NEW SOUTH WALES

Murwillumbah DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Murwillumbah Local Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Murwillumbah Local Court at 61 Murwillumbah Street hears Tweed Valley drink and drug driving charges and is open Wednesday to Friday. We assist clients at Murwillumbah 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: Murwillumbah Local Court, 61 Murwillumbah Street, Murwillumbah NSW 2484. Phone (02) 6671 5600 or 1300 679 272. Open Wednesday to Friday; registry 9am–1pm and 2pm–4pm.
Post: PO Box 22, Murwillumbah NSW 2484.
Law: Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) s 205; mandatory interlock from mid range; no work licence.

New South Wales law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

Call 1300 941 900 Make an enquiry about legal representation

What's on this page

What should you do first after a Murwillumbah charge?

Start with the items that change the most. The checklist is in three tiers. Do the Must do items in the first week, the Should do items before your court date, and the third tier only if it fits your situation. Murwillumbah Local Court is open Wednesday to Friday only, so plan any registry visit or call around those days.

Must do

[ ] Read your court attendance notice. Note the date, the court and the charge. Rule it serves: missing a court date can lead to the case proceeding without you.
[ ] Check whether your licence was suspended at the roadside. Rule: s 224 of the Road Transport Act allows immediate suspension for mid range, high range, drug-impaired driving and refusal; driving while suspended is a separate offence.
[ ] Work out your range. Rule: s 110 sets novice, special, low, mid and high range, which fix the penalties below.
[ ] Arrange transport for court and work if you cannot drive. Rule: there is no work licence in NSW.
[ ] Get legal advice before you decide how to plead. Rule: whether a defence or a section 10 is open depends on the evidence.

Should do

[ ] Enrol in the Traffic Offenders Program. Ask the provider whether online delivery is accepted for Murwillumbah. Rule: completion is evidence the magistrate can weigh under section 10 and at sentence.
[ ] Ask two or three people for character references who know about the charge and will say so. Rule: they go to whether a conviction should be recorded.
[ ] Order your driving record from Service NSW. Rule: a previous offence within 5 years (s 9) changes everything.
[ ] Write a short personal letter accepting what happened and explaining what has changed.
[ ] Get an employer letter if your job depends on driving, describing the work and the effect of a disqualification.

Only if it applies to you

[ ] Counselling or treatment letters where alcohol or drug use was part of the story.
[ ] Evidence for an interlock exemption where you genuinely meet the grounds (s 212).
[ ] Medical evidence about prescription medication, if a drug charge is involved.
[ ] Queensland licence? Get advice on how a NSW disqualification affects it.
[ ] Paperwork for a suspension appeal, if police suspended you and exceptional circumstances exist (s 268).

What penalty goes with each range?

For a first offence under the Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW):

Novice – under 0.02 for learners, P-platers and unlicensed drivers – and special – 0.02 to under 0.05 for heavy vehicle, bus, taxi and dangerous goods drivers, and for novice drivers – up to $2,200 fine; disqualified 6 months, which can be cut to 3; no interlock.
Low – 0.05 to under 0.08 – same as novice.
Mid – 0.08 to under 0.15 – up to $2,200 and/or 9 months' prison; 3 to 6 months off, then a minimum 12 months on an interlock.
High – 0.15 or more – up to $3,300 and/or 18 months; 6 to 9 months off, then a minimum 24 months on an interlock.
Drug-impaired driving or refusal – high range level.
Illicit drug present – up to $2,200; 6 months off, reducible to 3.

Under s 205, the disqualification starts automatically when you are convicted; the court does not have to order it. A second offence within 5 years makes every number bigger and adds an interlock at every range. Details are on the drink driving penalties in NSW page.

Will you automatically lose your licence?

If you are convicted, yes. Disqualification under s 205 follows automatically, for the periods above. The only way to avoid it at court is a section 10 outcome. Separately, police may already have suspended you on the spot for the more serious charges, and that suspension lasts until court. An appeal against it succeeds only in exceptional circumstances; see our s 268 appeal page.

Is the interlock up to the court?

No, not for mid range, high range, drug-impaired driving or refusal. The court must make a mandatory interlock order unless it makes an exemption order, which leads to a longer disqualification. The interlock runs after the disqualification ends. See how mandatory interlock orders work.

Can you avoid a conviction?

Possibly. Under Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act section 10, the magistrate can dismiss the charge or impose a conditional release order with no conviction. That means no automatic disqualification and no interlock. Section 203 bars a second section 10 for a major offence within 5 years. The checklist items above, especially the traffic offender course, references and employer letter, are what the magistrate looks at. Read more in conviction-free outcomes.

For a first novice, special, low range or drug presence offence, police may issue a penalty notice instead of a court date: a fine and 3 months' suspension, no conviction, but it counts for 5 years.

How is drug driving dealt with?

Presence of THC, methylamphetamine, MDMA or cocaine is enough for an offence under s 111; police do not need to show impairment. A medicinal cannabis prescription is not currently a defence. Section 112, driving under the influence, needs impairment and carries heavier penalties. More on drug driving offences.

A 2026 change is coming. The Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Medical Cannabis and Driving Offences) Act 2026 (NSW) passed in September 2026 but, as at 21 October 2026, has not commenced. Until it starts, the drug presence offence applies to prescribed THC in the same way.

When is a not guilty plea worth considering?

When the evidence has a real weakness: a breath analysis more than 2 hours after driving, a Schedule 3 procedure not followed, a question about who was driving, or a problem with a drug sample. See NSW defence options and the NSW court process.

Where is Murwillumbah Local Court?

At 61 Murwillumbah Street, Murwillumbah NSW 2484, according to the official list. Postal: PO Box 22, Murwillumbah NSW 2484. Phone (02) 6671 5600 or 1300 679 272; fax (02) 6671 5608. Registry and phones 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, Wednesday to Friday. AVL facilities are available. If you are coming from Uki, Tyalgum or the Tweed Coast without a licence, arrange a lift; bus services into town are limited.

Which courts are near Murwillumbah?

Tweed Heads Local Court – about 22 km north-east.
Mullumbimby drink driving matters – about 27 km south.
Ballina DUI charges – about 75 km south.

Every NSW location is on courts we attend.

What clients say

Google reviews (opens in a new tab)Facebook reviews (opens in a new tab)

Murwillumbah drink driving FAQs

What is the correct address for Murwillumbah Local Court?

61 Murwillumbah Street, Murwillumbah NSW 2484.

What days is the court open?

Wednesday to Friday, 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.

What is the phone number?

(02) 6671 5600 or 1300 679 272.

Will I lose my licence for a first low range offence?

Yes, if convicted: 6 months automatically, which can be reduced to 3. A section 10 outcome avoids it.

Is there a work licence in NSW?

No.

Can I do the Traffic Offenders Program online?

Ask the provider whether its online course is accepted for Murwillumbah.

Sources and date checked

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

Local Court of NSW – Court locations M (Murwillumbah) — 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

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

Murwillumbah Local Court — court details

Murwillumbah Local Court

Street: 61 Murwillumbah Street, Murwillumbah NSW 2484
Postal: PO Box 22, Murwillumbah NSW 2484
Phone: (02) 6671 5600 or 1300 679 272
Registry hours: Registry and telephone 9.00am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Days open: Wednesday to Friday
Facilities: Audio visual link (AVL) facilities available

➜ Get directions

Local Court of NSW, Court locations – M (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

Choose your NSW traffic law topicNSW

Guides for New South Wales traffic law matters.

NSWDrink Driving OffencesRead guide →NSWDrink Driving PenaltiesRead guide →NSWDrink Driving DefencesRead guide →NSWDrug Driving Offences & PenaltiesRead guide →NSWHigh Range PCA Guideline JudgmentRead guide →NSWLicence Suspension AppealRead guide →NSWAlcohol Interlock LawsRead guide →NSWNo Conviction Drink DrivingRead guide →NSWTraffic Offenders ProgramRead guide →NSWDUI Court Process GuideRead guide →NSWDangerous DrivingRead guide →NSWDisqualified DrivingRead guide →

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.

No obligationConfidential

Boorman Lawyers TV