Photo: Michael Arlotto / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.
In Ireland, penalty points stay on your licence record for 3 years. Reach 12 points in that time and you are banned from driving for 6 months. For learner and novice drivers whose first learner permit was issued on or after 1 August 2014, the ban comes at 7 points. This guide lists the offences, points and fixed charges as of November 2026, explains how the fixed charge system works, and covers court-only offences.
Key facts
- Full licence: 12 points in 3 years = 6-month ban.
- Learner or novice (first permit from 1 August 2014): 7 points in 3 years = 6-month ban.
- Most offences carry fewer points if you pay the fixed charge than if you are convicted in court.
- Fixed charges run from €40 to €200. Speeding is €160 and 3 points.
- Drink driving does not carry points. It means a disqualification.
How many penalty points before a ban in Ireland?
| Driver | Points that trigger a ban | Ban |
|---|---|---|
| Full licence holder | 12 or more within 3 years | 6 months |
| Learner permit holder | 7 or more within 3 years | 6 months |
| Novice (first 2 years after the first full licence) | 7 or more within 3 years | 6 months |
When the ban starts you get a notice with the date, and you must send your licence or permit to the NDLS within 14 days. Not surrendering it, and driving while banned, are both offences. When the ban ends, the points that caused it are removed from your record.
The learner threshold is reached quickly. Two speeding offences (3 points each) plus one L plate offence (2 points) make 8 points, which means a ban. See the six month rule and L plates.
How the fixed charge system works
- You get a fixed charge notice by post.
- Pay within 28 days at the standard amount.
- If you miss that, you have a further 28 days to pay 50% more.
- If you still do not pay, you get a court summons. You can still pay double the standard amount up to 7 days before the court date.
- Penalty points go on your record 28 days after the notification that follows payment, or after a conviction.
If a camera records your car, the registered owner gets the notice. If someone else was driving, the owner must give the driver’s name and address within 28 days, or is treated as the driver.
Fixed charge amounts (as of November 2026)
| Fixed charge | Examples |
|---|---|
| €200 | Misusing a disabled person’s parking bay with a permit that is not for that person; overweight vehicles |
| €160 | Speeding; driving too fast for the conditions; learner driving unaccompanied; not stopping for a school warden |
| €150 | Parking in a disabled bay without a permit |
| €120 | Holding a phone; seat belt and child seat offences; no L plates; no N plates; overtaking a cyclist dangerously |
| €80 | Red lights, Stop and Yield signs, white lines, hatched areas, dangerous overtaking, worn tyres, dangerous parking, parking in a bus lane or cycle track |
| €60 | No NCT, junction rules, lane markings, yellow box, U-turns, bus lane driving, signals |
| €40 | Most parking offences, stopping or parking on a motorway |
Penalty points offences for car drivers
Speed, phones, belts and plates
| Offence | Points on payment | Points on conviction | Fixed charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exceeding a speed limit | 3 | 5 | €160 |
| Driving too fast to stop within the distance you can see is clear | 3 | 5 | €160 |
| Holding a mobile phone while driving | 3 | 5 | €120 |
| Driver not wearing a seat belt | 3 | 5 | €120 |
| Allowing a passenger under 17 without a belt or child restraint | 3 | 5 | €120 |
| Child not in an appropriate child restraint | 3 | 5 | €120 |
| Rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag | 3 | 5 | €120 |
| Learner driving unaccompanied | 2 | 4 | €160 |
| Learner not displaying L plates | 2 | 4 | €120 |
| Novice not displaying N plates | 2 | 4 | €120 |
Junctions, signs, lights and lines
| Offence | Points on payment | Points on conviction | Fixed charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failing to obey traffic lights | 3 | 5 | €80 |
| Failing to obey lights at a level crossing or swing bridge | 2 | 5 | €80 |
| Failing to stop at a Stop sign or stop line | 3 | 5 | €80 |
| Failing to yield at a Yield sign or yield line | 3 | 5 | €80 |
| Failing to yield right of way | 2 | 4 | €80 |
| Crossing a continuous white line | 3 | 5 | €80 |
| Entering a hatched area | 1 | 3 | €80 |
| Failing to obey traffic lane markings | 1 | 3 | €60 |
| Junction rules | 1 | 3 | €60 |
| Not turning left onto a roundabout | 1 | 3 | €60 |
| Mini-roundabout rules | 1 | 3 | €60 |
| Failing to obey mandatory signs (keep left, turn left and so on) | 2 | 4 | €60 |
| Failing to obey prohibitory signs (no right turn and so on) | 1 | 3 | €60 |
| Passing a no entry sign or no entry line | 1 | 3 | €60 |
| Ignoring a Garda’s signal | 1 | 3 | €80 |
Road position, overtaking and manoeuvres
| Offence | Points on payment | Points on conviction | Fixed charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overtaking in prohibited circumstances | 3 | 5 | €80 |
| Overtaking a cyclist or e-scooter user in prohibited circumstances | 3 | 5 | €120 |
| Failing to drive on the left | 2 | 4 | €60 |
| Driving along or across a median strip | 2 | 4 | €60 |
| Breaking a U-turn ban | 2 | 4 | €60 |
| Reversing rules | 1 | 3 | €60 |
| Driving on a footpath | 1 | 3 | €60 |
| Driving on a cycle track | 1 | 3 | €60 |
| Driving without reasonable consideration | 2 | 4 | €80 |
| Parking in a dangerous position | 3 | 5 | €80 |
Motorways
| Offence | Points on payment | Points on conviction | Fixed charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving against the traffic flow | 2 | 4 | €80 |
| Driving on a part that is not the carriageway, such as the hard shoulder | 1 | 3 | €80 |
| Restricted vehicle (for example towing) in the outside lane | 1 | 3 | €80 |
The car and your documents
| Offence | Points on payment | Points on conviction | Fixed charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using a car without an NCT certificate | 3 | 5 | €60 |
| Defective or worn tyres | 2 | 4 | €80 |
| Not producing a licence to a Garda | 1 | 3 | Not found |
| Driving without a licence | 2 | 5 | Not found |
| Failing to stop for a Garda | 2 | 5 | €80 |
| Not stopping for a school warden | 2 | 5 | €160 |
| Inadequate brakes, mirrors, wipers, windscreen or view of the road | 1 | 3 | Not found |
“Not found” means no fixed charge for that offence appeared in the 2024 fixed charge regulations. Check with the Gardaí or RSA if you receive a notice.
Court-only offences
Some offences have no fixed charge. You go to court, and points are added only on conviction:
| Offence | Points on conviction |
|---|---|
| Careless driving | 5 |
| Driving without insurance | 5 |
| Breach of duties after a crash | 5 |
| Driving a dangerously defective vehicle | 5 |
| Driving a vehicle before fixing a dangerous defect | 3 |
| Driving when unfit to drive | 3 |
A court can also ban you for any offence involving a vehicle, and some convictions, such as drink driving, dangerous driving and leaving the scene of a crash, bring a ban regardless of your points. See drink driving limits in Ireland and what to do at the scene of a crash.
Common questions
How long do penalty points last in Ireland?
3 years from the date they are added to your record.
Do learner drivers get penalty points?
Yes. The system covers learner permit holders, and their ban threshold is 7 points.
What happens to my points when I pass my test?
Points stay on your record for their full 3 years. As a novice your threshold is still 7.
Can I pay a fixed charge late?
Yes, in the second 28 days at 50% more. After that, at double the amount up to 7 days before your court date.
Do I get points for a parking ticket?
Most parking offences carry a fixed charge only. Parking in a dangerous position carries 3 points on payment.
Can I get points for driving unaccompanied as a learner?
Yes: 2 points and €160, or 4 points on conviction. See accompanying a learner driver in Ireland.
Related: speed limits in Ireland, N plates in Ireland, seat belts and child car seats, tax, insurance and the NCT, parking rules in Ireland. Back to learning to drive in Ireland.
Sources
- Law Reform Commission, “Road Traffic Act 2002”, sections 2 and 3 and First Schedule, revised to 31 March 2025 (revisedacts.lawreform.ie)
- Irish Statute Book, “S.I. No. 227/2024, Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024” (irishstatutebook.ie)
- Law Reform Commission, “Road Traffic Act 2010”, Part 3 Fixed charge offences, revised to 1 January 2026 (revisedacts.lawreform.ie)
- Road Safety Authority, “Rules of the Road”, Section 15 Penalty points, fixed charges and driving bans (Revision 5, hosted on garda.ie)