QUEENSLAND

Brisbane DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Brisbane Magistrates Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Brisbane Magistrates Court at 363 George Street lists traffic matters in Court 35 at 9am. The day depends on your surname: A–F on Monday, G–M Tuesday, N–S Wednesday and T–Z Thursday. We assist clients at Brisbane 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: Brisbane Magistrates Court, 363 George Street. Phone 1800 325 085. Arrest courts are at 240 Roma Street.
Traffic list: Court 35 at 9am, with the day set by surname (2026 calendar). S 87 and s 131 applications have their own listings.
Law: Queensland Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995. Disqualification, work licence (s 87) and interlock (s 91I) rules.

Queensland law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

Call 1300 941 900 Make an enquiry about legal representation

General image – not this courthouse.

What's on this page

What are your options for a drink or drug driving charge in Brisbane?

All of the options below are under Queensland law. Which one suits you depends on the evidence and your circumstances.

Option	When it applies	What you need	Queensland law reference
Plead guilty on the first Court 35 date	You accept the charge and are ready to be sentenced	A Traffic Offenders Program certificate, references and a lift home	TORUM ss 79 and 86 (penalty and mandatory disqualification)
Seek an adjournment	You need time to get the police brief, finish a program or prepare a work licence application	A reason the magistrate will accept. Any suspension until court continues	Magistrates Court practice
Plead not guilty	You dispute the driving, the test procedure or the identification	Your matter is set down for a hearing on a later date	TORUM s 80 (breath and specimen procedures)
Apply for a work licence (s 87)	You held an open Queensland licence, were under 0.15, and were not driving for work or in a truck or bus	Form F3181, affidavits, and proof of extreme hardship	TORUM s 87
Ask that no conviction be recorded	On sentence, as part of a guilty plea	Character material. Note that this does not avoid the disqualification	Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (Qld) s 12
Apply for a s 79E order before court	You are suspended until court after a 0.10+ reading, and you meet the narrow criteria	An application to the court	TORUM s 79E

What does the law say about your licence?

All of the following comes from Queensland's Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (TORUM) and the Transport and Main Roads guidance.

Before court. A reading under 0.10 means a 24-hour suspension. You are suspended until the charge is decided if:

the reading was 0.10 or more;
you failed to provide a specimen for analysis; or
you were charged again while another drink driving charge was pending.

A s 79E order permitting some driving before then is possible only in limited situations. Our special hardship licence guide explains it.

At court. A guilty plea brings a disqualification. Declining to record a conviction does not change that. For a first offence, the ranges are:

no alcohol limit (for example, learners and P-platers over 0.00): 3 to 9 months, with a maximum of 20 penalty units ($3,454) or 3 months' jail;
0.05 up to 0.10: 2 to 9 months, with the same maximum;
0.10 up to 0.15: 3 to 12 months, with a maximum of 28 penalty units ($4,835) or 6 months;
0.15 or more, under the influence, or failing to provide a specimen: a minimum of 6 months, with a maximum of 40 penalty units ($6,908) or 9 months.

A conviction in the previous 5 years means heavier penalties. See our QLD drink driving penalties guide.

After court. You come back on a probationary licence for at least a year. You need an interlock for 12 months if:

your reading was 0.10 or more;
you were convicted of under the influence or failing to provide a specimen; or
this was a repeat offence within 5 years.

These rules come from TORUM ss 91I and 91N. Our QLD alcohol interlock guide covers fitting, costs and removal.

Can a CBD worker get a work licence?

Only if you meet every condition in TORUM s 87. You must have held an open Queensland licence and been under 0.15. You must not have been driving for work or in a truck, bus or other particular vehicle. You also cannot have had a suspension, cancellation, disqualification, or drink or drug driving conviction in the past 5 years. Then you must prove you are a fit and proper person, and that refusal would cause extreme hardship to you or your family by taking away your means of earning a living (TMR – restricted licence). In the CBD, it helps to explain in your affidavits why public transport cannot get you to work, using your shift times and work locations. Our DUI restricted work licence guide explains what to include.

Which day is your Brisbane traffic matter listed?

At Brisbane, the traffic list is sorted by surname. The 2026 calendar for Brisbane Magistrates Court lists traffic matters in Court 35 at 9am. These include arrests, Notices to Appear, and complaint and summons matters.

Defendant's surname	Traffic list day
A – F	Monday
G – M	Tuesday
N – S	Wednesday
T – Z	Thursday

Your Notice to Appear or bench charge sheet gives the date and courtroom. If it says something different from this table, follow the notice. The listings do not run on public holidays, which include the Ekka holiday (Wednesday 12 August in 2026). Work licence (s 87) and s 131 applications are listed separately on set days.

George Street or Roma Street?

There are 2 Magistrates Court complexes in the CBD. The George Street complex at 363 George Street houses the registry and Court 35. The Roma Street Arrest Courts complex at 240 Roma Street deals with people held in custody. Both use the same phone number (1800 325 085) and email address. If you were bailed or given a Notice to Appear, check which address is printed on it.

Checklist for Court 35

Know your list day by surname, and arrive well before 9am.
Bring your Notice to Appear and any police documents.
Bring a Traffic Offenders Program certificate if you have completed one.
Bring signed references that mention the charge.
Bring your work licence application and affidavits, if you are eligible.
Plan how you will get home without driving.

What happens in the courtroom is explained in our Queensland DUI court process guide. If the charge involves a drug rather than alcohol, read our Queensland drug driving guide. For alcohol charge types, see our Queensland drink driving offences guide.

Other Brisbane-area courts

Suburban charges may be listed at Holland Park (about 7 km), Wynnum (about 13 km), Richlands (about 16 km) or Sandgate (about 17 km). For statewide information, see Queensland traffic law.

Practical Video Case Reviews

Short, no-nonsense clips on what changes outcomes—preparation, timing, materials, and realistic expectations. More on BoormanLawyers.tv .

Boorman Lawyers – DUI Case Review (2025) Published 2025-09-23. This outcome was reported in September 2025. Queensland drink driving penalties changed for offences committed from 31 August 2026, so the penalties discussed here may not reflect current law.

Boorman Lawyers – DUI Case Review (2023) This outcome was reported in 2023. Queensland drink driving penalties changed for offences committed from 31 August 2026, so the penalties discussed here may not reflect current law.

Boorman Lawyers – DUI Case Review (2019)

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.

What clients say

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Brisbane drink driving FAQs

My surname starts with H. Which day is my traffic matter?

Under the 2026 calendar, G to M surnames are listed on Tuesdays in Court 35 at 9am. Your notice is the final word.

What is the court's phone number?

1800 325 085, according to the Queensland Courts directory. The (07) 3247 numbers on older pages are not in the current official sources.

Is Roma Street a different court?

It is the Arrest Courts complex of the Brisbane Magistrates Court, at 240 Roma Street, and it deals with custody matters. Check which address your paperwork shows.

Can I get a work licence if I drive a rideshare car?

If you were driving in the course of your work at the time of the offence, you are not eligible for a s 87 licence.

Does a first offence under 0.10 mean I lose my licence?

Yes. On a guilty plea to the general alcohol limit offence, the disqualification is between 2 and 9 months.

Sources and date checked

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

Queensland Courts – Magistrates Courts directory (Brisbane – George Street complex; Roma Street Arrest Courts complex) — checked 19 Oct 2026
Queensland Courts – Brisbane Magistrates Court 2026 calendar (PDF) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (Qld) – reprint current from 21 September 2026 (ss 79, 79E, 80, 86, 87, 91I, 91N) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (Qld) – s 12 (recording of conviction) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Queensland Government (TMR) – Being charged with drink driving — checked 20 Oct 2026
Queensland Government (TMR) – Restricted licence — checked 20 Oct 2026
Queensland Community Safety Act 2024 (Act No. 45), ss 93–104 – TORUM amendments commenced 31 August 2026 — checked 20 Oct 2026
Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026 (Act No. 23) – assent 21 September 2026; pt 10 div 3 commences 1 December 2026 — checked 20 Oct 2026
TORUM legislative history (commencement of amending Acts) — 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.

Brisbane Magistrates Court — court details

Brisbane Magistrates Court

Street: 363 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Postal: GPO Box 1649, Brisbane Qld 4001
Phone: 1800 325 085
Email: courthouse.brisbane@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours: 8.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday
Days open: Traffic (arrests, Notices to Appear, complaint and summons) – Court 35, 9am: A–F Mon · G–M Tue · N–S Wed · T–Z Thu (2026 calendar)
Facilities: Videoconferencing · remote witness room

➜ Get directions

Queensland Courts, Magistrates Courts directory (George Street complex and Roma Street Arrest Courts complex entries, saved 19 Oct 2026) and Brisbane Magistrates Court 2026 calendar (courts.qld.gov.au, checked 20 Oct 2026). The calendar prints the phone as ‘(07) 1800 325 085’ and the postal address as PO Box 1649; the directory gives 1800 325 085 and GPO Box 1649. 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

Choose your QLD traffic law topicQLD

Guides for Queensland traffic law matters.

QLDDrink Driving OffencesRead guide →QLDDrink Driving PenaltiesRead guide →QLDDrink Driving DefencesRead guide →QLDDrug Driving Offences & PenaltiesRead guide →QLDNo Conviction Drink DrivingRead guide →QLDDUI Restricted Work LicenceRead guide →QLDSpecial Hardship LicenceRead guide →QLDAlcohol Interlock LawsRead guide →QLDTraffic Offenders ProgramRead guide →QLDAppeal Immediate DUI Police SuspensionRead guide →QLDDangerous DrivingRead guide →QLDDUI Court Process GuideRead 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.

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