Speeding fines are issued whenever a driver is caught exceeding the speed limit, and each state will differ in the penalties, such as fine amounts, demerit points, and even license suspensions. In 2022 1 there were 297 road fatalities in Queensland, with 87 of them involving speeding drivers/riders. Since July 2022, Queensland has launched stricter penalties for traffic offenses involving red lights, seatbelts, and speeding, with some of the new fines being more than double the previous fine amount.
Unlike other states, Queensland’s double demerit period does not happen only during the holidays but year-round. For people who repeatedly commit specific offences, they will receive double demerit points for the second or subsequent offence if the later offence was committed within 12 months of an earlier offence, such as offences for speeding more than 20km/h over the speed limit.
What are demerit points?
Demerit points are applied to and recorded on your traffic history 2 if you commit a traffic offence anywhere in Australia. In Queensland, you don’t ‘lose’ points, you start with zero points, and then can be added to your traffic history if you commit certain traffic offenses. The number of demerit points will depend on the offence and will apply from the date you committed the offence and are recorded from when you either have paid the fine or been dealt with by the court.
Your license type will determine the number of demerit points you can get before you receive a sanction. A sanction means you have exceeded the limit of points your license type allows, so your license will either be suspended, or you may need to serve a good driving behaviour period.
The limit of demerit points you can receive per license type are:
- Learner license – 4 or more points
- Provisional license – 4 or more points
- Open license – 12 or more points.
However, your points do not reset when you progress from one license type to another. If you get 4 or more demerit points within a 1-year period on the learner or provisional license, you will be sent a license sanction notice. If this happens when you were on a learner license at the time of the offences, you will be required to serve a 3-month suspension, even if you have already upgraded to a provisional license.
If you hold a learner, P1, P2, provisional or probationary license you will be sent a license sanction notice if you get 4 or more demerit points within any 1-year period. If you hold an open license and you get 12 or more demerit points offences within any 3-year period, you’ll receive a license sanction notice.
If you hold a Queensland license and you commit a traffic offence outside of Queensland, demerit points may still be applied to your traffic history as if the offence was committed in Queensland.
Demerit points and fines by speeding offence in Queensland
Depending on the speed you are going, this will affect how many demerit points you receive, how much the fine costs, and the possibility of license suspension. These are the current penalties for speeding infringements in Queensland as of 1st of July 2023:
Less than 11km/h over the speed limit
- Demerit points: 1
- Speeding fine: $309
At least 11km/h but not more than 20km/h over the speed limit
- Demerit points: 3
- Speeding fine: $464
More than 20km/h but not more than 30km/h over the speed limit
- Demerit points: 4
- Speeding fine: $696
More than 30km/h but not more than 40km/h over the speed limit
- Demerit points: 6
- Speeding fine: $1,161
More than 40km/h over the speed limit
- Demerit points: 8
- Speeding fine: $1,780
- 6-month suspension
Since 1 July 2022, Queensland has enforced tougher penalties on certain traffic offences, such as speeding, running a red light, or driving without a seatbelt. The demerit point penalties stayed the same, but the fine amounts have increased, for instance, from $183 to $309 for exceeding the speed limit by 1-10km/h.
How to pay a speeding fine in Queensland
Once the fine has been issued you have 28 days from the date shown on the fine/infringement to pay it in full or organise a payment plan – which can be arranged for fines of $200 or more.
1. Pay Online
You can pay your fine online 3. You can pay using the payment reference number found on the infringement notice or the infringement notice number. If paying using the infringement notice number, you will also need your Queensland driver license or customer reference number.
2. Pay via BPAY
BPAY payments are made via your finical instructions either online or using your phone. It may take several days for a BPAY payment to be processed, so check with your bank to ensure you’re paying your fine on time.
You’ll require the payment reference number and the biller code on your fine to pay via BPAY. Two payment references may be provided, one for paying the fine in full and the other for paying the first installment in a voluntary installment plan.
BPAY may not be available for all infringements, so make sure to double check your infringement notice to see if this is available to you.
3. Pay via Australia Post
You will need the payment reference number on your fine to pay at Australia Post. Please note, Australia Post cannot accept payments for handwritten fines. You can pay using cash, cheque or card (a credit card surcharge will apply).
Australia Post cannot accept any payments after the due date of a fine.
4. Pay in Person
You can pay in person using cash or card (credit card surcharge will apply) by bringing your fine to any transport and monitoring service centres 4 or at Queensland Government Agent Program Office 5.
5. Pay via Post
You cannot pay your fine with cash via post. You can post your fine and a cheque or money order payable to the Department of Transport and Main Roads, to the following address:
Department of Transport and Main Roads
PO Box 673
Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
The payment needs to be received within 28 days from the date of issue shown on the notice.
Can you contest a speeding fine in Queensland?
You can dispute a speeding fine in court if you believe you were issued it incorrectly. You must dispute it within 28 days from the infringement notice date, or you will face penalties for an overdue fine. Once disputed, do not pay the fine and make sure you keep a copy of it for your records.
To dispute the fine, you can:
- Do it online by submitting an Election for Court 6
- Download and print this form, either for individuals 7 or for organisations 8. The form can be submitted via email ([email protected]) or mailed to:
Queensland Revenue Office
GPO Box 1447
BRISBANE QLD 4000
Once submitted you’ll be mailed a date to appear in court to your last known address; this is a complaint summons.
If you wish to dispute the fine, you must do it within 28 days of the date on the notice otherwise:
- The State Penalties Enforcement Registry may take enforcement action 9 to recover the amount of the fine (including any referral fees)
- Demerit points will be added to your traffic record from the date the offence was committed
Can I transfer my speeding fine and points to someone else?
If the car owner was not driving when the speeding offence occurred, the offence can be transferred to the person responsible for it. You’ll have 28 days from the date on the notice to transfer the fine, otherwise, the owner of the car will be deemed to be the driver at the time. If there are two people listed as registered owners, then the fine will be sent to the first listed owner.
Other reasons you can transfer a speeding fine are:
- The fine was issued to another person, to your company or organisation, but you were the driver
- You had sold or disposed of the vehicle before the fine was issued
- The vehicle was stolen before the fine was issued
You’ll need to provide the following information in order to transfer the fine:
- The date and time the vehicle was sold or disposed of;
- The details of the buyer, or;
- A police crime report number if the vehicle was stolen
The speeding fine and demerit points can be transferred either by:
- Submitting an online nomination via the Queensland Government’s ‘Submit Infringement Notification’ 10 service, or;
- Lodging a statutory declaration 11
Where does the money from a speeding fine go in Queensland?
The Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 requires that all money collected for penalties from camera detected offences, in excess of the administrative costs, must be used for specific road safety purposes and improvement.
In the past year the Queensland Government said that ‘every cent’ collected from fines will be re-invested into road safety, with $1.7 billion gone toward Queensland roads upgrades, education programs, initiatives to make school zones safer and to develop policies to improve road crashes and trauma already and $1.69 billion has been committed towards road safety infrastructure through the Targeted Road Safety Program.
The increase in fines, which has been effective since 1 July 2022, aligns with the National Road Safety Strategy for 2021-30 and aims to deter drivers and passengers from reckless and dangerous behavior, with a target set for Queensland to reduce fatalities by 50% and serious injuries by 30%.
Book a driver education course with Road Sense Australia
Whether you just got booked for a speeding offence or are on the verge of a licence suspension, booking our Traffic Offender Intervention Program (TOIP) could help you. Our program consists of ten modules that you can complete Face-to-Face, over Zoom in a Virtual Classroom or Self-Paced Online. TOIP is an accredited community-based program designed to help participants understand road safety and ultimately become safer drivers. Our TOIP delivers the skills and necessary information to help shape positive perspectives, helping our participants develop into more responsible, and safer road users.
Read more about how our TOIP can help you drive safely again or check out some reviews of the program HERE.
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