QUEENSLAND

Dalby DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Dalby Magistrates Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Dalby Magistrates Court calls traffic matters at 9am on Tuesdays and hears restricted licence applications at 2pm the same day, except during District Court sittings. We assist clients at Dalby 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: Dalby Magistrates Court, corner Cunningham and Drayton Streets, Dalby Qld 4405. Phone (07) 4596 9000.
  • Lists (2026 calendar): general callover, traffic and remands 9am Tuesdays; restricted licence applications 2pm Tuesdays; special hardship applications 2pm Mondays.
  • Licence: disqualification on every conviction; interlock from 0.10.

Queensland law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

Dalby Magistrates Court building, Queensland, with the Boorman Lawyers logo and phone number 1300 941 900
What's on this page

Will you lose your licence for a Dalby drink driving charge?

Yes, if you are convicted. Under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (TORUM) s 86, a magistrate must disqualify you for every drink driving offence, even if no conviction is recorded. There is no option of a fine on its own. The only questions are how long the disqualification is, and whether a restricted licence can keep you driving for work.

For a first offence, the range depends on the limit you exceeded:

Limit exceeded Disqualification range Interlock afterwards
No alcohol limit (learner, P-plate, some heavy vehicle drivers) 3 to 9 months (1 month minimum for some vehicles) Only if 0.10 or more
General alcohol limit, 0.05 to under 0.10 2 to 9 months Not for a first offence
Middle alcohol limit, 0.10 to under 0.15 3 to 12 months 12 months
High alcohol limit, 0.15 or more At least 6 months 12 months
Under the influence, or failing to provide a specimen At least 6 months 12 months

"Low", "mid" and "high range" are informal labels, not the TORUM terms. A second offence within five years carries much longer periods. The drink driving penalties page lists the fines and repeat-offence periods, and the drink driving offences guide explains each charge.

What happens to your licence before the court date?

That depends on the reading. Under TORUM s 79B:

Reading under 0.10, with no other drink driving charge pending: your licence is suspended for 24 hours. After that you can usually drive until the court date.

Reading of 0.10 or more, failing to provide a specimen, or another charge pending: your licence is suspended from the moment you are charged until the charge is decided. That time off the road is not automatically credited against the disqualification the court later imposes.

A s 79E order may let some drivers keep driving until the court date in limited circumstances. The application has strict eligibility rules and must be made quickly after the charge, so get advice straight away if you want to consider it.

For Western Downs drivers who travel between properties, feedlots, gas fields and towns like Chinchilla, Miles and Oakey, the pre-court suspension is often the first real hit. Plan transport from the day of the charge, not the day of court.

Can a restricted licence keep you driving for work?

Possibly. A restricted (work) licence under TORUM s 87 lets you drive for work during the disqualification, within conditions the magistrate sets. You must meet every one of the starting conditions:

  1. Licence type. Only an open Queensland licence qualifies. Learner, provisional and probationary holders are excluded.
  2. Reading. It must have been below 0.15.
  3. What you were doing. You cannot have been driving as part of your job, or behind the wheel of a truck, bus or similar vehicle, at the time.
  4. Your record. No suspension, cancellation or disqualification of any licence, and no relevant drink driving conviction, in the previous five years.

If you meet all four, you must then show that refusing the licence would cause extreme hardship to you or your family by depriving you of your means of earning a living, and that you are a fit and proper person to drive. A restricted licence granted for a reading of 0.10 or more carries an interlock condition (s 87 note and s 91K).

The application is made after the finding of guilt and before the disqualification is ordered. Once the magistrate disqualifies you without a restricted licence, the chance has gone.

When does Dalby hear restricted licence applications?

The 2026 calendar for Dalby Magistrates Court has a separate Restricted Licence Applications list at 2pm on Tuesdays, the same days as the 9am traffic callover. That lets a guilty plea in the morning be followed by the application in the afternoon. Confirm with the registry that your application is listed for the afternoon of your court day.

The restricted work licence guide explains the affidavits, the employer evidence and what the magistrate looks for.

Is a special hardship licence the same thing?

No. A special hardship licence is a different order, used for some suspensions such as a demerit point suspension. It is not available for a court-ordered drink driving disqualification. At Dalby, special hardship applications are listed at 2pm on Mondays, in the civil and QCAT list, not with the Tuesday restricted licence list.

If your problem is a drink driving charge, the s 87 restricted licence is the one to look at.

When does Dalby court list traffic matters?

Dalby Magistrates Court lists traffic matters in its General Callover, Traffic and Remands list at 9am on Tuesdays. The calendar leaves out the weeks when the District Court sits at Dalby. Reading the calendar's columns, the remaining 2026 traffic callovers fall on:

  • Tuesday 27 October
  • Tuesdays 3 and 10 November
  • Tuesdays 1, 8 and 15 December

There are no traffic callovers during the District Court sittings of 12 to 23 October and 16 to 27 November. If your Notice to Appear gives a different date, follow the notice.

Dalby list Day Time
General callover, traffic and remands Tuesdays 9am
Restricted licence applications Tuesdays 2pm
Children's Court, domestic violence Mondays 9am
Civil, QCAT and special hardship applications Mondays 2pm

The current calendar is on the Queensland Courts calendars page.

What happens on the day of court?

At the 9am callover you can plead guilty and be sentenced, ask for an adjournment, or plead not guilty. A not guilty plea is adjourned to a hearing date. The court process guide explains each option.

On a guilty plea, the police prosecutor reads the facts and your traffic history. You or your lawyer then explain your circumstances, and the magistrate sets a fine and the disqualification. The disqualification starts immediately. If you are applying for a restricted licence, the application must be dealt with before the disqualification is ordered, which is why the Tuesday afternoon list matters.

If you think the breath test, the stop or the procedure was flawed, read the drink driving defences page before entering a plea.

What helps the magistrate set a shorter period?

Within the range set by s 86, the magistrate weighs the reading, the manner of driving, your traffic history and your personal circumstances. Material that helps the court see the full picture includes:

  • A certificate from the Traffic Offenders Program or a similar course.
  • Two or three character references from people who know about the charge.
  • An employer's letter explaining your role and why you drive.
  • Evidence of any steps you have taken since the charge, such as counselling.

The length is still a matter for the magistrate, but this material helps the magistrate make an informed decision.

What do drivers of trucks, farm vehicles and gas-field utes need to know?

Drivers of heavy vehicles, buses and some other vehicles are on the no alcohol limit, so even a small reading can lead to a charge. If you were driving a truck, bus or similar vehicle, or driving in the course of your work, when caught, a s 87 restricted licence is not available.

A disqualification also applies to every class of licence you hold. A heavy combination licence holder loses the car licence too. Talk to your employer early about other duties during the disqualification.

What does a disqualification mean for work on the Western Downs?

The practical effect of losing a licence around Dalby is different from losing one in Brisbane. There is no suburban train line to fall back on, and many jobs start well outside town. Before the court date, think through each of these:

Getting to work. Can a workmate, family member or the employer's bus pick you up? Gas-field and mine-site employers sometimes run shuttles from town; farm and feedlot jobs rarely do. Write down the arrangement, because the magistrate may ask how you will manage.

Doing the job itself. If your role involves driving between sites, checking stock or water, or carting grain, ask your employer whether other duties are available during the disqualification. A letter confirming the position helps both a restricted licence application and the sentencing submissions.

Family responsibilities. School runs, medical appointments in Toowoomba and caring for relatives all need a plan. The court can hear about these, but they do not change the minimum period set by s 86.

Money. A disqualification often comes with lost overtime or a change of role. Factor in the fine, the cost of a traffic offenders course and, if your reading was 0.10 or more, the cost of an interlock when you return to driving.

What if you drive while suspended or disqualified?

Driving during the pre-court suspension, or during the disqualification the court orders, is a separate offence. It carries its own mandatory disqualification, which is added to the period you are already serving, and in some cases a term of imprisonment can be imposed. A restricted licence does not help either: once you have driven while disqualified, the five-year history condition counts against any future application.

If you are unsure whether you can drive, for example because you have been charged but not yet been to court, check the paperwork police gave you and ask before getting behind the wheel. "I thought I could still drive" is not a defence.

The same caution applies to the morning of court. If your licence is suspended until the charge is decided, you cannot drive yourself to the courthouse on the corner of Cunningham and Drayton Streets for the 9am callover, even though the disqualification has not yet been ordered. Arrange a lift for the whole day, particularly if your restricted licence application is not heard until the 2pm list.

How do you get your licence back afterwards?

The licence does not return automatically. When the disqualification ends you apply to the Department of Transport and Main Roads for a new licence. You can expect:

  • A probationary licence for at least one year, with the no alcohol limit.
  • An interlock for 12 months if your reading was 0.10 or more, or you were convicted of driving under the influence, failing to provide a specimen or a repeat offence (TORUM ss 91I and 91N).

The alcohol interlock page explains the program and exemptions, and TMR's interlocks page gives the official requirements.

Which other courts serve the Western Downs?

Approximate straight-line distances from Dalby: Chinchilla about 80 km west, Toowoomba about 80 km south-east, and Kingaroy about 91 km north-east. The court on your notice is the one you attend. For other courts and guides, see the QLD traffic law hub.

Dalby Magistrates Court details

Street address Corner Cunningham and Drayton Streets, Dalby Qld 4405
Postal address PO Box 277, Dalby Qld 4405
Phone (07) 4596 9000
Email courthouse.dalby@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 8.30am to 4pm Wednesday

Source: Queensland Courts Magistrates Courts directory, checked 19 October 2026.

To talk about your Dalby matter, call 1300 941 900 or make an enquiry about legal representation.

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.

Dalby drink driving FAQs

Can I avoid a disqualification for a first offence in Dalby?

No. TORUM s 86 requires a disqualification for every drink driving offence, even a first offence under the general alcohol limit, and even if no conviction is recorded.

When does Dalby hear work licence applications?

Under the 2026 calendar, restricted licence applications are listed at 2pm on Tuesdays, the same day as the 9am traffic callover.

My reading was 0.13. Can I still get a work licence?

Possibly. A reading under 0.15 meets one condition, but you also need an open Queensland licence, a clean five-year history, and proof of extreme hardship. An interlock condition would apply.

Is Dalby court sitting for traffic matters in late October?

The calendar shows no traffic callover during the District Court sitting from 12 to 23 October; the next traffic date read from the calendar is Tuesday 27 October.

Will my licence be suspended before court?

At 0.10 or more, or for failing to provide a specimen, yes, until the charge is decided. Under 0.10, usually for 24 hours only.

Does the interlock apply to a first offence at 0.08?

Not usually. For a first offence, the interlock applies from 0.10, or for driving under the influence or failing to provide a specimen.

Dalby Magistrates Court — court details

Dalby Magistrates Court

Street
Cnr Cunningham and Drayton Streets, Dalby QLD 4405
Postal
PO Box 277, Dalby Qld 4405
Phone
(07) 4596 9000
Email
courthouse.dalby@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours
8.30am – 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday · 8.30am – 4.00pm Wednesday
Days open
General callover, traffic and remands 9am Tuesdays; restricted licence applications 2pm Tuesdays; civil/QCAT and special hardship applications 2pm Mondays
➜ Get directions

Queensland Courts, Magistrates Courts directory (saved 19 Oct 2026) and Dalby Magistrates Court 2026 calendar (checked 20 Oct 2026). These are the court registry's details, not Boorman Lawyers office details. Check your court papers for your listing time and courtroom.

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.
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