After years of delays, the long-awaited driving licence demerit system under the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Act will officially launch on 1 October 2025, Deputy Minister of Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa announced during his Budget Vote speech this week.
Starting in 69 municipalities deemed ready for rollout, this marks Phase 2 of the national Aarto implementation plan. The remaining 144 municipalities will join in Phase 3 from 1 February 2026, once their systems and infrastructure are prepared.
“The Aarto will be rolled out in different phases according to municipal readiness,” Hlengwa said on Wednesday, 2 July 2025. He emphasised that Aarto is key to tackling the human factor, which accounts for over 80% of road crashes in South Africa, according to government research.
At the core of Aarto is the demerit point system, which aims to hold drivers accountable for traffic violations. All drivers will start with zero points, and accumulate them as they pay fines for offences. Reaching 15 points results in a licence suspension, with 3 months added for each additional point.
Repeat offenders beware – a third suspension means your licence is cancelled and you’ll have to start from scratch, redoing both the learner’s and driving tests.
However, a driver rehabilitation programme will be made available for those who want to reduce their ban period and improve their behaviour on the road.
Read | City of Cape Town Confirms October Rollout for AARTO Demerit System
The system was initially set to launch in 2020 but faced numerous delays, including a constitutional challenge by OUTA. In July 2023, the Constitutional Court gave it the green light, but the July 2024 launch was missed.
Common violations under Aarto and their penalties include:
| Violation | Fine amount | Demerit points |
|---|---|---|
| Exceeding speed limit by 11-15km/h | R250 | 0 |
| Exceeding speed limit by 16-20km/h | R500 | 1 |
| Exceeding speed limit by 21-25km/h | R750 | 2 |
| Exceeding speed limit by more than 40km/h | Criminal offence — Court hearing | 6 |
| Disobeying a stop sign or traffic light | R750 | 2 |
| Failing to use indicators | R500 | 1 |
| Driving without a licence | R1,250 | 4 |
| Driving unregistered vehicle | R1,000 | 3 |
| Driving vehicle without valid licence disc | R1,000 | 3 |
| Driving vehicle with one number plate | R500 | 2 |
| Driving vehicle without number plates | Criminal offence — Court hearing | 6 |
| Failing to keep left | R1,000 | 3 |
| Failing to stop at an accident | Criminal offence — Court hearing | 6 |
| Driving under the influence | Criminal offence — Court hearing | 6 |
| Furnishing false information | Criminal offence — Court hearing | 6 |
Motorists are urged to familiarise themselves with the new rules and monitor updates on Aarto’s official platforms as implementation draws closer.
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