate 15 demerit points or more in a two year period you will face a 30 day suspension. You’ll get a warning letter in the mail as a form of notice after you gather 8 or more demerit points. When your driver’s licence is reinstated after a suspension, you will start again with 7 demerit points which remain on your driving record for 2 years from your reinstatement date.
-
Class 5 gdl demerit points can total 7 in a two year period. Get the eighth demerit and you’ll lose your license for 30 days. Like a full Class 5 driver’s license, you’ll be notified that you’ve passed the safe demerits threshold. If you’re suspended, your driver’s licence is reinstated with 3 demerits for the next 2 years.
-
Like the GDL license, you can accumulate 7 demerits in a two year period. The eighth demerit means you’ll lose your license for 30 days. As with other license levels, you’ll be notified you’ve passed the demerits threshold. .Your driver’s licence is reinstated starting with 3 demerits after you’ve finished serving your suspension.
-
In Alberta there is no way to check demerit points online. You can check your demerit point total by visiting any local registry office in Alberta. There you can obtain a 3, 5 or even 10 year driver's abstract for a fee of $25.
-
If you’re concerned about your demerit totals, there is a way to get some of them back. Find out more about that here.
-
If you get a demerit point suspension, you may apply for a “restricted licence”. The form is available for a non-refundable fee of $150 at any registry in Alberta. This special license is not available for anything other than a demerit point suspension. It cannot be obtained if your suspension has been ordered by a judge or Driver Fitness and Monitoring.
Be sure to contact us with your tickets long before you face a demerit suspension. We have many solutions that can greatly reduce the impact of tickets on your license and insurance rates.
ABSOLUTELY contact us if you are facing suspension, for a FREE consultation about the options available to you.
Found Out What Happens if You’re Caught Driving With a Suspended License in Alberta