Demerit points, tickets and licence suspension in Northwest Territories

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain how long demerit points stay on your record.
• You can state the point levels that trigger action for GDL drivers.
• You can describe the stages of action for fully licensed drivers.
• You can list the steps to get a suspended licence reinstated.

What you need to know and understand

• Demerit points stay on your record for 24 months from when the Registrar becomes aware of the conviction.
• GDL drivers (Class 7 and 5P) are suspended for one month at 6 or more points, three months at 12 or more and six months at 15 or more.
• Each GDL demerit suspension also adds the same amount of time to your learner or probationary stage, plus a reinstatement fee.
• Fully licensed drivers get a courtesy notice at 8 points and must attend an interview at 12 points.
• Fully licensed drivers who reach 15 points within two years are suspended for one month.
• An approved driver improvement course can remove half your points, or all of them if you have 5 or fewer, once every 24 months.
• A distracted driving conviction alone adds 3 points; driving while suspended can add 5.

The GDL ladder of penalties

Because you need 12 suspension-free months on Class 5P before upgrading, a suspension can push back your full licence well beyond the extra time listed. Two phone tickets alone would put you at 6 points.

• 6 or more points: licence suspended for 1 month, reinstatement fee, and 1 extra month in your stage.
• 12 or more points: suspended for 3 months, fee, and 3 extra months in your stage.
• 15 or more points: suspended for 6 months, fee, and 6 extra months in your stage.

Fully licensed drivers

Experienced drivers have more room but the same principle. At 8 points you are mailed a notice. At 12 points you must book an interview with a driver examiner; if you do not attend, your licence is suspended until you do. At 15 points within two years your licence is suspended for a month, and it comes back with 7 points on your record.

Drivers who keep reaching 15 points face longer suspensions set by the Registrar, up to two years. The Registrar can also suspend a licence for other reasons, such as a poor driving record or medical grounds.

Getting your licence back

Keep your address up to date, because notices go to the last address on record. If you want to appeal the length of a suspension, ask a Driver and Vehicle office for an appeal package within 45 days of the notice.

1. Read the Notice of Suspension mailed to the address on your licence; it gives the start date and the conditions.
2. Serve the full suspension. Driving while suspended can mean jail, a large fine and a 30-day vehicle seizure.
3. Meet every condition listed on the notice.
4. Visit a Driver and Vehicle office, pay the reinstatement fee and show proof you have met the conditions.

Common mistakes

• Assuming points disappear when you pay the ticket. They stay on your record for 24 months.
• Forgetting that the GDL limit is 6 points, not 15.
• Moving house without updating your licence address, then missing a suspension notice.
• Driving the day a suspension ends without visiting an office to reinstate your licence.

Test yourself: Demerit points, tickets and licence suspension in Northwest Territories

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• How to Get a Driver’s Licence in the NWT