What is AARTO?
AARTO is short for Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act, which determines the administrative approach to managing traffic violations. It is a change from the Criminal Procedures Act (CPA), which saw traffic fines being managed through criminal courts.
On 1 August 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation, setting out the official phased implementation dates for the national rollout of AARTO. The system has been in effect in the Tshwane and Johannesburg Metropolitan jurisdictions.
Rollout timelines:
This means that road users and businesses now have a confirmed timeline for national rollout and the introduction of the demerit points system.
Implications for Fleet Owners
Demerit points apply to drivers as well as to operators or fleet owners. In case of speed infringements, applications for nomination must be made for the infringement to be redirected to the accountable driver. Ignoring the ticket or paying the ticket on behalf of the driver, means that the demerit points will be accumulated against the operator/vehicle, ultimately leading to suspended operator cards or blocked licence renewals. Where infringements are nominated, the accountable driver will accumulate the associated demerit points.
Demerit points threshold
The accumulation of demerit points has a threshold of 15 points, after which the Driving license in case of a driver is suspended. If a driving license is suspended 3 times, it can be revoked/cancelled and a person may have to go through the process of rehabilitation and getting a Learner’s License and driving license from scratch.
Vehicles that reach 15 demerit points will be disqualified from use until the total falls below 15. Unlike a driving licence, a vehicle licence cannot be cancelled, but a vehicle will be deemed unroadworthy until cleared.
Demerits points are reduced by 1 point every 3 months, where there is no new demerit point accumulated.
All these means that fleet operators have to keep their fingers on the pulse with regard to their drivers and vehicles demerit status. This is critical to manage risks associated with compliance insurance and business continuity.
What happens if I ignore the infringement?
Infringements under AARTO follow a time-based approach, with infringement statuses changing to different levels every 32 days. For example, an infringement issued will change to a courtesy letter status after 32 days, and if still nothing happens, it will move to enforcement order state, which is the state where demerit points are levied and license renewals are also blocked
What if a vehicle is sold?
Demerit points do not stay with the vehicle. They move with the company’s Business Register Number (BRN). Any replacement vehicle in the same class inherits those points.
How can companies manage their infringements and track demerits points?
Raincloud has an automated redirection platform that manages the redirection of infringements and provide for ongoing monitoring and reporting of demerit statuses. Checking drivers’ demerit status before employment is crucial to avoid hiring those close to suspension.
Raincloud also offer advisory services on AARTO legislation, its implications, education and awareness and change management processes for the transition in order to empower both fleet owners and drivers. Contact us to discuss how we can help you navigate the AARTO landscape.