NSW Government to wipe demerit points under permanent reward scheme

Drivers in NSW may have their demerit points removed as the state government plans to make the Demerit Point Reward System permanent.

If passed, the legislation will allow unrestricted NSW driver’s licence holders to have one demerit point removed from their record if they remain offence free for 12 months.

“History has shown that enforcement and penalties alone, aren’t enough to keep our roads safe,” NSW Premier, Chris Mins said.

The program, first introduced in January 2023 was trialled to run for a year and was further extended until January 31, 2026 as it received positive feedback.

“This reform reflects a fair, practical approach to road safety that works with drivers while still holding people accountable,” Minister for roads, Jenny Aitchison said.

“Let’s not forget, road safety isn’t about choosing between enforcement or education – we need both.”

Since its proposal in 2023, approximately two million NSW demerit points have been removed from licence.

“Most drivers want to do the right thing. This program gives people who’ve made mistakes in the past a real reason to change their behaviour and keep doing better,” Jenny Aitchison said.

More than 420,000 drivers have had demerit points wiped two years in a row with the top suburbs including Blacktown where more than 6000 drivers got their points wiped.