Keep your licence. Act within the time limit.
Suspension and demerit point appeals in New South Wales. Where a decision carries a right of appeal, the period is stated on your notice and it is short. It does not pause while you decide.
We tell you when an appeal is not worth running
Read your notice before anything else
Start with the type of decision, when you received the letter and when any police suspension began. Five things to check:
Which date the period runs from
For a Transport for NSW decision, Legal Aid NSW says the appeal should be filed before the suspension or cancellation starts. For a police suspension, the appeal period is 28 days from the date you were suspended. Work out which one you have before anything else.
What kind of suspension it is
Demerit point, police immediate suspension, court-imposed, or a licence sanction under another scheme. The pathway differs for each.
When it takes effect
Some suspensions start on a date in the future, and some are already running.
How long it runs
Stated on the notice. Do not assume it matches something you have read elsewhere.
Whether you may appeal at all
Not every suspension carries a right of appeal. If you hold a full licence and reached 13 or more demerit points, you cannot appeal it — a good behaviour period is the alternative, and it is an application to Transport for NSW rather than a court.
Check the date on your notice
The deadline depends on which decision you are appealing, and the sources it comes from are listed at the foot of this page. Read the period off your own notice, and if you are not certain, ask rather than assume.
General information, not legal advice. This page sets out how the law generally applies. It does not take account of your circumstances, and you should get advice about your own situation before acting on it. The official sources this page is written from are listed on it; where they differ from anything here, they are the authority.
Licence matters
Suspensions that follow from accumulating demerit points.
Suspensions issued on the spot for certain offences, which have their own urgent pathway.
Provisional and learner licences carry lower thresholds and different consequences.
Preparing and running an appeal, including what the court actually considers.
Applications relating to habitual offender declarations.
Advice on interlock orders and exemption applications.
Three steps, starting today
Tell us about your notice
Start with a short summary, the type of notice, when you received it and any police suspension date. After initial checks, we will explain how to provide documents securely.
We tell you where you stand
Whether an appeal is available, what the court considers, what it will involve, and whether it is worth running.
We prepare and appear
If you engage us, we prepare the material and appear for you.
No one can promise you keep your licence
An appeal is decided by a magistrate on the material and the circumstances. Any firm that guarantees an outcome is telling you something they cannot know.
- We do not guarantee outcomes, and we will not quote a success rate
- We will tell you when an appeal has little prospect, before you spend money
- We explain what the court can and cannot do, including that it may decline to interfere
- We do not advise driving while suspended under any circumstances
Before your court date
How to read a suspension notice
Which date the period runs from, what the notice type tells you, and what to do next.
What a magistrate actually considers
The factors that matter on an appeal, and the ones that do not help as much as people expect.
Driving for work: what to prepare
How to evidence the effect of a suspension on your employment, properly.
Common questions
How long do I have to appeal?
It depends which decision you are appealing. For a Transport for NSW decision, Legal Aid NSW says the appeal should be filed before the suspension or cancellation starts. For a police suspension, the appeal period is 28 days from the date you were suspended. Not every suspension can be appealed: a demerit point suspension can be appealed only by a learner, P1 or P2 licence holder. Check the period stated on your own notice and get advice promptly.
Can I keep driving while I appeal?
That depends on the decision being appealed. Legal Aid NSW states that a Transport for NSW suspension is paused while the appeal is pending, and that you should confirm the position with Transport for NSW before driving. A police immediate suspension continues unless the court grants a stay, which requires exceptional circumstances. Driving while suspended is a serious offence in its own right.
What does the court take into account?
On a demerit point suspension appeal: the circumstances of the offence, your driving record, and the effect a suspension would have on you and others who depend on you. On an appeal against a police immediate suspension, section 268(5)(b) of the Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) provides that the circumstances of the alleged offence are not considered.
Will I definitely keep my licence?
No one can tell you that, and you should be cautious of anyone who does. We will give you a realistic view of your prospects before you decide whether to appeal.
What if my appeal period has already passed?
Tell us anyway. Options are narrower once the period has passed, but it is better to know exactly where you stand than to guess.
Real conversations.
Clear next steps.
Explain where you are now, ask the questions that matter to you, and understand what to prepare next.
Recognition of
Jameson Law.
Recognition received by Jameson Law and its team. Licence Appeal Lawyers is a service of Jameson Law. Award years and categories are shown on the original badges.
Discuss your suspension notice
Tell us what your notice is called, when you received it and any police suspension date. We can advise whether an appeal is available and which deadline applies.