askST: What do motorists need to know about changes to the demerit points system?

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SINGAPORE - Errant motorists will face suspension sooner and be kept off the roads longer from 2027.

On July 31, the police announced the tightening of the Driver Improvement Points System (DIPS), commonly known as the demerit points system, lowering the threshold for suspension and extending ban periods.

It kicks in from Jan 1, 2027.

This is because Singapore’s roads are more dangerous, with traffic deaths hitting a 10-year high of 149 in 2025, compared with 141 in 2016. The number of people getting injured also rose, from 9,342 in 2024 to 9,955 in 2025.

Q: What are the changes to demerit points and suspensions?

The demerit point threshold will be lowered for most motorists.

For non-probationary motorists, the threshold will be reduced from the current 24 points in 24 months, to 18 points in 24 months.

Probationary motorists will have their current 13 points in 12 months threshold reduced to 12 points in 12 months.

Suspension periods will also be extended.

They will be increased from 12 weeks to four months for first-time suspensions.

Those suspended a second time will not be able to drive for six months, up from the current 24 weeks.

The third suspension will last two years, and suspensions beyond that will each last five years.

There will be a one-time deduction of demerit points as part of a transitional period.

Q: How does the transitional period one-time adjustment work?

Non-probationary motorists will have up to six demerit points waived, while probationary motorists will have one demerit point waived.

They do not apply for violations committed in 2027. Unused deductions cannot be ‘saved’ for future offences.

But if the violation was committed before 2027 and the motorist was only informed later, any unused deductions can be applied.

For example, a non-probationary motorist has four demerit points on Dec 31, 2026.

Come Jan 1, 2027, four of the six-demerit point deduction would apply.

His total would then be zero points.

He is caught speeding on Jan 3, 2027, and is handed six demerit points. He cannot use the remaining two deduction points on this violation as it was committed in 2027.

His total would stand at six points.

However, he receives a notice on Jan 5, 2027, that he had been speeding on Dec 15, 2026, with the violation carrying six demerit points.

The remaining two-point deduction will apply for this violation, as it was committed before 2027.

His total would then be 10 points.

Q: Why lengthen the suspension period when lowering the threshold is already punitive?

The police said the two measures serve different purposes.

The lowering of the threshold is meant to be deterrent in nature, shaping behaviour and encouraging motorists not to commit traffic violations.

Whereas suspensions work directly toward enhancing road safety by keeping errant motorists off the roads for longer periods.

Motorists who are suspended for more than a year will also lose their licence.

This means they will have to undergo the full set of tests and pass them before they can be allowed on the roads again.

Q: What are the changes involving the DIPS Retraining Course and Safe Driving Course?

The DIPS Retraining Course is a voluntary 1½-day course offered to suspended motorists, who can complete it by passing theory and practical tests for a reduction in their suspension periods.

It is offered to those suspended up to two times.

Currently, those on their first suspension who complete the course can have their suspension periods reduced from 12 weeks to four weeks, or a week if they were not involved in accidents.

Those on their second suspension can have their suspension periods of 24 weeks halved to 12 weeks.

But from 2027, the DIPS Retraining Course will only be offered to those facing their first suspension.

If they complete it, they will have their suspension period reduced from four months to six weeks.

The Safe Driving Course (SDC) will be discontinued from 2027.

The corrective education course, which lasts around 4½ hours, allows eligible motorists who complete it to expunge four demerit points if they are not suspended.

But it will be discontinued as it has a low take-up rate of only 15 per cent as of 2025, and has not achieved its intended purpose.

The police will stop issuing offers for the SDC from Aug 1, and those who have received offer letters must complete it by Dec 31.

These changes mean that from Jan 1, 2027, motorists will have only one opportunity, at their first suspension, to reduce their suspension period by completing the DIPS Retraining Course.

Q: How do I check my demerit point records and the list of offences and penalties?

Motorists can check their demerit points and suspension records via the e-services portal on the police website or through their digital driving licence on the Singpass app.

For the full list of offences and penalties, they can be found on the knowledge hub section of the police website.

Offences that currently carry 24 demerit points will instead carry 18 demerit points from Jan 1, 2027.