AARTO Demerit Points Enquiries to Cost Motorists R60

AARTO Demerit Points Enquiries to Cost Motorists R60

South African motorists will be charged R60 every time they check the balance of demerit points on their driving licences under the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) system.

What the fee applies to

The charge applies to each demerit points balance enquiry. Under AARTO, drivers accumulate demerit points for traffic offences, and accumulating too many can lead to the suspension, and eventually the cancellation, of a driving licence. Knowing your balance is therefore more than a formality, particularly for professional drivers and businesses that rely on staff holding valid licences.

The R60 enquiry fee has drawn criticism from commentators who argue that motorists should be able to check something as basic as their own demerit status without paying for the privilege. Regardless, the fee forms part of the AARTO framework, so drivers and fleet operators should budget for it when checking balances.

What motorists should do

If you drive regularly, keep track of your traffic fines and pay or contest them within the allowed timeframes to avoid unexpected demerit points. Businesses employing drivers may also want to formalise regular licence and demerit checks as part of their risk management, factoring the R60 per-enquiry cost into that process.