QUEENSLAND

Southport DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Southport Magistrates Court and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges at this courthouse. Southport Magistrates Court, on the corner of Davenport and Hinze Streets, hears Gold Coast charges named on a Notice to Appear. Its 2026 calendar lists work licence (s 87) applications in Court 9 each weekday at 9am. We assist clients at Southport 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: Southport Magistrates Court, corner Davenport and Hinze Streets, Southport Qld 4215. Phone 1300 516 700. Closes at 4pm on Thursdays.
  • Licence lists (2026 calendar): s 87, s 79B and s 131 applications Monday to Friday in Court 9; special hardship applications Mondays and Tuesdays in Court 7.
  • Licence: disqualification on every conviction, and a 12-month interlock from 0.10.

Queensland law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

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

What does a Southport drink driving case look like from start to finish?

The example below is hypothetical. It is not a real client, and the figures are there to show how the law works. Your own facts will differ.

The example: Mia, 34, is a sales representative who lives in Labrador. After a work function in Broadbeach she drives home and is stopped at a random breath test on the Gold Coast Highway. Her evidentiary breath test at the station reads 0.112. She has an open Queensland licence and no traffic history. Police give her a Notice to Appear at Southport Magistrates Court about four weeks later.

Mia's reading sits under the middle alcohol limit in the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (TORUM) – 0.10 to under 0.15. People sometimes call this "mid-range", but that is an informal label. The sections below follow her case through each stage.

What happens to Mia's licence on the night?

Because her reading is 0.10 or more, TORUM s 79B suspends her licence from the moment the notice is issued until the charge is decided. She cannot drive to work the next morning.

A limited exception exists through a s 79E order, but it does not suit everyone, and Mia should get advice before relying on it. The drink driving offences guide sets out each alcohol limit and its charge.

Which Southport list will Mia's case go into?

Southport runs separate courtrooms for separate kinds of work. Under the court's 2026 calendar (version 4, 8 September 2026), these are the lists that matter most for a traffic charge. Listings start at 9am unless shown:

List When Where
Arrests and remands 8.30am, Monday to Friday Court 1
s 87 work licence, s 79B and s 131 (removing a disqualification) applications Monday to Friday Court 9
Special hardship order applications Mondays and Tuesdays Court 7
Police traffic summons callover 2nd, 3rd and 4th Tuesday of the month Court 7
Traffic hearings 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Monday of the month Court 7
Department of Transport and Main Roads callover 4th Monday and 2nd, 3rd and 4th Tuesday of the month Court 7

The calendar does not name a dedicated list for a first appearance on a Notice to Appear, so Mia should check her notice and confirm the courtroom with the registry on 1300 516 700. The court is closed on 3 April and from 21 December to 1 January (custody court only), and the calendar notes the Gold Coast Show holiday on 28 August. Read the Southport 2026 calendar for the full listing.

Can Mia apply for a work licence at Southport?

Possibly. She holds an open Queensland licence, her reading is under 0.15, she was not driving for work, and she has no previous disqualification in the past five years. Those are the starting conditions under TORUM s 87.

She must also show that refusing the licence would cause extreme hardship to her or her family, for example by putting her job at risk. A sales role that relies on driving to clients is the kind of evidence the court weighs, supported by a letter from her employer. The magistrate also asks whether she is a fit and proper person to drive.

At Southport, s 87 applications are listed in Court 9 each weekday. The application is made after she pleads guilty and before the disqualification is ordered. Because her reading is 0.10 or more, any restricted licence carries an interlock condition (TORUM s 87 note and s 91K). The restricted work licence guide covers the affidavit and the evidence in detail.

A special hardship licence is a different order, used for some demerit and other suspensions. Southport hears those applications in Court 7 on Mondays and Tuesdays, but it does not apply to a court-ordered drink driving disqualification.

What could the magistrate order?

For a first middle alcohol limit offence, TORUM sets these ranges (penalty unit $172.70 from 1 July 2026):

  • Disqualification: at least 3 months and up to 12 months. This applies even if no conviction is recorded (TORUM s 86).
  • Fine: up to 28 penalty units ($4,835).
  • Imprisonment: up to 6 months, although that is the statutory maximum rather than the usual starting point for a first offence.

In Mia's case the magistrate would weigh her clean record, the reading, the time and place of driving, and what she has done since the charge. Completing the Traffic Offenders Program and providing references are common ways of showing insight. The drink driving penalties page lists the ranges for every limit.

If Mia had been charged with drug driving instead, the drug driving offences and penalties page explains how those charges differ.

How does Mia get back on the road afterwards?

When her disqualification ends, Mia must apply to the Department of Transport and Main Roads for a new licence. Two conditions follow her:

  1. Interlock: a 12-month interlock period applies because her reading was 0.10 or more (TORUM ss 91I and 91N). The alcohol interlock page explains installation and exemptions.
  2. Probationary licence: she drives on a probationary licence for at least one year.

If she had been granted a restricted licence instead, she would have been driving under its conditions during the disqualification, with the interlock fitted.

What should you prepare before your Southport date?

Whatever your reading, the steps in Mia's case apply to most Gold Coast drink driving charges:

  • Read the Notice to Appear and diarise the date, time and courtroom.
  • Keep the police paperwork, including the breath test certificate.
  • Ask your employer for a letter if you need a licence for work.
  • Collect two or three character references that mention the charge.
  • Enrol in a traffic offender program and keep the certificate.
  • Arrange transport home, because the disqualification starts on the day.

If you think you have a defence, read the drink driving defences page before entering a plea. The court process guide explains what happens in the courtroom. A G:link light rail stop sits near the court, which may help while your licence is suspended.

Which other Gold Coast courts might be on your notice?

Some Gold Coast charges are listed elsewhere. The Gold Coast court overview compares them, and the southern end of the coast is covered on the Coolangatta page. Northern suburbs near the Logan River may be listed at Beenleigh. Attend the court named on your notice.

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

Real Case Insights (Video)

Short explainers and case reviews from our Southport appearances. These help clients understand process, expectations, and smart preparation.

Watch more on BoormanLawyers.tv .

Southport DUI Video 1 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.
Southport DUI Video 2 This outcome was reported before 31 August 2026, when Queensland drink driving penalties changed, so the penalties discussed here may not reflect current law.
Southport DUI Video 3 This outcome was reported before 31 August 2026, when Queensland drink driving penalties changed, so the penalties discussed here may not reflect current law.
Southport DUI Video 4

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.

Southport drink driving FAQs

Where is Southport Magistrates Court?

On the corner of Davenport and Hinze Streets, Southport. The registry is open from 8.30am to 4.30pm, closing at 4pm on Thursdays.

Which courtroom hears work licence applications?

Under the 2026 calendar, s 87 applications are heard in Court 9 at 9am, Monday to Friday.

Can I drive before my court date?

Not if your reading was 0.10 or more, or you failed to provide a specimen. Your licence is suspended until the charge is decided.

Will I need an interlock?

Yes, 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.

Is the worked example on this page a real case?

No. Mia is hypothetical, and the ranges shown are the statutory limits rather than a prediction.

Southport Magistrates Court — court details

Southport Magistrates Court

Street
Corner Davenport and Hinze Streets, Southport QLD 4215
Postal
PO Box 103, Southport Qld 4215
Phone
1300 516 700
Email
courthouse.southport@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours
8.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Wednesday and Friday · 8.30am – 4.00pm Thursday
Days open
s 87, s 79B and s 131 applications 9am Monday to Friday in Court 9; arrests and remands 8.30am Monday to Friday in Court 1
➜ Get directions

Queensland Courts, Magistrates Courts directory (saved 19 Oct 2026) and Southport Magistrates Court 2026 calendar, version 4 of 8 September 2026 (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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