The Driver Improvement Points System (DIPS) is a demerit point regime for valid Singapore Driving Licence holders. It is designed to identify and rehabilitate errant drivers through a system of rewards and punishments.
Depending on the severity of the traffic offence, the licence holder may accumulate anywhere from 3 to 12 demerit points, and offered a composition fine. If the traffic offence is more severe, the licence holder may accumulate more than 12 demerit points and/or be prosecuted in court and face harsher penalties such as heavier fines, imprisonment and/or disqualification of the driving licence.
New or Probationary Licence Holders
Non-Probationary Licence Holders
Non-probationary licence holders will become liable for suspension if they accumulate a threshold of demerit points within a certain period. If the suspension is 1 year or more, the driving licence will be revoked and invalid:
| Number of Suspension | Threshold | Suspension Duration | Suspension Duration after successful completion of DIPS Retraining Course |
| 1st | ≥ 24 demerit points within 24 months | 12 weeks | Reduced to 4 weeks (may be reduced to 1 week if offences are not accident-related) |
| 2nd | ≥ 12 demerit points within 12 months |
24 weeks | Reduced to 12 weeks |
| 3rd | 1 year | - | |
| 4th | 2 years | - | |
| 5th | 3 years | - | |
| 6th | 4 years | - | |
| 7th | 5 years | - |
To check your driving licence status, please visit our E-Services page.
To check your demerit points, please visit our E-Services page.
To check the types of traffic offences and their accompanying demerit points and fines, please visit SPF | Penalties for Traffic Offences.
Notice of Demerit Points Accumulated
Incentives for Good Driving Behaviour
Licence holders will have their previous demerit points removed from their record if they do not commit any traffic offences within a 12-month period from the date of their last traffic offence committed.
Licence holders will have all their previous driving suspension(s) removed from their record if they do not commit any traffic offences within a 24-month period from the date of their last suspension.
If you are a vehicle owner holding a valid Singapore Driving Licence with a clean driving record for a continuous period of 3 years, you will enjoy a discount over and above the No-Claim Bonus when you renew their insurance policy with participating insurance companies. You must also not have made any claims on your vehicles' insurance for the past 3 years.
Tightening of the DIPS
From 1 January 2027, DIPS will be tightened to deter motorists from committing traffic violations and to suspend errant motorists from driving for longer periods.
Table 1 shows the detailed comparison between the current and revised DIPS for non-probationary motorists.
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Table 1: Non-Probationary Motorists |
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Number of Suspension |
Current |
Revised (from 1 January 2027) |
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Suspension Threshold |
Duration of suspension |
Suspension Threshold |
Duration of suspension |
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1st |
≥24 demerit points within 24 months |
12 weeks
(After successful completion of the DIPS retraining course: |
≥18 demerit points |
4 months
(After successful completion of the DIPS retraining course: |
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2nd |
≥12 demerit points within 12 months |
24 weeks
(Reduced to 12 weeks with DIPS retraining course) |
6 months |
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3rd |
1 year |
2 years |
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4th |
2 years |
5 years |
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5th |
3 years |
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6th |
4 years |
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7th |
5 years |
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Table 2 shows the changes for probationary motorists.
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Table 2: Probationary Motorists |
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Current |
Revised |
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Revocation Threshold |
≥13 demerit points |
≥12 demerit points |
Changes to educational interventions
The DIPS Retraining Course and the accompanying reduction in suspension period will not be available for motorists’ second and subsequent suspensions. It will remain available for motorists liable for their first suspension.
The Safe Driving Course will also be ceased from 1 January 2027, for more details, please visit SPF | Safe Driving Course.
One-Time Adjustment of Demerit Points
There will be a one-time adjustment of demerit points for all motorists on 1 January 2027. For non-probationary and probationary motorists, six demerit points and one demerit point respectively will be deducted from their total demerit points (if any) as of 31 December 2026.
Where a motorist's demerit point balance is lower than the amount to be deducted, their demerit point balance will be set to zero, and the remaining points deduction will be applied to any offences committed before 1 January 2027, regardless of when the Notice of Traffic Offence is issued. This will not apply to offences committed on or after 1 January 2027.
The composition sums for the offences committed remain payable and are unaffected by this adjustment.