The Motorist Guide to driving offences with demerit points
Here is what you need to know about the driving offences that carry demerit points in Singapore.
Here is what you need to know about the driving offences that carry demerit points in Singapore.Motorists who commit traffic offences will accumulate demerit points under the Driver Improvement Points System (DIPS), which is administered by the Traffic Police (TP).
Demerit points - overview
Individual traffic offences carry between 3 and 24 points, depending on the severity of the offence. Drivers may also be issued composition fines, which are monetary penalties paid to settle the offence without going to court.
Offences that are more severe, such as excessive speeding, may result in licence suspension or revocation.
Demerit points start from zero for drivers with a clean record and accumulate with offences.
Allowable demerit points
New licence holders are under a one-year probation period from the issue date of their driving licence, and will face revocation upon accumulation of 13 or more demerit points.
After 12 months from the issue date of the driving licence, the probation period will be completed, and the licence holder will be considered an experienced driver.
For experienced drivers, licence suspension is triggered when 24 demerit points are accumulated within 24 months.
Suspension and revocation of the driving licence
A licence suspension means that while the licence remains valid, the licence holder is prohibited from driving any vehicle for the duration of the suspension.
A revoked licence means that the licence is cancelled and rendered invalid. Drivers whose licences are revoked must retake and pass all required driving tests (both theory and practical) before they are allowed to drive again.
In cases where the suspension period is a year or longer, the licence will be revoked upon completion of the suspension, and a retake of the licence will be required as well.
Suspension count and durations
Experienced drivers who exceed the allowable demerit points will have their licence suspended.
The allowable demerit points will depend on the user if they have a record of having prior suspensions:
Suspension count |
Allowable demerit points |
|---|---|
| No existing record | ≥ 24 points within 24 months |
| Suspended once or more | ≥ 12 points within 12 months |
Drivers who have their licence suspended will face varying suspended durations, depending on the suspension count on record. Outlined below are the duration rates:
Suspension count |
Suspension duration |
|---|---|
| 1st (first time) | 12 weeks |
| 2nd | 24 weeks |
| 3rd | 1 year |
| 4th | 2 years |
| 5th | 3 years |
| 6th | 4 years |
| 7th | 5 years |
Driver Improvement Points System (DIPS)
Suspended drivers may attend a DIPS retraining course offered by driving schools.
Completion of the course allows eligible drivers to reduce their suspension duration, subject to approval by Traffic Police.
Suspension count |
Suspension duration (SD) |
Reduced SD after completion of the DIPS retraining course |
|---|---|---|
|
1st (first time) |
12 weeks |
4 weeks (may be reduced to 1 week if offences are not accident-related) |
| 2nd | 24 weeks | 12 weeks |
Revocation of probation licence
Probationary drivers who accumulate 13 or more demerit points will have their licence revoked.
Accumulating up to 12 demerit points (e.g. beating a red light) does not result in immediate licence revocation, but places probationary drivers one offence away from losing their licence.
Drivers whose licences are revoked may only retake their driving tests one year after the revocation date.
Good driving incentives for non-probationary licence
If no traffic offences are committed within 12 months after the last offence, drivers may have their previous demerit points removed from their records.
Suspension records may also be removed if no traffic offences are committed within 24 months from the date of the driver's last suspension.
Vehicle owners with a clean driving record for three consecutive years (36 months) may qualify for additional insurance discounts under the No-Claim Bonus (NCD) scheme when they renew their insurance with participating insurance companies.
There must not be any claims on the vehicle's insurance for the past three years in order to enjoy this incentive.
Occupant-related offences
These offences are related to occupant safety in the vehicle.
Offence type |
Demerit points |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Driver failing to wear a seatbelt or failing to ensure every passenger wears a seatbelt |
3 |
$150 |
| Driver failing to ensure that a passenger below the height of 1.35 metres is properly secured by an approved child restraint or body-restraining seatbelt | ||
| Carrying passengers on a motor vehicle in a dangerous manner |
6 |
$200 |
| Using mobile communication devices while driving |
12 |
$400 |
Motorists who commit specified offences in Silver/School zones will incur two additional demerit points on top of the original demerit points for the offence. Composition fines are also increased by $100, capped at a maximum of $500. These enhanced penalties have been in effect since 1 July 2021.
Occupant-related offences committed in a Silver Zone/School Zone
These offences are related to occupant safety in the vehicle.
Offence type |
Demerit points |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Driver failing to wear a seatbelt or failing to ensure every passenger wears a seatbelt | 5 | $250 |
| Driver failing to ensure that a passenger below the height of 1.35 metres is properly secured by an approved child restraint or body-restraining seatbelt | ||
| Carrying passengers on a motor vehicle or trailer in a dangerous manner | 8 | $300 |
| Using mobile communication devices while driving | 14 | $500 |
Offences involving improper use of the road
These offences relate to the incorrect use of a public road.
Offence type |
Demerit points
(not committed in a Silver/School Zone) |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Forming up incorrectly when turning left or right | 4 | $150 |
| Crossing double white lines or a road divider | ||
| Obstructing the flow of traffic |
Offences involving improper use of the road in Silver/School Zones
These specified offences carry additional demerit points if committed in a designated Silver Zone or School Zone.
Offence type |
Demerit points |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Forming up incorrectly when turning left or right | 6 | $250 |
| Crossing double white lines or a road divider | ||
| Obstructing the flow of traffic |
Offences involving failure to give way or disobeying traffic flow rules
These are offences related to failing to give way to other vehicles.
Offence type |
Demerit points
(not committed in a Silver/School Zone) |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Failing to give way to oncoming traffic at a controlled junction | 4 | $150 |
| Failing to give way at a junction of a one-way road where traffic flows from left to right | ||
| Failing to give way at an uncontrolled junction, junction, or roundabout | ||
| Failing to give way on the right at the junction | ||
| Failing to give way to emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire brigades, or police vehicles | 6 | $200 |
Offences involving failure to give way or disobeying traffic flow rules in Silver/School Zones
These specified offences carry additional demerit points if committed in a designated Silver Zone or School Zone.
Offence type |
Demerit points |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
Failing to give way to oncoming traffic at a controlled junction |
6 |
$250 |
Failing to give way at a junction of a one-way road where traffic flows from left to right | ||
Failing to give way at an uncontrolled junction, junction, or roundabout | ||
Failing to give way on the right at the junction | ||
|
Failing to give way to emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire brigades, or police vehicles |
Offences involving failure to give way to people
These are offences related to failing to obey officers and give way to pedestrians.
Offence type |
Demerit points
(not committed in a Silver/School Zone) |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
Disobeying the traffic direction of a police officer, an employee of the authority, or a security officer engaged in regulating traffic |
3 |
$150 |
Offences committed by motorists at a pedestrian crossing (e.g. fail to give way to pedestrians, or fail to slow down before reaching a crossing) |
6 |
$200 |
Offences involving failure to give way to people in Silver/School Zones
These specified offences carry additional demerit points if committed in a designated Silver Zone or School Zone.
Offence type |
Demerit points |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Disobeying the traffic direction of a police officer, an employee of the authority, or a security officer engaged in regulating traffic | 5 | $250 |
| Offences committed by motorists at a pedestrian crossing (e.g. fail to give way to pedestrians, or fail to slow down before reaching a crossing) | 8 | $300 |
Offences involving disobeying traffic lights and signs
These offences are related to traffic lights and road signs.
Offence type |
Demerit points (not committed in a Silver/School Zone) |
Composition fine
(for light vehicles)
|
|---|---|---|
| Driving or riding against the flow of traffic as indicated by traffic signs | 6 | $200 |
| Failing to conform to traffic light signals | 12 | $400 |
Offences involving disobeying traffic lights and signs in Silver/School Zones
These offences carry additional demerit points if committed in a designated Silver Zone or School Zone.
Offence type |
Demerit points |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Driving or riding against the flow of traffic as indicated by traffic signs | 8 | $300 |
| Failing to conform to traffic light signals | 14 | $500 |
Speeding offences
These offences are related to driving at excessive speeds beyond the stated speed limit on a road, with increased demerit points and composition penalties now enforced under current regulations as of 2026.
Exceeding the road's speed limit by: |
Demerit points
(not committed in a Silver/School Zone) |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - 20 km/h | 6 (increased from 4) | $200 |
| 21 - 30 km/h | 8 | $300 |
| 31 - 40 km/h | 12 | $400 |
| 41 - 50 km/h | 18 | Prosecution in court |
| 51 - 60 km/h | 24 | |
| > 60 km/h | 24 |
Speeding offences in Silver/School Zones
Speeding in a designed Silver Zone or School Zone also carries more demerit points and a higher composition fine.
Exceeding the road's speed limit by: |
Demerit points |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
1 - 20 km/h |
8 |
$250 |
21 - 30 km/h |
10 |
$300 |
31 - 40 km/h |
12 |
$400 |
41 - 50 km/h |
16 |
Prosecution in court |
51 - 60 km/h |
22 |
|
> 60 km/h |
24 |
Expressway-related offences
These offences relate to driving on the expressway.
Offence type |
Demerit points (committed on an Expressway) |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Stopping on the shoulder or verge of an expressway | 4 | $150 |
| Stopping or remaining at rest on the carriageway of an expressway | ||
| Driving on the shoulder of expressways | 6 | $200 |
| Reversing unnecessarily on expressways |
Careless, reckless, and endangering offences
These offences relate to careless, reckless driving, and endangering others.
Offence type |
Demerit points
(not committed in a Silver/School Zone) |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Careless driving, endangering life | 6 | $200 |
| Careless driving, causing hurt | 9 | $300 |
| Reckless or dangerous driving | 24 | Prosecution in court |
Careless, reckless, and endangering offences in School/Silver Zones
The specified offences in a designated School Zone or Silver Zone will carry more demerit points and a steeper composition fine.
Offence type |
Demerit points
(committed in a Silver/School Zone) |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Careless driving, endangering life | 8 | $300 |
| Careless driving, causing hurt | 11 | $400 |
| Reckless or dangerous driving | 24 | Prosecution in court |
Offences related to commercial vehicles
These offences are related to the operation of commercial vehicles, applicable to both light goods vehicles and heavy vehicles.
Offence type |
Demerit points
(not committed in a Silver/School Zone) |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
Conveying a load not properly secured |
3 |
$150 |
Driver failing to fill up every passenger seat in the driver’s cabin, or any additional cabin or enclosed space provided for the carriage of passengers or goods, before carrying any person on the floor of open deck goods vehicle |
$500 |
|
Driving dangerously while carrying a load |
4 |
$150 |
Failing to securely tie or attach goods to a goods vehicle to prevent the goods from falling off |
6 |
$200 |
Failing to obey the 1.1 metres height restriction for persons carried on an open deck goods vehicle | ||
Carrying passengers when the clear floor space of the open deck goods vehicle is insufficient | ||
Carrying passengers on a goods vehicle in a dangerous manner |
9 |
$300 |
Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by 1 - 20 km/h |
4 |
$150 |
Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by 21 - 30 km/h |
6 |
$200 |
Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by 31 - 40 km/h |
8 |
$300 |
Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by 41- 50 km/h |
12 |
Prosecution in court |
Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by 51- 60 km/h |
18 |
|
Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by > 60 km/h |
24 |
Offences related to commercial vehicles in Silver/School Zones
Exceeding the vehicle speed limit if committed in a designed Silver Zone or School Zone carries more demerit points and a steeper composition fine.
Offence type |
Demerit points |
Composition fine |
|---|---|---|
| Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by 1 - 20 km/h | 6 | $250 |
| Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by 21 - 30 km/h | 8 | $300 |
| Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by 31 - 40 km/h | 10 | $400 |
| Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by 41- 50 km/h | 14 | Prosecution in court |
| Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by 51- 60 km/h | 20 | |
| Exceeding the vehicle speed limit by > 60 km/h | 24 |
Do you want to file an appeal for your traffic offence summons, but you don’t know how?
Our Motorist Guide to writing an appeal letter to the authorities for a traffic/parking offence can help you potentially have that fine waived and get you off the hook with just a warning.
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