This deal has been going for some time but will end on the 17th February 2024. If you have a good driving record, you may be eligible for an automatic 50% discount on your licence renewal fee under the Fair Go for Safe Drivers Scheme.
You can renew your license up to 6 months before expiry and I have just renewed mine that expires after the 17th February 2024 and I still received the 50% discount so worth checking when your license expires and if you can renew early to take advantage of the scheme before it ends.
[NSW] 50% off Licence Renewal Fees for Eligible Drivers @ NSW Government
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Last edited 15/01/2024 - 14:40 by 1 other user
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If you got 1 year left, cut up the license and get 10 year one, it’s a round about way of saving some $$.
Mine expires August '24, do I just rock up to RMS and say it's lost? As it's outside of 6 months wouldn't they just replace it for me?
No. I know sb. lost driver license and was only able to get a new one with the same expiry date.
you will need $20 for the replacement card with the same expiry date
Unless you're too old and can't get a 10 year license any more
40 or 45 right?
@BusMan247: Not sure - they had a cut off where you couldn't get a 10 year licence above a certain age.
If only you remember why this was actually introduced you would probably want to pay full fee.
Sheep will be sheep.What's the reason?
It's being cancelled so that the 50% discount I was getting for doing the right thing on the roads, can go to help people who got fined for doing the wrong thing.
Cool.
NPC comment
Just renewed mine for 5 years. Had I known about the end date, I would have gone for the 10 years option. 😧
It’s only for upto a certain age group. I think you had to be under 45 from memory. After that they want to check your eyes every 5 years.
It was introduced around 2015 when the 10 year licenses came out. So majority of drivers should have been able to taken advantage of this once.
It was in 2012 that the half-price licence scheme started; I had depression then and didn’t work for a while so half-price licences were most welcome but you could only get a 5-year one back then, so 2015 would have been when the 10-year one was introduced
i renewed for 10 years last year, unaware the discount was ending soon. glad i did
good think I renewed my license for 10 years.
Not for me when you are over 50, they only let me do 5 years last renewal even though my record is so clean.
They need to do eyesight tests after certain age, I think.
When you're over 44 actually
Why?? What?
@hamwhisperer: For eyesight deterioration I suppose.
https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/driver-…
age discrimination, many ministers will not be eligible including the PM
not good enough to drive but good enough to govern the country - go figure
Just look at Joe Biden - finger on the Nuclear button is more dangerous than being over 44 and behind the wheels
whatttt? Outrageous!
Same..20 years clean record and no discount on mandatory 5 year option.
I got the discount on the maximum 5 year renewal for over 50 and/or HR licence. Why would you not get the discount?
1, 3, 5 or 10 years
Must have changed.. wasn't eligible in 2018 on 5 year when I enquired and didn't automatically get a discount in 2023.
I didn't know this was ending soon. My 10-year half-price licence isn't due for renewal until 2027
May be cheaper if you renew earlier before it ends?
You can only renew 6 months prior to expiry I believe in NSW
I had a damaged lic (cracked) asked if I could get a replacement, RTA told me it was a renewal and the full fee applies, she promptly grabbed some tape and taped it back for me save me a few $$.
So I assume if you smash your lic you can just get a new one with new expiry on the discount?
@tonsta: I had a cracked one too which is quite common - horizontal across the bottom of where what I assume the mag strip is on the back. Replaced for free and without fuss by Service NSW.
Prior to this I had clear tape holding it together which did the job, never had an issue with presenting it at RBTs (prior to digital licenses). However - I used it for an overseas car hire and an overzealous American rental clerk made a fuss about it and almost rejected my rental. Only because I had used it for another rental in a different location did he begrudgingly accept it - and made a remark that the other clerk who accepted it had violated policy. Anyway - point being it's good to get a replacement for the rare instance when someone kicks up a fuss about it.
Replaced for free and without fuss by Service NSW.
Interesting - I believe there's a $34 fee or something if you claim it's lost/stolen.
@salmon123: It does say that on the card I believe, but I took it in, showed it and was replaced with no fuss. I still have the cracked card as well.
can't renew earlier. Mine exp 2026, and it said not eligible for renewal.
I got this discount a few years ago and renewed for ten years. Now there's less incentive to go 40 in school zones…
30/20 is the new 40
I would have thought reducing the chance of running over a school kid was incentive enough
Where's the fun in that?
Thought you get bonus points for that?
/GTA
*moving speed humps
Having to deal with the paperwork is the real drag.
Probably will be extended
Source?
This offer has been ON for at least last five-six years that I have been aware of it. Also, it makes sense to incentivise safe driving. I will be surprised if this ends permanently.
I'm with you there sister, I hope they extend it
Mrs and I used this offer in 2016. We are hoping to use in 2026 again so hopefully it does get extended
Its being replaced with a new scheme………..Harold Scruby, CEO of the Pedestrian Council of Australia has decried the “insanity” of a new move by the Minns Labor Government which will make bad drivers rewarded by the state.
Scruby wrote a scathing editorial of the move by the Labor Government where he slammed the lack of enforcement to punish bad drivers.
On 17 February 2024, the NSW Government will quietly dump the decades old “Fair Go for Safe Drivers” scheme, which rewarded motorists with $180 (50%) off the cost of a licence renewal for having no demerit points in 5 years. This will penalise the unlucky 3.8 million law abiding NSW drivers (65% of all fully licenced drivers), while Treasury will gross around $135 million each year.
But in a move that would make Monty Python blush, they have also introduced a “frequent merit points” system. This will reward drivers who have points, by expunging one demerit point, each year, if they drive for a year without any further points.
This will reward drivers who have points, by expunging one demerit point,
each year, if they drive for a year without any further points.So, instead of giving discounts for good driving, over a period of 10 years !,
RMS will 'expunge' 1 demerit point for [sic] bad drivers who drive good for 1 year ?It only makes sense if you give good drivers credit that is say you have 13 points and you didn't offend for 5 years you should be given 18 points.
Because then if they don't do it it's use it or lose it, punishing good drivers
Isn't that normal (!?!) I think that's how it works in Vic. Every few years with no infringements, you gain points back?
@hamwhisperer: In NSW, demerit points usually drop off after three years from offence. This new version will drop one point if you don't incur any demerits in a year.
@hamwhisperer: Not in NSW.
If you have no infringements…and that's for a period of 10 continuous years,
then you get 50% off your 10-year driving licence, which is about $180 off, I think.If you have infringements, you lose some points.
Those demerit points stay off your record,
but after 3-years of good behaviour, you get those demerited points back.@dione: I was bit unshure about that also as in some places it states 3 years and others 3 +4months ?
@ozhunter68: it’s on RTA website. Written 40 months
https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/demerit…Transport doesn’t think it’s fair to penalise a person too long after committing an offence, therefore won’t consider offences older than 40 months towards a suspension
@dione: I think that is more to do when you use up points and get a suspension.
Google it and most results come up with 3 years (I want it to be 3 years haha).
Just swapped over to Qld licence, so found this when looking.
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+long+after+losing+demeri…
@Jono05: I don't understand this.
If I have 13 points in a full licence,
and I committed a speeding offence in NSW,
I lose 1 point off those 13 points.During double demerits, that offence costs 2 points off my licence.
So, I have 11 points after I pay the fine,
and I carry those 11 points,…until 3 years and 4 months,
of good driving, is when I get those 2 points back.@whyisave: That’s not how it works. You start with zero points. If you get caught low range speeding you get 1 point. During double demerits you get 2 points. When you accumulate 13 points (within 3 years) you lose your licence. Simple.
@Jono05: So, I'm reading this — https://roadsense.org.au/complete-guide-demerit-points-in-ns…
and it makes sense now.The licence has a demerit point "limit"
that we need reach, within a time period,
before licences are suspended.So, essentially, the licences are "zero" to begin with, haha
if only they 'expunge' credit history inquiries every year - no such luck one simple sign up with telco or siging up with energy company blemishes your credit history for 5 years. Even on inquiries that never came to fruition - whereby you decide to withdraw or decline the credit. No one ever ask the courts to step in to decide if this is legal and acceptable under the law. Toothless privacy commissioner and toothless ACCC
@paloverde88: Those laws are created and enforced,
to protect the benefits of those with money,
to ensure everyone else is in servitude in a debt-driven system.The debt creates an obedient society, and any society
that hasn't fallen into the debt-trap is labelled "not free, nor democractic!"@paloverde88: They dare, because they are voted in.
No matter who is voted, the government will always get in.
Boooo. From a zero demerit point driver, this sucks.
whats the point of points if you don't use them?? what are people saving them for
“frequent merit points”
I kinda like it. Mini incentives for people who want to be better drivers.
They won’t be better drivers, they are cash cows for the gov, bad drivers equals more fines. By giving back points it allows the gov to take them back with a fine more frequently.
Pedestrian Council of Australia has only one member
5.9 million cars and one pedestrian, not good odds….
Anything similar for QLD?
This is a NSW thread get outta here bucko
Never !
i guess we're just naturally better drivers so they need to offer this for the swine living down south to encourage them to drive better
As if the speeding cameras every 30 mins or so on the highway wasn't enough
Likely due to extra head.. gotta be god for something, eh.
There is, but every maniac in QLD has at least 1 demerit so it has never been applied.
Registration in qld is cheaper than in nsw!
Why would they end this?
$$$
didn't know it ends…so sad, can't use yet.