In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Southport Magistrates Court and Coolangatta Magistrates Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges across the Gold Coast. Gold Coast drink and drug driving charges are heard at Southport Magistrates Court or Coolangatta Magistrates Court under Queensland law. We assist clients at both Gold Coast courthouses 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.
Courts: Southport (corner Davenport and Hinze Streets, 1300 516 700) and Coolangatta (136 Musgrave Street, (07) 5513 9700).
Southport 2026 calendar: section 87 and 79B-related applications every weekday in Court 9 at 9am.
Interlock: applies from 0.10, not only to high range or repeat offences.
What licence options do you have after a Gold Coast drink driving charge?
Every drink driving conviction in Queensland carries a mandatory disqualification under section 86 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (TORUM). This matrix compares the licence options that may be open to you, and when.
Option
What it does
Who can use it
When to apply
Key limits
Section 79E order
Lets you drive while an immediate (s 79B) suspension is in force
Limited categories set by regulation
Soon after the suspension, before the charge is decided
Ends when the charge is decided
Restricted (work) licence, s 87
Lets you drive for work only instead of a full disqualification
Open licence holders under 0.15, not driving for work at the time, no relevant history in 5 years
At sentence, after the finding of guilt and before the disqualification is ordered
Must prove extreme hardship to your livelihood and that you are fit and proper; zero alcohol while driving
Shorter disqualification
The court sets the period within the s 86 range
Everyone
At sentence
Cannot go below the statutory minimum
Interlock licence
Allows driving after disqualification with an interlock fitted
Required at 0.10 or more, UIL, failing to provide a specimen, or 2+ offences in 5 years
After the disqualification ends
12 months of driving; otherwise no driving for 5 years
Removing a long disqualification, s 131(10)
Asks the court to end a disqualification early
Disqualified absolutely or for more than 2 years
After 2 years of the disqualification
28 clear days' notice to police; if refused, wait 1 year to reapply
A special hardship order is not on this list because it does not apply to a court-ordered drink driving disqualification.
Which option suits which reading?
0.05 to under 0.10 on an open licence: 24-hour suspension only before court. At sentence, 2 to 9 months' disqualification, or a work licence if you are eligible.
0.10 to under 0.15: immediate suspension until court, so ask about a section 79E order. At sentence, 3 to 12 months' disqualification, or possibly a work licence subject to the interlock; then 12 months on an interlock.
0.15 or more: immediate suspension; no work licence; at least 6 months' disqualification for a first offence; then the interlock.
Learner, P-plater or probationary driver: no work licence, because you need an open licence. Disqualification of 3 to 9 months for a first offence.
According to the Southport 2026 calendar, section 87 applications are listed every Monday to Friday in Court 9 at 9.00am, together with section 79B-related applications and applications to remove a disqualification under section 131. You will usually need:
an affidavit about your work, your need to drive and the hardship to you and your family;
an employer affidavit or letter confirming your duties and that driving is essential to your job;
evidence that you are a fit and proper person, such as references and your traffic history.
The same as anywhere in Queensland: after a conviction for a reading of 0.10 or more, UIL, failing to provide a specimen for analysis, dangerous driving while affected, or two drink driving offences within 5 years (TORUM s 91I). Our QLD alcohol interlock guide covers fitting, costs and exemptions, and TMR has the official rules.
What else is listed at Southport?
The Southport calendar also sets out:
special hardship order applications every Monday and Tuesday in Court 7;
the police traffic summons callover on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Tuesday of the month in Court 7;
traffic hearings on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Monday of the month in Court 7;
the Gold Coast Show public holiday on 28 August and Schoolies from 20 to 27 November 2026, when no criminal trials or committal hearings are listed.
Your Notice to Appear sets your date and court. If you plead not guilty, the matter goes to a hearing on a later date; our guide to Queensland drink driving defences covers common issues.
Why do early mornings and visitors matter on the Gold Coast?
The Gold Coast combines nightlife, major events and long commutes on the M1 and Gold Coast Highway. Situations can include early-morning readings after a night out or a hospitality shift, roadside drug testing (see our QLD drug driving guide), and visitors from interstate. If you hold an interstate licence and are charged in Queensland, Queensland law applies to the charge; how a Queensland disqualification affects your home licence is a question for your licensing authority.
Concise, practical clips covering preparation, timelines and what courts consider on sentence. See more at BoormanLawyers.tv .
Gold Coast DUI insight – 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.Gold Coast DUI insight – 2024This outcome was reported in 2024. Queensland drink driving penalties changed for offences committed from 31 August 2026, so the penalties discussed here may not reflect current law.Gold Coast DUI insight – 2023This 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.Gold Coast DUI insight – 2020 Published 2020-12-10. This outcome was reported in December 2020. Queensland drink driving penalties changed for offences committed from 31 August 2026, so the penalties discussed here may not reflect current law.
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.
Your Notice to Appear names the court. Matters are generally listed at the court for the area where the offence happened.
Can I apply for a work licence after I have been disqualified?
No. A section 87 application must be made at the sentence hearing, after the finding of guilt and before the disqualification is ordered.
Can I get a work licence if I was on P plates?
No. You need an open Queensland licence to be eligible for a section 87 restricted licence.
I was disqualified for 3 years. Can I get my licence back early?
Possibly. If you were disqualified for more than 2 years, you can apply to the Magistrates Court to remove the disqualification once 2 years of it have passed (TORUM s 131(10)). You must give police at least 28 clear days' notice, and if the application is refused you cannot reapply for 1 year.
What happens if I keep driving while suspended?
Driving while suspended or disqualified is a separate serious offence with its own penalties.
Sources and date checked
Sources and references for this page, checked 20 Oct 2026.
Queensland Courts, Magistrates Courts directory (saved 19 Oct 2026) and the Southport Magistrates Court 2026 calendar, version 4 – 8 September 2026 (courts.qld.gov.au, checked 20 Oct 2026). These are court registry details, not Boorman Lawyers office details.
