QUEENSLAND

Ipswich DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Ipswich Magistrates Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Ipswich Magistrates Court at 43 Ellenborough Street sentences drink and drug driving charges from Ipswich, Springfield, Ripley and nearby suburbs. Court 7 hears TORUM licence and special hardship applications on set Tuesdays. We assist clients at Ipswich 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: Ipswich Magistrates Court, 43 Ellenborough Street. Phone (07) 3470 7300.
  • Penalties: for a first offence, the maximum fine is 20 to 40 penalty units ($172.70 each) and the disqualification is from 2 months up, with an interlock at 0.10 or more.
  • Applications: TORUM licence and special hardship applications are heard at 9am in Court 7 on set Tuesdays (2026 calendar).

Queensland law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

Ipswich Magistrates Court courthouse – Boorman Lawyers
What's on this page

What are the penalties for drink driving at Ipswich?

Every drink driving charge sentenced at Ipswich is decided under Queensland's Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (TORUM). Find your band below. Figures are first-offence maximums at $172.70 per penalty unit, in force from 1 July 2026.

Your reading and licence Charge Fine up to Jail up to Licence loss
Over 0.00 on an L, P, probationary or no licence No alcohol limit $3,454 (20 PU) 3 months 3–9 months
0.05 to 0.099 on an open licence General alcohol limit $3,454 (20 PU) 3 months 2–9 months
0.10 to 0.149 Middle alcohol limit $4,835 (28 PU) 6 months 3–12 months
0.15 or higher High alcohol limit (under the influence) $6,908 (40 PU) 9 months 6 months minimum
Did not provide breath or blood for analysis Failing to provide a specimen $6,908 (40 PU) 9 months 6 months minimum

For particular vehicles such as heavy trucks and buses, the no alcohol limit disqualification range is 1 to 9 months. Our Queensland drink driving offences guide explains who is on a zero limit.

What each column means. "Fine up to" and "Jail up to" are the highest penalties the law allows, not a guide to the likely result. "Licence loss" is compulsory on a guilty plea, and the magistrate chooses a period within the range. Not recording a conviction does not reduce or remove it.

What moves a penalty up or down within the band?

  • Repeat offending. A previous drink driving conviction in the past 5 years lifts the maximums and the disqualification.
  • The reading within the band. 0.14 sits differently from 0.10.
  • The driving. The distance, the time of day, passengers and any crash.
  • Your record and circumstances. Your traffic history, your work and your family responsibilities.
  • Steps since the charge. For example, the Traffic Offenders Program, counselling and references that show insight.

Our QLD drink driving penalties guide explains the repeat-offence penalties.

What happens to your licence beyond the fine?

Between charge and court. At 0.10 or more, after failing to provide a specimen, or on a second pending charge, you are suspended until the court deals with the charge. Below 0.10, the suspension is 24 hours (Transport and Main Roads). A s 79E order is a narrow exception. See our special hardship licence guide.

A work licence instead of no licence. Section 87 is a narrow door. It is shut if you were at 0.15 or above, were on anything other than an open Queensland licence, or were working or behind the wheel of a truck, tractor or bus when stopped. It is also shut if your licence was suspended, cancelled or disqualified, or you were convicted of a drink or drug driving offence, at any time in the 5 years before. If you get through, the court needs evidence that you are fit and proper, and that without a licence you or your family would face extreme hardship through losing your income (TMR – restricted licence). Shift workers commuting from Springfield, Ripley or Redbank Plains should set out their rosters and the public transport gaps. Our DUI restricted work licence guide explains the affidavits.

The interlock. Queensland ties the interlock to the reading and the charge, not to the magistrate's view. A 0.10+ reading, an under the influence conviction, failing to provide a specimen, or a second offence inside 5 years each mean 12 months on an interlock-fitted car after relicensing (TORUM ss 91I and 91N). See our QLD alcohol interlock guide.

Drugs. A relevant drug in saliva is a separate offence that does not require impairment. Our Queensland drug driving guide explains it.

Licence after Ipswich: getting back on the road

When your disqualification ends, you apply for a new licence through Transport and Main Roads and return on a probationary licence for at least a year. If the interlock applies, you will need an approved provider to fit the device to your nominated vehicle. The nearest TMR customer service centre and approved interlock providers will be added from the official TMR lists before this page is published.

How does the Ipswich court list work?

The 2026 calendar lists:

List When Where
Arrests and remands Monday to Friday, 9am Court 1, ground floor
Special hardship / transport applications Set Tuesdays, 9am. Remaining 2026 dates: 3 and 17 November, and 1 and 15 December Court 7, level 3
TORUM licence applications Set Tuesdays, 9am. Remaining 2026 dates: 27 October, 10 and 24 November, and 8 December Court 7, level 3

The registry closes at 4.00pm on Thursdays and at 4.30pm on other weekdays. The calendar also lists Friday 15 May 2026 as a public holiday at Ipswich. For listing questions, the calendar asks you to contact the registry directly. Your Notice to Appear shows your date. Our Queensland DUI court process guide explains what happens on the day.

Nearby courts

Matters may instead be listed at Richlands (about 19 km), Holland Park (about 31 km), Brisbane (about 32 km) or Gatton (about 48 km, an Ipswich circuit court). For statewide information, see Queensland traffic law.

Short Video Insight

Concise guidance on preparation, timelines and what courts consider on sentence. More at BoormanLawyers.tv .

Boorman Lawyers – Ipswich DUI Insight (2022) This outcome was reported in 2022. 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.

Ipswich drink driving FAQs

What is the Ipswich court's phone number?

(07) 3470 7300, according to the Queensland Courts directory and the 2026 calendar. The (07) 3280 numbers on older pages are not in the official sources.

Where is Court 7?

According to the 2026 calendar, Court 7 is on level 3 at 43 Ellenborough Street.

I blew 0.152. Can I get a work licence?

No. A reading of 0.15 or more rules out a s 87 work licence.

Which floor is the arrests court on?

According to the 2026 calendar, Court 1 is on the ground floor. It hears arrests and remands at 9am, Monday to Friday.

Does a no-conviction order stop the disqualification?

No. The disqualification still applies.

Ipswich Magistrates Court — court details

Ipswich Magistrates Court

Street
43 Ellenborough Street, Ipswich QLD 4305
Postal
PO Box 70, Ipswich Qld 4305
Phone
(07) 3470 7300
Email
courthouse.ipswich@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours
8.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Wednesday and Friday · 8.30am – 4.00pm Thursday
Days open
Arrests/remands Mon–Fri 9am Court 1 (ground floor) · Special hardship / transport applications and TORUM licence applications 9am Court 7 (level 3), set Tuesdays (2026 calendar)
Facilities
Justice of the Peace 10am – 4pm weekdays · Wi-fi · videoconferencing · remote witness room
➜ Get directions

Queensland Courts, Magistrates Courts directory (saved 19 Oct 2026) and Ipswich Magistrates Court 2026 calendar (courts.qld.gov.au, 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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