Penalty Points Lookup Ireland (2026)
Search any Irish fixed-charge offence to see how many penalty points it carries on payment, how many on conviction, the fixed charge, and how that amount escalates if it is not paid. Everything runs in your browser; no email or sign-up.
Choose an offence on the left to see the penalty points, the fixed charge, and how the amount escalates if it is not paid.
Read this before relying on a number
- This is a lookup of published figures, not legal advice, and it cannot tell you what offence you have actually been charged with. Only the wording on your own notice does that.
- This list is not every offence. It covers the offences for which a fixed charge is prescribed, plus some common ones that go straight to court. If you cannot find yours, that does not mean it carries no points.
- Points last 3 years, and the limit is 12 for a full licence holder or 7 for a learner or novice driver. Reaching the limit is an automatic 6-month disqualification.
- Paying a fixed charge is not a neutral act: it is what accepts the points. If the points would put you at or near the limit, or you intend to contest the offence, talk to a solicitor before you pay.
- Amounts come from a statutory instrument that can be amended. Check the figure on your notice against this before assuming ours is current.
Common offences with penalty points but NO fixed charge
There is no notice to pay for these. They go straight to court, and the points only follow a conviction. This is a selection of the common ones, not a complete list.
| Offence | Statute | Points on conviction |
|---|---|---|
| Using a vehicle without a certificate of roadworthiness (CRW) | RSA (CVR) Act 2012 s.6(2) | 5 |
| Careless driving (mechanically propelled vehicle) | RTA 1961 s.52 | 5 |
| Driving a dangerously defective vehicle or combination | RTA 1961 s.54 | 5 |
| Using a vehicle without insurance or guarantee | RTA 1961 s.56 | 5 |
| Breach of duties on the occurrence of an accident | RTA 1961 s.106 | 5 |
| Driving without a licence | RTA 1961 s.38 | 5 |
| Driving a vehicle when unfit | RTA 1961 s.48 | 3 |
| Driving before remedying a dangerous defect | RTA 1961 s.20(10) | 3 |
How Penalty Points Work
Penalty points attach to a licence in one of two ways. Either you pay a fixed charge, in which case the lower figure applies automatically, or you let the matter go to court and are convicted, in which case the higher figure applies along with whatever fine the court imposes. That gap is the point of the system: paying is cheaper in points as well as in money.
Points stay on the record for 3 years. Reaching 12 points brings an automatic six-month disqualification for a full licence holder. For a learner permit holder, or a driver in the first two years of a first full licence, the limit is 7.
Not every offence carries points, and not every offence carries a fixed charge. Some parking and document offences are money only. Others, including careless driving and driving without insurance, have no fixed charge at all and go straight to court, so the points only follow a conviction. Both categories are shown in the tool.
Where These Figures Come From
Two different instruments govern, and mixing them up is how most published tables go wrong. The points come from columns (4) and (5) of the First Schedule to the Road Traffic Act 2002. The money comes from the Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024, which set eight bands from €200 down to €40 and revoked the 2022 regulations that preceded them.
One trap is worth naming, because we fell into it ourselves while building this tool. The consolidated text of the 2002 Act carries editorial annotations recording whether each entry has been commenced, and at least one of those annotations is wrong: the entry for contravening a no-U-turn sign is marked as not commenced, when the commencement order that brought it into force was made in December 2014. We had the U-turn offence down as carrying no penalty points on the strength of that annotation. It carries two on payment and four on conviction.
The general lesson, which applies to any Irish legal figure you look up: the commencement order is the primary source, and an annotation summarising it is not. If a figure here differs from your notice, the notice governs your case, and the discrepancy is worth raising with a solicitor before you pay anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many penalty points before you are disqualified in Ireland?
12 points within a 3-year period brings an automatic 6-month disqualification for a full licence holder. For a learner permit holder, or a driver in the first 2 years of a first full licence, the limit is 7 points.
Do I get fewer points if I pay the fixed charge?
Yes. Paying the fixed charge attracts the lower figure shown in column (4) of the First Schedule to the Road Traffic Act 2002. If you do not pay and are later convicted in court, the higher figure applies, plus the court fine. That is why paying is usually cheaper in points as well as in money.
What happens if I ignore a fixed charge notice?
The amount rises by 50% after the first 28 days, and there is a third payment option at double the original amount available up to 7 days before the court date. Ignore it entirely and the matter proceeds to court, where a conviction carries the higher points figure and a fine.
How long do penalty points stay on your licence in Ireland?
3 years. Points are recorded against the licence record and come off automatically once that period has run.
Does a no-U-turn contravention carry penalty points?
Yes. Contravening a no-U-turn sign carries a €60 fixed charge, 2 penalty points if you pay it, and 4 on conviction. The entry was added to the First Schedule to the Road Traffic Act 2002 by the Road Traffic Act 2014 and commenced on 8 December 2014.
What is the third payment option on a fixed charge notice?
It is a final chance to pay at double the original amount, up to 7 days before the court date. It is not automatic: it only becomes available if a summons is actually served on you, and the amount is set on the notice that comes with the summons. Do not plan around it.
Should I just pay the notice?
Paying is what accepts the points, so it is not a neutral act. If the points would put you at or near the disqualification limit, or you believe the offence is wrong, speak to a solicitor before you pay. Once paid, the points apply.
Does this tool store or send my information anywhere?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is saved, transmitted, or used to contact you.
This lookup reproduces published figures: penalty points from the First Schedule to the Road Traffic Act 2002, and fixed charges from the Road Traffic Act 2010 (Part 3) (Fixed Charge Offences) Regulations 2024. It is general information for the Republic of Ireland, not legal advice, and RecordingLaw.com is not affiliated with An Garda Siochana, the Road Safety Authority or the Courts Service. Only the notice you received tells you what offence is alleged, and only a court can convict. If a disqualification is in prospect, consult a solicitor.
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