Points you pick up on your learner's will follow you to your licence
Under AARTO's demerit system, points earned on a learner's licence only start dropping once you get your full licence. The system isn't live yet, but here's how it will work.
Traffic fines picked up while you drive on a learner's licence will count against you once AARTO's demerit points system starts, and those points won't begin to drop until you have your full driver's licence.
"If an infringement occurs while holding a learner's licence, demerit points will only begin to be reduced once a full driver's licence has been issued," the Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) said, as reported by MyBroadband on 25 October 2026.
Is the points system already in force?
No. The points system has not started anywhere in South Africa yet, MyBroadband reports.
In a written reply to Parliament dated 15 October 2026, the Minister of Transport said AARTO's phase 2 began on 1 July 2026 in 62 municipalities. Phase 3 will cover the remaining municipalities, and the points demerit system comes in phase 4, only after AARTO is running across the whole country. No start date for phase 4 was given.
How will points work for learner drivers?
Points are recorded against your ID number, not your licence card. That is why learners, and even people with no licence at all, can get them, according to an RTIA newsletter.
For fully licensed drivers, one point falls away for every three months without a new infringement, the RTIA said (MyBroadband). Learners don't get that reduction. Their points sit on their record for the whole learner period, which can last up to two years, and only start dropping once the full licence is issued.
So a learner who racks up points goes for the driving test already part of the way to a suspension.
When do you lose your licence?
The prescribed threshold is 15 points, according to the Justice Project South Africa's AARTO site. Go over it and your licence is suspended for three months for every point above 15. At 17 points, that is a six month suspension.
- A licence can be suspended only twice.
- Driving while suspended is a criminal offence.
- Exceed the threshold a third time and the licence is cancelled. Once the ban ends, you start again with a learner's licence.
When are points added?
Points are added when you pay the fine, when an instalment plan is accepted, when a court finds you guilty, or when an enforcement order is issued (aarto.co.za).
Paying within 32 days of the infringement notice gets you a 50% discount on the fine, the RTIA says. The points still apply.
How many points do common offences carry?
These are some of the fines and points listed by MyBroadband for when the system is fully running:
- Speeding by 11 to 15km/h: R250, no points
- Speeding by 16 to 20km/h: R500, 1 point
- Speeding by 21 to 25km/h: R750, 2 points
- Ignoring a stop sign or red traffic light: R750, 2 points
- Not using indicators: R500, 1 point
- Driving without a licence: R1,250, 4 points
- Speeding by more than 40km/h, or driving under the influence: criminal offence, court case, 6 points
Two red lights and two fines for going 21 to 25km/h over the limit would already add up to 8 points, more than halfway to a suspension.
FAQ
Do learner drivers get AARTO demerit points?
Yes. Points are recorded against your ID number, so learner's licence holders can get them once the points system starts. The RTIA says points picked up on a learner's licence only begin to reduce after a full driver's licence is issued.
Has the AARTO demerit points system started?
Not yet. The Minister of Transport told Parliament on 15 October 2026 that the points system is phase 4, which follows only after AARTO is rolled out across the whole country. No start date was given.
How many demerit points before your licence is suspended?
The prescribed threshold is 15 points. Your licence is suspended for three months for every point above that, so 17 points means a six month suspension.
How do demerit points come off your record?
One point is removed for every three months without a new infringement. For learners, that only starts once the full driver's licence has been issued.