12 penalty point disqualification (totting) & exceptional hardship arguments

Where you have accrued 12 or more penalty points within a 3-year period, the penalty point procedure will apply to you.

The first time that you accrue 12 or more penalty points, you will be liable to a minimum 6-month disqualification period. For the second such disqualification, you will be liable to a minimum 12-month disqualification period. For any further penalty point disqualification, you will be liable to a 24-month disqualification period.

In order to avoid the above disqualification, you will need to satisfy the court that exceptional hardship would result from your being disqualified. If exceptional hardship is found, the court can decide not to disqualify you at all, or alternatively impose a shorter period of disqualification.

contact our motoring law team for further information.

We will advise you on whether you have grounds upon which to base an exceptional hardship argument. We can also represent you at your court hearing and have a very high success record in this respect.

If your circumstances do not amount to "exceptional hardship" we will not mislead you. We will advise you that this is the case and advise you on other options.

For example, it may be possible to request a short disqualification rather than penalty points for the offence itself, which could avoid disqualification for 6-months as a "totter".