NEW SOUTH WALES

Kurri Kurri DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Kurri Kurri Local Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Kurri Kurri Local Court on Lang Street opens only on list days – the Tuesday of weeks 2 and 4 each month – and its post goes to the Cessnock registry. We assist clients at Kurri Kurri Local Court by appearing at court mentions, guilty pleas and sentencing hearings, preparing comprehensive sentencing submissions and character reference material, advising on licence disqualification periods and mandatory alcohol interlock rules under New South Wales law, and preparing Section 10 non-conviction applications.

Court: Kurri Kurri Local Court, Lang Street, Kurri Kurri NSW 2327. Phone 1300 679 272. Open on list days only: Tuesday of weeks 2 and 4; registry 9.30am–1pm and 2pm–3.30pm.
Post: PO Box 24, Cessnock NSW 2325.
Law: a conviction disqualifies you automatically (s 205); no work licence in NSW.

New South Wales law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

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What's on this page

What does each penalty look like for each charge?

Read across a row to compare charges, or down a column to see everything one charge brings. This is a first offence under the Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW), assuming a conviction.

Consequence	Novice, special or low range, or drug present	Mid range (0.08 to under 0.15)	High range (0.15+), DUI or refusal
Maximum fine	$2,200	$2,200	$3,300
Maximum prison	None	9 months	18 months
Time off the road	6 months automatic; may be reduced to 3	3 to 6 months	6 to 9 months
Interlock	Not required	At least 12 months after the off-road period	At least 24 months after the off-road period
Conviction record	Yes, unless dealt with under section 10	Yes, unless section 10	Yes, unless section 10
Getting your licence back	Reapply when the period ends	Interlock licence, then unrestricted once program requirements are met	Same, after the longer program

Ranges (s 110): novice means any alcohol below 0.02 for learner, provisional and unlicensed drivers; special means 0.02 to below 0.05 for drivers of heavy vehicles, buses, taxis and dangerous goods vehicles; low means 0.05 to below 0.08.

How big can the fine be?

The column figures are maximums, not standard amounts. They are expressed in penalty units, each worth $110, so $2,200 is 20 units and $3,300 is 30. The magistrate sets the actual fine taking into account your circumstances, including your ability to pay. Bring evidence of income and commitments if money is tight. A penalty notice, available for a first novice, special, low range or drug presence offence, uses a fixed amount instead and comes with a 3-month suspension; the current figure is on the Transport for NSW penalties table.

Could you go to prison?

The law allows it for mid range, high range, DUI and refusal. In practice, prison for a first offence is reserved for the most serious cases, such as very high readings with dangerous driving or a crash causing injury. It becomes a bigger risk for repeat offences and for driving while disqualified. Other options the court has include community correction orders and conditional release orders.

How long will you be off the road?

Disqualification is automatic on conviction under s 205. For the lower charges, the automatic period is 6 months, and the magistrate can reduce it to as little as 3. For mid and high range, DUI and refusal, the off-road period is the first part of an interlock order. NSW has no work licence, hardship licence or restricted licence for these offences, so you cannot drive at all during that time, including to a mine site, a job in Newcastle or a shift at the Hydro site.

Before court, police can also take your licence for mid range, high range, DUI and refusal using an immediate suspension notice (s 224). Because Kurri Kurri sits only twice a month, plan for that suspension lasting weeks. A Local Court appeal under s 268 can lift it only in exceptional circumstances; read about appealing a NSW suspension.

What does the interlock row actually involve?

For mid range and above, the court must make an interlock order on conviction. After the off-road period, you enrol with an approved provider, have a breath-testing device fitted to your vehicle, and hold an interlock licence for the minimum period. The device must be serviced at set intervals, and you pay the lease, installation and servicing costs. If you never enter the program, you remain disqualified for 5 years.

The court can make an exemption order only on narrow grounds, such as no access to a vehicle or a medical condition, and an exemption means a longer disqualification instead. Providers are listed on the TfNSW interlock page; our interlock order guide for NSW explains the stages.

Will it show on your criminal record?

If a conviction is recorded, yes. Drink and drug driving convictions are criminal convictions, and they can matter for some jobs, travel and licences. A conviction generally becomes spent after 10 years without further offending. The way to avoid a record is a section 10 order: under s 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, the magistrate may dismiss the charge or make a conditional release order without conviction, and then there is no disqualification or interlock either. Section 203 of the Road Transport Act bars it if you have had a section 10 for a major offence in the previous 5 years. We cover when it is open in non-conviction orders for drink driving.

What happens when you want your licence back?

You do not get it back automatically. When a plain disqualification ends, you apply for a new licence. After an interlock order, you apply for an interlock licence and later an unrestricted licence once the program is complete. After a second or later offence, you must also pass the Driver Knowledge Test.

What if this is not your first offence?

Any drink or drug driving offence in the previous 5 years, including one dealt with by penalty notice, makes the new charge a second offence (s 9). Every row in the table gets heavier: higher maximum fines and prison terms, longer disqualifications, an interlock for every drink driving range, and the knowledge test before relicensing. For instance, a second high range offence means 9 to 12 months off the road and then at least 48 months on an interlock. The full set is on our NSW drink driving penalty page.

What about drug driving?

Driving with an illicit drug present (s 111) sits in the first column. Police only need to prove THC, methylamphetamine, MDMA or cocaine was present, not that it affected you. Driving under the influence (s 112) is in the third column. See NSW drug driving charges explained.

What can affect where you land within a row?

The magistrate weighs the reading, the driving, the reason you drove, your record, and what you have done since. Useful material includes a Traffic Offenders Program certificate, references from people who know about the charge, a letter from your employer about rosters and travel, your driving record, and any medical or counselling reports. If you dispute the evidence, such as the 2-hour rule for breath analysis or whether you were driving, see contesting drink driving in NSW.

What happens on a Kurri Kurri list day?

A list day is a short, busy sitting. Many matters are called in the same session, from first mentions to sentences, and the registry opens only for that day. Arrive before the time on your notice, allow for screening at the door, and tell the court officer you are present. When your matter is called, the magistrate will ask how you plead, or, if you have already pleaded guilty, hear submissions on penalty.

If you are pleading guilty and your material is ready, the case may be finished that morning. If it is not ready, the magistrate may adjourn it, and the next Tuesday list could be a fortnight or more away. A pending immediate suspension keeps running in the meantime. If you plead not guilty, a hearing date is set, possibly at another court in the Hunter. Because the building is not staffed between list days, send any documents to the Cessnock postal address well before the date, or bring them with you in two copies.

How do Hunter shift workers plan for time off the road?

Start early, because there is no work licence to fall back on. People on mine, construction or manufacturing rosters across the Lower Hunter often face 12-hour shifts that start before public transport runs. Practical steps include asking about a car-pool or site bus, talking to your employer about duties that do not involve driving, and mapping a route by train from Maitland or Thornton where that is possible. Keep a note of the steps you have taken: a short letter from your employer about the impact of disqualification and the arrangements you have made can be part of the material handed to the magistrate. If an interlock order is likely, find out which provider can service the device near Kurri Kurri, Cessnock or Maitland before the off-road period ends, so there is no gap when you become eligible.

Could a first low range charge stay out of court?

Sometimes. Since 20 May 2019, police in NSW can deal with a first low range drink driving offence (0.05 to under 0.08) by issuing a penalty notice with an immediate 3-month licence suspension instead of sending you to court. If you pay the notice, no conviction is recorded, but the offence still counts as a prior if you are charged again within 5 years. You can choose to have the matter decided at Kurri Kurri instead. That can be worth it if you dispute the reading or if the suspension would cost you your job, but the court can then impose the full court penalty.

When and where does Kurri Kurri Local Court sit?

The official Local Court list gives Lang Street, Kurri Kurri NSW 2327, with postal address PO Box 24, Cessnock NSW 2325. Phone 1300 679 272 (8.30am to 4.30pm); fax (02) 4063 7004. The registry opens only on list days: the Tuesday of weeks 2 and 4 of each month, from 9.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 3.30pm. If you miss your list day, the next may be two weeks away or more. Our guide to a NSW DUI court day explains what to expect.

Which courts are near Kurri Kurri?

Cessnock Local Court – about 15 km west; its registry handles Kurri Kurri post.
Maitland drink driving charges – about 15 km north-east.
Newcastle DUI matters – about 35 km east via the Hunter Expressway.

See all NSW courts we attend.

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Kurri Kurri drink driving FAQs

What days is Kurri Kurri Local Court open?

According to the official list, only on list days: the Tuesday of weeks 2 and 4 of each month. Phone 1300 679 272 to check.

Where do I post documents?

PO Box 24, Cessnock NSW 2325. The Cessnock registry handles Kurri Kurri mail.

Is jail likely for a first mid range offence?

It is legally possible (up to 9 months), but uncommon for a first offence without aggravating features. Each case depends on its facts.

Does a section 10 avoid the interlock?

Yes. With no conviction, there is no disqualification and no interlock order.

Can I ask for my case to be heard somewhere else?

The court named on your notice decides where the case starts. If attending Kurri Kurri on a Tuesday list day is genuinely difficult, raise it with the registry before the date rather than simply not attending; a magistrate decides any request to transfer or adjourn.

Does a penalty notice count as a first offence?

Yes. It counts as a previous offence for 5 years.

Sources and date checked

Sources and references for this page, checked 20 Oct 2026.

Local Court of NSW – Court locations K (Kurri Kurri) — checked 19 Oct 2026
Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) – ss 9, 110–112, 203, 205, 209–212, 224, 268 — checked 20 Oct 2026
Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) – s 10 — checked 20 Oct 2026
NSW Government (Transport for NSW) – Drink and drug driving penalties — checked 20 Oct 2026
NSW Government (Transport for NSW) – Alcohol Interlock Program — checked 20 Oct 2026

This page is general information about New South Wales law only. It is not legal advice. Every matter turns on its own facts.

Kurri Kurri Local Court — court details

Kurri Kurri Local Court

Street: Lang Street, Kurri Kurri NSW 2327
Postal: PO Box 24, Cessnock NSW 2325
Phone: 1300 679 272
Registry hours: Registry 9.30am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 3.30pm; telephone 8.30am – 4.30pm
Days open: List days only – Tuesday of weeks 2 and 4 of each month

➜ Get directions

Local Court of NSW, Court locations – K (localcourt.nsw.gov.au), saved 19 Oct 2026. These are the court registry's details, not Boorman Lawyers office details. Check your court papers for your listing time and courtroom.

NSW Traffic Law

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Enquire about legal representation

Call 1300 941 900 or make an enquiry about legal representation.

What to have ready

Court & next listing date: Which court is on your paperwork and when your matter is listed.
Charge or reading (if known): Tell us the charge or reading if you have it — you do not need your full police facts yet.
Work & driving needs: Let us know if you rely on your licence for work or family responsibilities.

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