If you gain 12 or more points within a 3 year period, you will be issued a disqualification notice by Service SA and be disqualified from driving.
If you receive a demerit disqualification notice (first notice)
Demerit disqualification notices are sent by post to your address and include:
- the length of the disqualification period
- whether you are eligible for a good behaviour option (GBO).
The disqualification period
If you gain:
- 12 to 15 points — disqualified for 3 months
- 16 to 20 points — disqualified for 4 months
- more than 20 points — disqualified for 5 months.
Your options
Depending on what your notice says, you may be able to:
- sit out the disqualification period
- elect the good behaviour option (GBO), if eligible.
Sit out the disqualification period
You may choose to sit out the disqualification period and not drive until it ends.
Good behaviour option (GBO)
You may be eligible for a 12-month good behaviour option (GBO), which allows you to continue driving instead of being disqualified.
Eligibility
You may elect a GBO if all these apply:
- your licence is current
- you have no other outstanding requirements
- you elect the good behaviour option (GBO) within 28 days of the issue date.
For information about your specific situation, call Service SA on 13 10 84.
Conditions
During the 12-month good behaviour option (GBO) period:
- You must not gain 2 or more demerit points.
- If you do:
- you will receive another disqualification notice for twice the original period (eg 6 months instead of 3)
- you can't appeal or elect another GBO as you would have breached your GBO conditions.
- If you do:
What you must do
Acknowledge your notice
To elect the good behaviour option or sit out the disqualification, you must personally acknowledge the notice and pay the fee within 28 days of the issue date.
You can do this at:
- a Service SA centre
- an Australia Post outlet — only for the first notice we sent you.
If you don't acknowledge your notice in time
If you don't acknowledge the first notice by the date printed on your notice:
- a second notice will be issued.
- a South Australian Police or Sheriff's officer will attempt to serve the notice on you personally by attending the residential address recorded on your licence.
- a higher fee will apply. This can be paid at Service SA. You may not be able to make any other transactions until it's paid.
If the second notice can't be served to you personally, you'll be unable to undertake any other transactions with Service SA (eg renewing your vehicle registrations). You'll need to attend a Service SA centre to acknowledge the second notice in person. It can't be served over the phone or online.
What happens next
Your disqualification or good behaviour option will begin after you acknowledge the notice and pay the fee.
If it's a first notice, it starts 28 days from the date the notice was sent, unless you are already disqualified. In that case, the new demerit disqualification begins immediately after the existing one ends.
If it's a second notice, it will start 28 days after it has been personally served to you.
