QUEENSLAND

Sandgate DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Sandgate Magistrates Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Sandgate Magistrates Court at 84 Keogh Street lists Notices to Appear and traffic matters at 9am on Mondays and Thursdays, and does not sit on Fridays. We assist clients at Sandgate 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: Sandgate Magistrates Court, 84 Keogh Street, Sandgate Qld 4017. Phone (07) 3631 5900. Closes at 4pm on Wednesdays.
  • Listings (2026 calendar): Notices to Appear, arrests and traffic complaints at 9am every Monday and Thursday; no sittings on Fridays.
  • Licence: disqualification is mandatory on conviction, and an interlock follows any reading of 0.10 or more.

Queensland law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

General image of a sandstone State Courts building entrance – not Sandgate Magistrates Court – with the Boorman Lawyers logo and phone number 1300 941 900

General image – not this courthouse.

What's on this page

What are the four licence questions to answer first?

After a Sandgate charge, your licence is the first thing at stake. Answer these four questions, in this order, before your first court date. All of them are governed by Queensland's Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (TORUM).

Question Short answer What decides it
1. Can I drive tomorrow? Yes after 24 hours if you read under 0.10; no if you read 0.10 or more TORUM s 79B, and possibly a s 79E order
2. How long will I be off the road? Between 2 months and a minimum of 6 months for a first offence, depending on the reading TORUM s 86
3. Can I drive for work? Only with a s 87 order, and only if you pass every eligibility test TORUM s 87
4. What licence do I get back? A probationary licence, plus 12 months of interlock from 0.10 upwards TORUM ss 91I and 91N

1. Can I drive tomorrow?

A reading under 0.10 brings a 24-hour suspension. After that you can drive until the court deals with the charge. You are suspended until the charge is decided if you read 0.10 or more, failed to give a specimen, or were charged while another drink driving charge was pending. A s 79E order allowing some driving in the meantime is available only in narrow cases. Driving while suspended is a separate offence.

2. How long will I be off the road?

The court has no choice about disqualifying you on a conviction, and a decision not to record the conviction leaves that unchanged. What the court does decide is the length, inside the TORUM s 86 range for your reading. These are first-offence figures, using a penalty unit of $172.70 from 1 July 2026:

Your reading or charge Disqualification Most the court can fine or jail you
0.05 to under 0.10 (general alcohol limit) 2 to 9 months $3,454 or 3 months
Over 0.00 on a learner, P-plate or similar licence 3 to 9 months $3,454 or 3 months
0.10 to under 0.15 (middle alcohol limit) 3 to 12 months $4,835 or 6 months
0.15 or more, under the influence, or no specimen At least 6 months $6,908 or 9 months

A second offence within 5 years raises each range. Our QLD drink driving penalties guide has the full tables, and our Queensland drink driving offences guide explains each charge.

3. Can I drive for work?

Only under a s 87 restricted licence order, and the court reaches the hardship question only if you clear four earlier hurdles: you held an open Queensland licence, you read under 0.15, you were not driving for work or in a truck, tractor or bus, and you have no licence sanction or drink or drug driving conviction in the past 5 years. If you do, the court asks whether refusing the order would cause extreme hardship to your livelihood and whether you are fit and proper (TMR – restricted licence). Ask for the order at sentence, after a finding of guilt and before the disqualification is imposed. A restricted licence for a middle alcohol limit offence carries the interlock condition (s 91K). See our DUI restricted work licence guide.

Special hardship applications are listed on the second Wednesday of the month, but they do not apply to a court-ordered drink driving disqualification. See our special hardship licence guide.

4. What licence do I get back?

After the disqualification, you apply for a probationary licence, which you hold for at least a year. An interlock for 12 months is added if you read 0.10 or more, were convicted of under the influence or of failing to give a specimen, or have a second offence within 5 years (TORUM ss 91I and 91N). Our QLD alcohol interlock guide and TMR explain the program.

When does Sandgate court sit?

Under the 2026 calendar:

  • Mondays and Thursdays, 9am: arrests, remands, bail, Notices to Appear and traffic complaints and summons. Notices to Appear are issued for these days at 8.30am.
  • Tuesdays, 9am: domestic violence callover.
  • 2nd Wednesday, 9am: transport complaints and summons, and special hardship applications. The remaining 2026 dates are 11 November and 9 December.
  • Fridays: no Magistrates Court sittings.

Long pleas and hearings are listed by the magistrate or the registry by arrangement. The calendar asks people to check the Christmas closure dates with the registry. See the Sandgate 2026 calendar.

What should you bring to Keogh Street?

Bring your Traffic Offenders Program certificate if you have completed one, signed references from people who know about the charge, and any s 87 affidavits. A letter from your employer explaining how a disqualification would affect your job helps the magistrate set the length. If you think the police got something wrong, read our guide to Queensland drink driving defences before you plead. Organise a lift home, because a disqualification starts on the day.

The courthouse is at 84 Keogh Street, and Sandgate has a railway station on the Shorncliffe line. Plan the trip if you are suspended.

Which courts are near Sandgate?

Pine Rivers in Strathpine is about 8 km away and Redcliffe about 11 km. Attend the court named on your notice. For statewide information, see Queensland traffic law.

Video Insight: Preparing for Sentence

Short, practical guidance on getting court-ready. See more at BoormanLawyers.tv .

Boorman Lawyers – Sandgate case insight (20 Mar 2023) This outcome was reported in March 2023. 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.

Sandgate drink driving FAQs

Does Sandgate court sit on Fridays?

No. The 2026 calendar says there are no Magistrates Court sittings at Sandgate on Fridays. Traffic matters are listed on Mondays and Thursdays.

What is the phone number for Sandgate court?

(07) 3631 5900, according to the Queensland Courts directory and the 2026 calendar.

Will I lose my licence for a first offence under 0.10?

Yes. The court must disqualify you for between 2 and 9 months for a general alcohol limit offence, even if no conviction is recorded.

My reading was 0.11. Will I need an interlock?

Yes. A conviction at 0.10 or more means 12 months on an interlock once the disqualification ends (TORUM s 91I).

Can I apply for a work licence at Sandgate?

If you are eligible, yes. Confirm with the registry which list your s 87 application will be heard in, because the 2026 calendar does not name one.

Sandgate Magistrates Court — court details

Sandgate Magistrates Court

Street
84 Keogh Street, Sandgate QLD 4017
Postal
PO Box 154, Sandgate Qld 4017
Phone
(07) 3631 5900
Email
courthouse.sandgate@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours
8.30am – 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday · 8.30am – 4.00pm Wednesday
Days open
Notices to Appear and traffic: Mondays and Thursdays, 9am. No sittings on Fridays.
➜ Get directions

Queensland Courts, Magistrates Courts directory (saved 19 Oct 2026) and Sandgate 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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