How the AARTO checker works
Last updated 10 November 2026
AARTO is the system that deals with road traffic infringements by notice instead of by court summons. Schedule 3 of the AARTO Regulations, 2026 lists every charge by a four-digit code, says whether it is an infringement or an offence, and gives the penalty and the demerit points that go with it.
This page puts that schedule in a searchable form. It holds 2393 charges. It shows what the gazette says. It does not tell you what to do about a fine.
How it works
- Type a charge code, or a few words from the offence, into the search box. The table lists the matching charges with their penalty, the amount if paid in time, and the points.
- To add up points, enter the points already recorded and then the charge codes and how many times each was incurred.
- The result shows the total, how it compares with the limit of 15, and the disqualification period if the total goes over.
Worked example
With the starting figures:
- Charge 4501 is “Operated a vehicle at a speed of 76-80 km/h which is in excess of the general speed limit of 60 km/h which is applicable to that urban road”. The penalty is R 1 000, or R 500 if paid within 32 days, and it carries 1 demerit point.
- Charge 5085 is “Operated a vehicle while a cellular or mobile telephone was held in one or both hands or with any other part of the body”. The penalty is R 2 000 and it carries 3 demerit points.
- Together that is 4 points, with 11 left before the limit is passed.
Where the figures come from
Everything comes from the gazetted regulations: GN R.7646 in Government Gazette 54922 of 30 June 2026, which we downloaded from gov.za, and the Act as amended in 2019. A penalty unit is worth R 100 under Schedule 2, so a penalty is its units times that value. Paying within 32 days earns a 50% discount. The register on how we check figures shows the dates and what is still unconfirmed.
Infringements and offences
An infringement has a fixed penalty and is dealt with by notice. An offence has no fixed penalty amount in Schedule 3 and goes to court, so the tool shows “No fixed penalty” for it. Both kinds can carry demerit points.
The points limit and disqualification
Regulation 20(6) sets the total at 15. A person who goes over it is disqualified from driving. The Act sets the period at 3 months for each point over. So a total of 17 would mean 6 months. A third disqualification cancels the licence.
Is it in force where you live?
The RTIA said on 1 July 2026 that AARTO Phase 2 was starting in 62 municipalities, after Johannesburg and Tshwane. On 5 June 2025 it said the demerit point system would come as part of Phase 3. We found no official start date for demerit points, so none is shown.
Those are the RTIA’s own statements, with their dates. Rollout is by municipality, so what applies to a particular notice depends on where it was issued. Check with the RTIA.
How we read Schedule 3
Schedule 3 is published as scanned page images. We read it with software and checked every row: the penalty must equal the penalty units times the unit value, the discounted amount must be half of it, and every points figure was compared with the image. The charge wording is shown only where repeated readings agreed and every word checked out; other charges show their code, penalty and points only.
Two charges, codes 2364 and 2438, are left out because their points figure could not be read with confidence.
Always check a charge against the gazette before you rely on it.
What this page does not do
It does not look up a person’s actual fines or points. Only the Authority’s register has those, and nothing you type here is sent or saved. It does not tell you whether to pay, make a representation or appeal. This is information from public documents, not legal advice.
Things to watch
- The schedule can be amended. Check the current gazette.
- Where a charge shows no wording, use its code to find it in Schedule 3.
- Points are only part of the picture: Points are recorded against a person in the National Road Traffic Offences Register. Only the Authority’s register has a person’s real total.
Related: the toll route cost calculator and the car ownership cost calculator. Read the full disclaimer.