PEI New Driver Penalties: Demerit Points, Suspensions, Zero Tolerance
What happens if a Stage 1 driver gets demerit points in PEI?
A Stage 1 driver in Prince Edward Island who is convicted of any offence that carries demerit points has the Instruction Permit suspended for one month, and 30 days are added to the wait before Stage 2. A Stage 2 driver gets a one-month suspension at 6 points in the first year of driving, and a Stage 3 driver at 9 points in the second year.
Where these rules come from
This guide uses the Prince Edward Island Graduated Driver Licensing Regulations, the Demerit Point System Regulations and the Highway Traffic Act with its schedule of fines, plus the Fees Regulations, the 2023 Graduated Driver Licensing booklet and the Co-pilot brochure from the Highway Safety Division, as of 2026. The regulations carry consolidation dates of 2018 (graduated licensing) and 2022 (demerit points), so a later change is possible; where a Highway Safety Division guide words a rule differently, this guide follows the regulation. Confirm the rules with Access PEI (princeedwardisland.ca) before you drive.
How many demerit points can a Stage 1, 2 or 3 driver get?
| Stage | Point limit | What happens at the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 (Class 7 Instruction Permit) | Any demerit point | One-month suspension of the permit. 30 days are added to the minimum time you must hold the permit before Stage 2 |
| Stage 2 | 6 or more in the first year of driving. Stay at 5 or fewer | One-month suspension, and the Registrar puts you on probation |
| Stage 3 | 9 or more in the second year of driving. Stay at 8 or fewer | One-month suspension, and the Registrar puts you on probation |
Stage 1: one demerit point costs a month
For a Stage 1 driver, one demerit point is enough: there is no point total to stay under. An example: a hand-held phone conviction carries 5 demerit points, so one phone conviction while you hold the Instruction Permit means a one-month suspension and 30 more days before you can move to Stage 2. The 2023 booklet words the suspension as a minimum of 30 days; the regulation says one month. The Stage 1 rules list the other conditions of the permit.
Stage 2 and Stage 3: warnings, probation and extra suspensions
Here a newly licensed driver means a Stage 2 or Stage 3 driver. You get a warning notice at 3 to 5 points within twelve months, or at 5 to 8 points within twenty-four months. After a suspension at the limit, the Registrar puts you on probation, and more points during the probation bring an extra suspension of a length the Registrar decides. The Demerit Point System Regulations count the limits as six points within twelve months and nine within twenty-four months; ask the Highway Safety Division how your own record counts. The Stage 2 and Stage 3 rules explain the two stages.
Phone, seat belt and passenger convictions: one month, then three months
Fines for phone, seat belt and passenger offences
| Offence | Rule | Fine (Highway Traffic Act) and points |
|---|---|---|
| Hand-held phone (section 291.1) | No driver may hold or use a hand-held phone or similar device while driving. The Act allows hands-free mode | $500 to $1,200 (CAD), plus 5 demerit points |
| Seat belt (section 92) | The driver must wear a seat belt | $200 to $500 (CAD) for the driver |
| Passengers in the first year of the licence (section 92.1) | No more than one passenger who is not an immediate family member | $200 to $1,000 (CAD) |
| Passengers in the first two years of the licence (section 92.1) | No more passengers than seat belts, and every passenger wears a seat belt | $200 to $1,000 (CAD) for each offence |
Can a new driver use a hands-free phone?
The Highway Traffic Act allows drivers in general to use a phone in hands-free mode. The Graduated Driver Licensing Regulations add a stricter rule: a Stage 1, 2 or 3 driver must not use a hand-held cellular phone, headphones, an mp3 player or any other hand-held electronic device while driving or in care or control of a vehicle. Before you set up any phone use while you are in the program, ask the Highway Safety Division. A hands-free call also takes your mind off the road, as the practice question on why a hands-free conversation can still be risky shows.
Which offences bring a three-month or 12-month suspension?
| Offence | Demerit points | Suspension for a Stage 1, 2 or 3 driver |
|---|---|---|
| Driving 80 km/h or more over the posted limit | 12 | Three months |
| Failing to stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing | 12 | Three months |
| A Criminal Code driving offence in the demerit schedule, such as dangerous driving or failing to stop at the scene of an accident | 12 | 12 months |
Zero alcohol for graduated drivers and drivers under 22
The Highway Traffic Act sets a zero limit for every Stage 1, 2 or 3 driver at any age and every driver under 22, even after leaving the graduated program. Any alcohol in the blood is an offence when you drive or have care or control of a vehicle. Drivers aged 19 or older who are not graduated drivers, and who were 19 or held a licence when the rule began, are exempt; if unsure, ask the Highway Safety Division. If a roadside breath test shows alcohol, or you refuse it, the officer can take your licence for 24 hours. Practise with the zero blood alcohol limit question.
When are demerit points removed?
- Two years after the date of a conviction, the Registrar strikes the points of that conviction from your record. The clock starts on the conviction date, not on the date of the offence.
- When a suspension under the Demerit Point System Regulations ends, the Registrar strikes all the points on your record up to the date of the suspension.
- The fee to reinstate a licence after a suspension under the Demerit Point System Regulations is $100 (CAD).
Key takeaways
- Stage 1: any conviction that carries demerit points means a one-month suspension and 30 more days before Stage 2.
- Stage 2: stay at 5 points or fewer in the first year of driving. Stage 3: stay at 8 or fewer in the second year. At 6 and 9 points you get a one-month suspension and probation.
- A phone, seat belt or passenger conviction suspends a Stage 2 or Stage 3 licence for one month, and for three months on a second offence. The phone fine is $500 to $1,200 (CAD) plus 5 points.
- Zero alcohol applies to every graduated driver and every driver under 22.
- Next step: practise on the free Prince Edward Island Class 7 practice test.
PEI new driver penalties: common questions
Can a PEI driver under 22 have one drink before driving?
No. The limit is zero for every driver under 22 and for every Stage 1, 2 or 3 driver of any age, whether the vehicle is moving or not, as long as the driver operates it or has care or control of it. If a roadside breath test shows any alcohol, the officer can take the licence for 24 hours.
Do I get PEI demerit points for a ticket in another province?
Yes. When you are convicted in another province or territory of an offence on the PEI demerit schedule, or of the same kind of offence, the Registrar enters the PEI points for it on your PEI driving record. For a Stage 1 driver, any such points mean the one-month suspension of the permit.
How long is a new driver on probation in PEI?
Two years, according to the Co-pilot brochure for parents. During that time the Highway Safety Division watches the new driver's record for Highway Traffic Act and Criminal Code offences and for collisions. Six demerit points in the first year of driving, or nine in the second year, bring a one-month suspension.
How many friends can a new driver carry in PEI?
In the first year of holding a driver's licence (Stage 2), only one passenger who is not an immediate family member. For the first two years, no more passengers than seat belts, and every passenger must wear one. Each offence has a fine of $200 to $1,000 (CAD), and a first conviction also suspends a Stage 2 or Stage 3 licence for one month.
What suspension does a new driver get for dangerous driving in PEI?
Twelve months. Dangerous driving is a Criminal Code offence that carries 12 demerit points in the PEI demerit schedule. When a Stage 1, 2 or 3 driver gets points for a Criminal Code driving offence in that schedule, the Registrar suspends the licence for 12 months.
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