Driving Under the Influence

Where you have no previous drink driving or drug driving convictions in the last 5 years, you will face the following maximum penalties:

• Automatic licence disqualification period of 1 years, or where the court is convinced otherwise, it can impose a minimum disqualification period of 6 months.
• A maximum term of 9 months imprisonment; and/or
• A maximum fine of up to $2,200

Where you have a previous drink driving or drug driving conviction in the last 5 years, you will face the following maximum penalties:

• Where the interlock program is ordered by the court, you will face a maximum licence disqualification period of 9 month, or a minimum disqualification period of 6 months at the court’s discretion.
• In addition to that, you will then be allowed to drive after that disqualification period as long as you have an interlock device installed in your car for the next 2 years of driving.
• A maximum term of imprisonment of up to 9 months; and/or
• A maximum fine of up to $2,200

Where the interlock program isn’t ordered on you, you will face the following maximum penalties:

• Automatic licence disqualification period of 3 years, or where the court is convinced otherwise, it can impose a minimum disqualification period of 1 year.
• A maximum term of 1 year imprisonment; and/or
• A maximum fine of up to $3,300

While those penalties are maximums, the court rarely give the maximum penalties, and usually save the maximums for the most serious offenders.
However, getting a non-conviction as a penalty will mean you don’t get any of the above penalties, in addition, you will end up avoiding a criminal record.