NEW SOUTH WALES

Newcastle DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Newcastle Local and District Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Newcastle Local and District Court at 343 Hunter Street hears drink and drug driving charges from Newcastle, Lake Macquarie's northern suburbs and Port Stephens' fringe, Monday to Friday. We assist clients at Newcastle Local and District 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: Newcastle Local and District Court, 343 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300. Phone 1300 679 272. Registry 9am–4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
  • Post: PO Box 388, Newcastle NSW 2300.
  • Law: s 205 automatic disqualification; mandatory interlock from mid range; s 10 and s 203 limits; no work licence.

New South Wales law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

Call 1300 941 900Make an enquiry about legal representation
Newcastle Local and District Court on Hunter Street, New South Wales, with the Boorman Lawyers logo and phone number 1300 941 900
What's on this page

Where will your Newcastle matter be heard?

At 343 Hunter Street, where Newcastle's Local Court and District Court share one courthouse in the city's justice precinct.

Three things to know:

  1. The Local Court deals with almost every drink and drug driving charge. The District Court upstairs hears appeals from it.
  2. The registry is open 9am to 4.30pm and phones are answered from 8.30am to 4.30pm on 1300 679 272, Monday to Friday.
  3. Your court attendance notice names the court. Charges from Belmont, Toronto, Raymond Terrace or Maitland may be listed at those courts instead, so follow the notice.

Will a conviction mean losing your licence?

Yes – s 205 of the Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW) disqualifies you automatically from the day you are convicted.

Three things to know:

  1. The court does not have to make an order; the Act does the work. The magistrate's discretion lies mainly in choosing a period inside the range and in deciding whether to convict at all.
  2. NSW has no work licence. A tradie in Mayfield or a nurse on shifts at John Hunter is in the same position as anyone else.
  3. The only way to avoid disqualification at court is a section 10 outcome, discussed below.

How long is the disqualification?

For a first offence, between 3 months and 9 months off the road, depending on the range, followed by an interlock for mid range and above.

Three things to know, with figures from the TfNSW table:

  1. Novice (under 0.02 for learners, provisional and unlicensed drivers), special (0.02 to under 0.05 for heavy vehicle, bus, taxi and dangerous goods drivers), low (0.05 to under 0.08) and drug presence: 6 months, which the magistrate can reduce to 3; fine up to $2,200; no interlock.
  2. Mid range (0.08 to under 0.15): 3 to 6 months, then a minimum 12-month interlock period; fine up to $2,200 and/or 9 months' prison.
  3. High range (0.15 and over), drug-impaired driving and refusal: 6 to 9 months, then a minimum 24-month interlock period; fine up to $3,300 and/or 18 months' prison.

The full NSW penalty schedule lists the repeat-offence figures.

Is the interlock compulsory?

Yes, for every first-offence mid range, high range, drug-impaired driving and refusal conviction, unless the court makes an exemption order.

Three things to know:

  1. An exemption order under s 212 is narrow and leads to a longer disqualification instead.
  2. On a second offence within 5 years, every range, including novice and low, attracts an interlock.
  3. The device is installed after the disqualification ends and stays until you complete the minimum period. Our page on NSW interlock orders covers the practical side.

Can a Newcastle magistrate avoid recording a conviction?

Sometimes – under section 10 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, the charge can be dismissed or dealt with by a conditional release order without conviction.

Three things to know:

  1. With no conviction there is no s 205 disqualification and no interlock. The text of s 10 lists the matters a court weighs, including character, age and the trivial or extenuating nature of the offence.
  2. Section 203 of the Road Transport Act prevents a second section 10 for a major offence within 5 years of a first.
  3. The higher the reading, the less likely it is. A clean record, genuine references and the NSW Traffic Offenders Program all help. See when s 10 is realistic.

Do all charges go to court?

No – a first novice, special, low range or drug presence offence can be dealt with by a penalty notice instead, at police discretion.

Three things to know:

  1. A penalty notice means a fine and a 3-month suspension, with no conviction recorded.
  2. It still counts as an offence for 5 years, so a later charge would be a second offence.
  3. Mid range, high range, drug-impaired driving and refusal always go to court.

Can police take your licence before court?

Yes, for mid range, high range, drug-impaired driving and refusal – an immediate suspension notice under s 224 runs until the court deals with the charge.

Three things to know:

  1. The suspension starts when police give you the notice, often at the station after the breath analysis.
  2. You can appeal to the Local Court under s 268, but it succeeds only in exceptional circumstances, not simply because a suspension is inconvenient. See our suspension appeal guide.
  3. Driving while suspended is a separate offence with its own penalties; our disqualified and suspended driving page explains them.

Is a second offence treated much more harshly?

Yes – any earlier drink or drug driving offence within 5 years (s 9) lifts the maximums, the disqualification periods and the interlock requirement.

Three things to know:

  1. A penalty notice counts as the earlier offence, even with no conviction.
  2. Second-offence maximums rise to as much as $5,500 and/or 2 years' prison for high range.
  3. Prison becomes a real risk at higher ranges, especially combined with dangerous or disqualified driving.

Does drug driving need proof you were affected?

No for the presence offence, yes for driving under the influence.

Three things to know:

  1. Section 111 makes it an offence to drive with THC, methylamphetamine, MDMA or cocaine present, whatever the effect.
  2. A medicinal cannabis prescription is not currently a defence to presence, although the issue has attracted reform proposals.
  3. Section 112, driving under the influence of alcohol or any drug, requires impairment and carries high range penalties. See NSW drug driving penalties.

Note the date: Parliament passed a medical cannabis driving reform (Act No 33 of 2026) in September 2026, but no commencement has been proclaimed as at 21 October 2026. For now, a prescription for THC is still not a defence to driving with cannabis present.

Is the charge worth contesting?

Only where there is a genuine weakness in the evidence or procedure.

Three things to know:

  1. A breath analysis generally must be done within 2 hours of driving and follow Schedule 3 of the Act.
  2. Whether you were driving or in control of the vehicle can be disputed.
  3. The collection and testing of a drug sample can be examined. Our NSW defences guide explains each.

What if you hold an interstate licence?

The charge is still dealt with under NSW law at Newcastle, and a NSW disqualification is usually reported to your home licensing authority.

Three things to know:

  1. The NSW court can disqualify you from driving in NSW.
  2. How your home state treats that disqualification depends on its own law.
  3. Get advice early, especially if you need to drive for work in more than one state.

Do you have to attend in person?

Usually yes, although the magistrate can allow appearance by audio visual link in some circumstances.

Three things to know:

  1. AVL facilities are available at Newcastle.
  2. A request should be made well before the court date, not on the morning.
  3. If you do not appear and have not arranged otherwise, the court can deal with the matter in your absence or issue a warrant.

Can a Newcastle sentence be appealed?

Yes – to the District Court, which sits in the same Hunter Street building.

Three things to know:

  1. An appeal against severity is generally lodged within 28 days of sentence.
  2. The District Court hears the matter afresh and can increase as well as reduce the penalty.
  3. Appealing does not automatically stay a disqualification; ask about a stay when lodging. The DUI court process guide shows where appeals fit.

How do you get to Hunter Street without a licence?

By train or light rail in most cases – the courthouse is in the west end of the city, near Newcastle Interchange at Wickham.

Three things to know:

  1. Trains on the Hunter and Central Coast and Newcastle lines terminate at Newcastle Interchange, and the light rail runs along the city towards the beach.
  2. Buses from Lake Macquarie, Charlestown and the western suburbs connect to the interchange.
  3. If you are suspended and a friend drives you, make sure you do not move the car during an adjournment.

What happens on the day of a guilty plea?

You arrive, find your courtroom on the list, wait for your matter to be called, and the magistrate sentences you that day in most straightforward cases.

Three things to know:

  1. Allow time for security screening at the entrance, then check the printed or screen list for your courtroom.
  2. When your name is called, the prosecutor tenders the police facts and your record, and you or your lawyer hand up references and certificates and make submissions.
  3. The magistrate announces the outcome, including any fine, conditional release order or community correction order, the disqualification and any interlock order. Ask the registry for a copy of the orders before you leave.

What material helps at sentence?

Documents that show who you are, why this happened, and why it will not happen again.

Three things to know:

  1. References from people who know about the charge and say so, signed and dated. Two or three strong ones usually do more than a pile of generic letters.
  2. A Traffic Offenders Program certificate and, where alcohol or drugs were part of the problem, a counsellor's or doctor's letter.
  3. An employer letter where your job depends on driving. It cannot create a licence, but it shows the real effect of a conviction and disqualification, which matters to section 10 and to where in the range the penalty falls.

What does the Traffic Offenders Program involve?

A road safety education course, completed before sentence, that a magistrate can take into account.

Three things to know:

  1. It is voluntary and the magistrate decides how much weight to give it, but completion is concrete evidence of insight.
  2. Courses run in person in the Hunter and online; check with the provider that its course is recognised by NSW courts.
  3. Book early: places and session dates are limited, and you will want the certificate in hand before your court date.

Can you ask for your matter to be adjourned?

Yes, but you need a genuine reason, and it is best raised before the date rather than on the morning.

Three things to know:

  1. Common reasons include waiting for the police brief, finishing a Traffic Offenders Program course or obtaining a medical or counselling report.
  2. The magistrate may refuse if the matter has already been adjourned or the reason is thin, and may proceed to sentence that day.
  3. An immediate suspension keeps running while the case is adjourned, so delay has a cost; time already spent suspended is usually taken into account when the disqualification is set.

What are the court's official details?

343 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300, open Monday to Friday.

Three things to know:

  1. Postal: PO Box 388, Newcastle NSW 2300. Phone 1300 679 272; fax (02) 4921 2222.
  2. Registry 9am to 4.30pm; telephone 8.30am to 4.30pm. AVL facilities are available.
  3. Bring your notice, driving record, references and any program certificate in printed form.

Which courts are near Newcastle?

The full list is on NSW courts we attend.

Newcastle DUI Video Case Reviews

Newcastle DUI Case Review - February 2024 Newcastle drink driving case review recorded on 2 February 2024, outlining preparation steps, court submissions and the final sentence imposed. Published 2024-02-02.
Newcastle DUI Case Review - July 2023 Earlier Newcastle DUI matter from 25 July 2023 highlighting how strong references, program completion and early remorse can influence the outcome. Published 2023-07-25.

What clients say

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

Newcastle drink driving FAQs

What is the address of Newcastle Local Court?

343 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300, in the building shared with the District Court.

What are the registry hours?

9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Phones open at 8.30am.

Is there a work licence in NSW?

No. A disqualification means no driving of any kind.

Will I need an interlock for a mid range first offence?

Yes, unless the court makes an exemption order or deals with the charge under section 10.

Does a penalty notice count if I'm charged again?

Yes, for 5 years.

Can I use medicinal cannabis and drive?

Not without risk: a prescription is not currently a defence to the presence offence.

Sources and date checked

Sources and references for this page, 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.

Newcastle Local and District Court — court details

Newcastle Local and District Court

Street
343 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Postal
PO Box 388, Newcastle NSW 2300
Phone
1300 679 272
Registry hours
Registry 9.00am – 4.30pm; telephone 8.30am – 4.30pm
Days open
Monday to Friday
Facilities
Audio visual link (AVL) facilities available
➜ Get directions

Local Court of NSW, Court locations – N (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

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

Real court days, NSW & QLD

Behind-the-scenes footage and case discussions from court days across New South Wales and Queensland.

Visit Boorman Lawyers TV →
Country to city — on the road to court (full 24s cut)
▶Sydney DUI Lawyer gets DUI & Disqualified Driving Offences Dismissed9:52 · NSW▶Cloncurry DUI Lawyers - Fishing Trip Ends in 2 x Drug Driving Case6:38 · QLD▶Parramatta DUI Lawyer: Case Study & Legal Advice6:39 · NSW▶Brisbane DUI Lawyer Explains: Minimum Penalty for Low Range Drink Driving6:04 · QLD▶Katoomba DUI Lawyer Shares How Cases Get Dismissed6:02 · NSW▶Cairns DUI Lawyer Shares Key Insights on Drink Driving Case4:19 · QLD▶How Lismore Drug Driving Lawyer Defended Repeat Offender at Court3:56 · NSW▶A week in the life of a Travelling Lawyer in 1 minute0:55 · NSW + QLD
Courts we attend

Find your court

Search for your courthouse to learn more about our legal services in your area.

Charged with a drink or drug driving offence?

Talk to us about legal representation for your court date.

Call 1300 941 900
Mon–Fri 8:30am – 6:00pmWe represent clients at courts throughout QLD, NSW & the ACT
Call 1300 941 900Make an enquiry