QUEENSLAND

Bowen DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Bowen Magistrates Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Bowen Magistrates Court lists traffic matters at the general criminal callover each Tuesday at 8.30am. We assist clients at Bowen Magistrates Court by appearing at court mentions, guilty pleas and sentencing hearings, preparing comprehensive sentencing submissions and character reference material, advising on compulsory licence disqualification periods and mandatory alcohol interlock rules under Queensland law, and preparing section 87 restricted work licence and special hardship order applications.

  • Court: Bowen Magistrates Court, PO Box 205, Bowen Qld 4805. Phone (07) 4793 5300. Street address (see court details).
  • Listings (2026 calendar): general criminal callover, arrests and traffic each Tuesday at 8.30am.
  • Licence: disqualification is mandatory on conviction. A work licence is possible only in limited cases and never at 0.15 or more.

Queensland law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

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Bowen Magistrates Court, a two-storey cream heritage building with arched verandahs, maroon iron lace balustrades and palm trees, with the Boorman Lawyers logo and phone number 1300 941 900
What's on this page

What happens to your licence after a Bowen drink driving charge?

Your licence is affected in stages, and some of them happen before you ever reach court. This is the order in which it happens in Queensland under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (TORUM).

Stage What happens to your licence When it applies
1. At the roadside 24-hour suspension Readings under 0.10
2. Immediate suspension until court Your licence stays suspended until the charge is finished Readings of 0.10 or more, failing to provide a specimen, or another charge pending (s 79B)
3. Before sentence A s 79E order may let you drive during an immediate suspension, in limited cases Apply to the court soon after the suspension
4. At sentence Mandatory disqualification on conviction (s 86) Every drink driving conviction
5. At sentence Possible restricted (work) licence instead of a full disqualification (s 87) Only if eligible; never at 0.15 or more
6. After disqualification Probationary licence for at least 1 year When you are relicensed
7. After disqualification Interlock for at least 12 months of driving (s 91N) Readings of 0.10 or more, UIL, failing to provide a specimen, or 2 offences in 5 years (s 91I)

The stages are explained by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) on its being charged with drink driving page. Below, each one is broken down for a first offence.

How long will you be disqualified?

The Magistrate must disqualify you, but chooses the length within a range set by section 86. For a first offence:

  • Learner, P, probationary or unlicensed, any reading over zero: 3 to 9 months.
  • 0.05 to under 0.10 on an open licence: 2 to 9 months.
  • 0.10 to under 0.15: 3 to 12 months.
  • 0.15 or more (UIL): at least 6 months.

A repeat offence within 5 years raises the ranges and can mean vehicle impoundment. The court weighs your reading, the circumstances of the driving and the danger to the public. The fines and prison maximums for each offence are in our Queensland drink driving offences guide.

Can you keep driving for work?

A restricted licence lets you drive for work only, under conditions, instead of serving a full disqualification. Under section 87 you must be fit and proper to drive and show that losing your licence would cause you or your family extreme hardship by depriving you of the means of earning a living. According to TMR, you are not eligible if, among other things:

  • you did not hold an open Queensland licence;
  • your reading was 0.15 or more;
  • you were driving for work, or driving a truck or other particular vehicle, at the time;
  • your licence was suspended, cancelled or disqualified in the past 5 years;
  • you had a drink driving, drug driving or dangerous driving conviction in the past 5 years.

You must apply in court after the finding of guilt and before the disqualification is ordered. For a middle alcohol limit offence (0.10 to under 0.15, s 79(1F)), the restricted licence is subject to the interlock condition (TORUM s 87 note and s 91K, checked 20 Oct 2026). Our DUI restricted work licence guide covers the affidavit and employer evidence you need.

What if your licence was suspended on the spot?

If police suspended your licence immediately, it stays suspended until the charge is dealt with, which can take weeks. In some cases you can apply to the court for a section 79E order allowing you to drive in the meantime. The rules on who can apply are set by regulation and are narrow. See our guide to challenging an immediate police suspension.

What does the interlock mean in practice?

After your disqualification ends, you can only drive a nominated vehicle fitted with an approved alcohol ignition interlock, for a prescribed period of 12 months of driving. If you do not take part, you cannot drive for 5 years (TMR – interlocks). For people in the Whitsunday region who drive long distances for work, the cost and the logistics of fitting and servicing an interlock should be planned well ahead. Our QLD alcohol interlock guide covers costs and exemptions.

Can avoiding a conviction save your licence?

No. The Magistrate can decide not to record a conviction under section 12 of the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992, which can matter for employment and travel. But in Queensland the disqualification still applies whether or not a conviction is recorded. See our no conviction drink driving guide for Queensland.

How are drink driving matters listed at Bowen?

According to the court's 2026 calendar, the general criminal callover, which includes arrests and traffic matters, is held each Tuesday at 8.30am. An ATSILS callover is held on the last Tuesday of the month, and hearings are listed on the second Friday of the month. Bowen Show Day (23 June) is a local holiday. Check the date and time on your Notice to Appear, arrive early and bring your documents in printed form.

The town sits on the Bruce Highway, and local drivers may work in horticulture, mining, tourism or transport, sometimes with long distances between home and work. That is often the main evidence in a licence or penalty argument, so it is worth gathering early.

Which courts are near Bowen?

Every other court is in our QLD courts we attend directory.

Queensland penalty changes in 2026: check your offence date (law checked 20 Oct 2026).

Offences on or after 31 August 2026: higher maximum fines apply. They are 20 penalty units ($3,454) for the general alcohol limit and no alcohol limit offences, 28 ($4,835.60) for the middle alcohol limit and 40 ($6,908) for driving under the influence of liquor or a drug. A first general alcohol limit conviction (0.05 to under 0.10) on an open licence now carries 2 to 9 months' disqualification. For offences before 31 August 2026 it was 1 to 9 months. Police can now give an eligible first low-range driver on an open Queensland licence an infringement notice of $1,295 instead of a court charge. Unless the driver elects to go to court, a 2-month disqualification follows. It counts as a conviction, and there is no work licence for that period. Drug driving (a relevant drug present) has not changed yet. The maximum is 14 penalty units ($2,417.80) or 3 months, with 1 to 9 months' disqualification on an open licence and 3 to 9 months for learner, P-plate and unlicensed drivers.

Offences on or after 1 December 2026: minimum fines start for drink and drug driving. For example, the minimum is 7.5 penalty units for low range and for drug driving. The drug driving maximum rises to 28 penalty units, and a first offence on an open licence carries 2 to 9 months' disqualification. A new offence of driving with a relevant drug present while over an alcohol limit adds 1 month to the disqualification range.

An offence committed before a change is generally dealt with under the penalties in force when it happened. Sources: TORUM ss 78E, 79, 79B, 79H–79J and 86, as amended by the Queensland Community Safety Act 2024 and the Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026. Penalty unit $172.70 from 1 July 2026.

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Bowen drink driving FAQs

When does Bowen court hear traffic matters?

The 2026 calendar lists the general criminal callover, including arrests and traffic, every Tuesday at 8.30am. Your Notice to Appear sets your actual date.

Where is Bowen Magistrates Court?

The Queensland Courts directory gives 30 Williams Street, Bowen, with postal address PO Box 205, Bowen Qld 4805, and phone (07) 4793 5300. The court's 2026 calendar gives a different street address, so confirm with the registry before you travel.

Can I get a work licence for a reading of 0.16?

No. A reading of 0.15 or more makes you ineligible for a restricted licence under section 87. You will serve the full disqualification, at least 6 months for a first offence, followed by the interlock.

Is a special hardship order available for drink driving?

Not for a drink driving disqualification. The options are a section 79E order while an immediate suspension is in force, if you are eligible, and a section 87 restricted licence at sentence.

Will I have to use an interlock for a reading of 0.07?

Not for a first offence. Interlock applies to readings of 0.10 or more, UIL, failing to provide a specimen for analysis, and to anyone with two or more drink driving offences within 5 years.

What licence will I get back after disqualification?

A probationary licence for at least 1 year, plus the interlock if it applies to your offence.

Sources and date checked

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

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

Bowen Magistrates Court — court details

Bowen Magistrates Court

Street
30 Williams Street, Bowen QLD 4805
Postal
PO Box 205, Bowen Qld 4805
Phone
(07) 4793 5300
Email
courthouse.bowen@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours
8.30am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 4.30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday · 8.30am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 4.00pm Tuesday
Facilities
Videoconferencing · remote witness room
➜ Get directions

Queensland Courts, Magistrates Courts directory (saved 19 Oct 2026) and Bowen Magistrates Court 2026 calendar (checked 20 Oct 2026). The directory gives 30 Williams Street; the calendar gives 50 Livingstone Street. These are the court registry's details, not Boorman Lawyers office details. Check your court papers for your listing time and courtroom.

QLD Traffic Law

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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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