NSW - Please help, might lose my licence over a 7km/h speeding fine and I'm terrified
Hey everyone, genuinely stressed and hoping someone here has been through this.
I'm on a P1 rider licence in NSW. About 10 days ago I got caught doing 67 in a 60 — 7km/h over, first ever offence. I already paid the fine without realising what it actually meant for P1 riders.
Turns out any speeding offence on P1, no matter how minor, triggers an automatic 3-month suspension — separate from demerit points entirely. I didn't know that when I paid.
Since it's already paid, I can't challenge the fine in court anymore. My only option now is to wait for the Notice of Suspension to arrive, then appeal it within 28 days.
Here's why this is hitting hard: I'm a full-time uni student, working shifts that start at 6am, and I rely on my licence to actually get there reliably. I've just bought a car too. A 3-month suspension isn't just inconvenient for me, it genuinely threatens my job. My workplace doesn't have any train station or proper buses.
What I actually need to know: Does a suspension on my rider licence also take out my car licence, since they're both under one licence number? Or are they separate?
Once I appeal the suspension, is a section 10 / no-conviction outcome still possible, or does the appeal only shorten the suspension while the offence stays on record?
Has anyone actually been through this — P1, already paid, appealed the suspension — and can tell me how it went and what actually helped?
I've contacted LawAccess and I'm waiting on a callback from a community legal centre, but I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's been in this exact spot. Even just knowing what to expect would help me stress a lot less right now. Thanks so much for reading, genuinely appreciate any advice.