Penalty Points & Convictions
Penalty Points
It is important when requesting a quote to disclose all details of any penalty points you or any named drivers may have.
Learn more about penalty points in Ireland by visiting the National Safety Council's penalty points site, sponsored by the Irish Insurance Federation and the Department of Transport.
Convictions
Having a previous Conviction can add significantly to the cost of car insurance. Irish Insurers will not supply insurance quotes online to drivers who have previous convictions. You cannot get a quote online with us if you have had a previous conviction, but our customer service team will be more then happy to provide you with a quote. Please call us at 01-293 2300 or request callback.
Penalty points for driving offences
The aim of penalty points is to influence and improve driver behaviour in Ireland and address the unacceptable levels of death and serious injury on our roads. Figures released in 2006 by the Department of Transport and the Marine indicate that 86% of all roads deaths in Ireland can be attributed to driver behaviour. During 2006 for example, 368 people were killed on Irish roads, the second lowest figure in the last forty years. A total of 2,678 people were killed in the period 2000-2006.
Penalty point systems also operate in other countries. International experience has demonstrated the penalty points system has proven successful in reducing the number of road deaths in those countries. While penalty points are endorsed on your driving licence, the points do not physically appear on the licence. Instead, your penalty points are recorded on your driving licence record. Driving licence records are held on the National Driver File operated by the Department of the Department of Transport and the Marine.
How does the penalty points system work?
Penalty point offences are recorded on your driving licence if:
- You are convicted of a driving offence that attracts penalty points, or
- You are served with a fixed fine notice in respect of an alleged offence that attracts penalty points and you opt to pay the fine rather than having the matter referred to the courts for determination.
No driver in Ireland is allowed drive a vehicle while holding 12 current penalty points on their driving licence. Any driver that receives 12 penalty points in any 3 year period will be automatically faced with a 6-month disqualification from driving.
Between 2002-2005 a total of 19 people have been disqualified from driving because they hold 12 penalty points.
Do penalty points apply to all Irish driving licences?
Yes. Penalty points apply to both provisional and full Irish driving licences. Penalty points also apply to drivers with foreign driving licences driving in Ireland. If someone is driving in Ireland on a foreign licence, the driver's details are held on a separate database for the purpose of recording penalty points. If that driver applies for and obtains an Irish driving licence, the penalty points are then activated on that licence.
When do the points take effect from - the date I committed the offence?
No. If you have committed a driving offence that incurs penalty points you will receive a written notification from the Department of Transport and the Marine informing you of the fact that the appropriate number of penalty points is being added to your driving licence. This notice will include details of your name, address, date time and location of the driving offence concerned and confirmation of the fact that you either paid the fixed charge for the offence or were convicted in the court of such offence. The notice will also contain a date on which the notice was issued to you. This is the important date as the points will only be added to your licence 28 days after this date.
How long do penalty points stay on your licence?
Penalty points stay on your licence for three years. That means they will remain on your current driving licence for a period of 3 years from the start date (effective date). Any period where your licence is out of date won't count as part of the 3 years. The threshold is 12 points. If 12 points accumulate on a licence record within 3 years, a notice will issue informing the licence holder that they have been disqualified for 6 months and that they must surrender their licence at their local Motor Taxation Office.
Below is a list of offences that incur penalty points along with the penalties awarded for them.
| Title of Offence | Penalty Points on Payment of Fixed Charge | Penalty Points on Court Conviction | Fixed Charge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount paid in 28 days | Amount paid in next 28 days | |||
| Failure to act in accordance with a Garda signal | 1 | 3 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Entry by driver into hatched marked area of roadway, e.g. carriageway reduction lane | 1 | 3 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Driving on the hard shoulder on a motorway | 1 | 3 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Driving a HGV or bus on the outside lane on a motorway | 1 | 3 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Failure to drive on the left hand side of the road | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Failure to obey requirements at junctions, e.g. not being in the correct lane when turning onto another road | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Failure to obey requirements regarding reversing of vehicles, e.g. reversing from minor road onto main road | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Driving on a footpath | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Driving on a cycle track | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Failure to turn left when entering a roundabout | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Driving on a median strip, e.g. boundary between two carriageways | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Failure to stop for a school warden sign | 1 | 4 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Failure to comply with mandatory traffic signs at junctions | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Failure to comply with prohibitory traffic signs | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Failure to comply with keep left/keep right signs | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Failure to comply with traffic lane markings | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Illegal entry onto a one-way street | 1 | 3 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Speeding (introduced 31 Oct 2002) | 2 | 4 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Failure by Driver to comply with front seat belt requirements | 2 | 4 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Driver permitting passenger to occupy rear seat without wearing a seatbelt (under 17) or appropriate child restraint (introduced 25 August 2003) | 2 | 4 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Using mobile phone while driving | 2 | 4 | €60.00 | €90.00 |
| Dangerous overtaking | 2 | 5 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Failure to stop a vehicle before stop sign/ stop line | 2 | 4 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Failure to yield right of way at a yield sign/ yield line | 2 | 4 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Crossing continuous white line | 2 | 4 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Failure to obey traffic lights | 2 | 5 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Failure to obey traffic rules at railway level crossing | 2 | 5 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Driving a vehicle on a motorway against the flow of traffic | 2 | 4 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Failure to stop when so required by a member of the Garda Siochana | 2 | 5 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Failure to leave appropriate distance between you and the vehicle in front | 2 | 4 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Failure to yield | 2 | 4 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Driving without reasonable consideration | 2 | 4 | €80.00 | €120.00 |
| Driving a vehicle when unfit | M | 3 | Court Fine | |
| Parking a vehicle in a dangerous position | M | 5 | Court Fine | |
| Breach of duties at an accident | M | 5 | Court Fine | |
| Driving without Insurance (introduced 1 June 2003) | M | 5 | Court Fine | |
| Driver found to be driving carelessly (introduced 4 June 2004) | M | 5 | Court Fine | |
M = Mandatory Court Appearance