QUEENSLAND

Sunshine Coast DUI Lawyers

In shortBoorman Lawyers are experienced, dedicated drink driving, drug driving and DUI lawyers who regularly appear at Maroochydore, Noosa, Caloundra and Nambour Magistrates Courts and represent clients facing alcohol, drug and serious traffic charges across the Sunshine Coast. There is no single 'Sunshine Coast court': drink and drug driving charges are heard at Maroochydore, Noosa, Caloundra or Nambour Magistrates Court, depending on where you were charged and how the matter is listed. We assist clients at all four Sunshine 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.

Four courts: Maroochydore (Cornmeal Parade), Noosa (Langura Street), Caloundra (3 Gregson Place) and Nambour (156–168 Currie Street, a Maroochydore circuit court).
Work licence listings (2026 calendars): Maroochydore lists s 87 and special hardship applications on Tuesdays at 9.00am; Noosa lists them on Tuesday arrest and remand days.
Law: Queensland TORUM. A work licence is not available if your reading was 0.15 or more.

Queensland law · law checked 20 Oct 2026

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What's on this page

How does a Sunshine Coast drink driving charge play out? A worked example

Hypothetical example – not a real client or case. It shows how Queensland law applies to a Sunshine Coast charge. Your own matter will depend on its facts.

Sam is 34, holds an open Queensland licence and works shifts in hospitality, driving between venues across the Coast. After a work function, Sam is intercepted on the way home and returns a reading of 0.112 on breath analysis.

The charge. 0.112 is over the middle alcohol limit (0.10), so Sam is charged under section 79(1F) of TORUM. Sam's licence is immediately suspended until the court deals with the charge.

The court. Sam's Notice to Appear lists the matter at Maroochydore Magistrates Court.

Work licence check. Sam held an open licence, the reading was under 0.15, Sam was driving home rather than driving for work, and has no licence suspensions or drink driving convictions in the past 5 years. Sam may be eligible for a restricted licence under section 87, if Sam can prove that losing the licence would cause extreme hardship by taking away the means of earning a living. Maroochydore's 2026 calendar lists section 87 and special hardship applications on Tuesdays at 9.00am.

The likely range. For a first middle alcohol limit offence, the maximum fine is 28 penalty units ($4,835) or 6 months' imprisonment, and the Magistrate must disqualify Sam for between 3 and 12 months. A conviction may or may not be recorded, but the disqualification applies either way.

Interlock. Because the reading was 0.10 or more, Sam must complete the interlock program after the disqualification, and the interlock condition also applies to any work licence.

What changes if the facts change?

If Sam were on P plates: the no alcohol limit applies, but a work licence would not be available at all, because Sam would not hold an open licence.
If the reading were 0.16: the charge becomes UIL under section 79(1), with a maximum of 40 penalty units ($6,908) or 9 months, at least 6 months' disqualification and no work licence.
If Sam had driven between venues as part of the job: using the vehicle in an activity directly connected with earning a living rules out a work licence, even with a lower reading.
If Sam had a drink driving conviction 3 years ago: the penalties increase, and the earlier conviction rules out a work licence.

The details matter. A short conversation about the facts before your first court date can show which of these paths you are on.

Which Sunshine Coast court will hear your matter?

The four Magistrates Courts that hear Sunshine Coast traffic matters each run their lists differently. Your Notice to Appear tells you which one, and when. The 2026 calendars published by Queensland Courts show:

Court	Relevant listing arrangements (2026 calendar)
Maroochydore drink driving	Arrests, bails, Notices to Appear and short sentences each weekday at 9.00am; traffic matters, including summonses, special hardship and section 87 applications, on Tuesdays at 9.00am
Noosa Magistrates Court DUI	Arrests and remands with section 87 and special hardship applications on Tuesdays at 9.00am; long pleas on the 4th Friday; court closed 21 December 2026 to 1 January 2027
Caloundra drink driving lawyers	Criminal and traffic callover on Tuesdays (Court 2) and Thursdays (Court 1) at 8.30am; long pleas on Tuesdays in Court 1
Nambour DUI matters	Sits as a Maroochydore circuit court on set dates for all matters, including section 87 and special hardship applications; hearings are held at Maroochydore

Calendars change from year to year, so check your own notice and the Queensland Courts calendars before you rely on a date. Which court a police charge is listed at depends on where you were charged and how police list the matter.

What penalties apply on the Sunshine Coast?

The same Queensland law applies at all four courts. For a first offence under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995:

Reading or charge	Maximum fine (first offence)	Disqualification
Over 0.00 on L, P, probationary or unlicensed	20 PU ($3,454) or 3 months	3 – 9 months
0.05 to under 0.10 (general alcohol limit)	20 PU ($3,454) or 3 months	2 – 9 months
0.10 to under 0.15 (middle alcohol limit)	28 PU ($4,835) or 6 months	3 – 12 months
0.15 or more, or UIL	40 PU ($6,908) or 9 months	At least 6 months

Dollar amounts use the $172.70 penalty unit (from 1 July 2026). Repeat offences within 5 years carry higher penalties. Our Queensland drink driving penalties guide and drink driving offences guide have the detail.

What local factors matter on the Sunshine Coast?

The Coast mixes tourism, hospitality, construction and trades, and you may drive long distances between home and work on the Bruce Highway, the Sunshine Motorway and the main arterials. Situations can include:

residual alcohol readings the morning after, from early starts in construction, hospitality and healthcare rosters;
drug presence detections after roadside saliva testing; see our QLD drug driving guide;
tradies, apprentices and professional drivers who need their licence for site access and to carry tools;
holiday periods, festivals and sporting events, when police may run roadside testing operations.

We tailor submissions to that context: shift work, early starts, seasonal work, and the real effect of a disqualification on jobs, apprenticeships and family logistics.

How do we build your case?

Facts, procedure and accuracy. We review the police facts, the breath or saliva certificates, the lawfulness of the intercept and the timeline between driving and testing. Where the facts are unfair, irrelevant or inaccurate, we ask for targeted amendments so the court sentences on a reliable account.

Personal material that carries weight. Courts look for credible proof of change. We help you get references that speak to insight and responsibility, counselling or treatment letters where appropriate, and a Traffic Offenders Program certificate. We also document your employment, training and caring obligations, so the court can see why a measured outcome supports both accountability and public safety.

Work licences, section 79E orders and interlock

Depending on the charge, your reading and your history, you may be able to apply for a restricted work licence under section 87, or, while you are immediately suspended for certain charges, an order under section 79E letting you keep driving in stated circumstances until the charge is decided. The TMR restricted licence page sets out who is not eligible. See our guides to the DUI restricted work licence and the special hardship licence.

Timing: a work licence application must be made before you are disqualified, so get advice early.
Affidavit evidence: employer letters, rosters, site requirements and caring responsibilities.
Interlock: if your reading was 0.10 or more (or another interlock offence applies), plan for installation, servicing and the 12-month prescribed period. See our QLD interlock guide.

Out of town or interstate?

The Coast attracts fly-in workers and interstate visitors. If you were charged here but live elsewhere, we can take instructions by phone or video, prepare your material and explain which dates you must attend. Queensland law applies to a Queensland charge, even if you hold a licence from another state.

Which courts are nearby?

North of the Coast, matters may be listed at Gympie Magistrates Court or Pomona drink driving matters. For all Queensland courts, see our QLD courts we attend directory.

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.

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Sunshine Coast drink driving FAQs

Which court will my Sunshine Coast drink driving charge go to?

It will be one of Maroochydore, Noosa, Caloundra or Nambour Magistrates Court. Your Notice to Appear or bench charge sheet names the court and the date. Nambour sits as a circuit of Maroochydore, and hearings in Nambour matters are held at Maroochydore.

When are work licence applications heard at Maroochydore and Noosa?

Under the 2026 calendars, Maroochydore lists section 87 (work licence) and special hardship applications on Tuesdays at 9.00am, and Noosa lists them with arrests and remands on Tuesdays at 9.00am. Your lawyer will confirm the right date for your application, which must be made before you are disqualified.

Do I need a lawyer for the first mention?

Not always, but early advice helps. It clarifies your plea options and timelines, what to file (references, a program certificate, counselling letters) and whether a work licence is possible, before the first mention.

What does a drug "presence" charge mean?

Queensland drug driving charges can be based on the presence of a relevant drug in your saliva or blood, rather than proof that you were impaired. We look at the sampling, any delays and the laboratory reporting, and put forward credible rehabilitation material for sentence.

Can I apply for a restricted work licence?

Possibly, if you meet the criteria in section 87: an open Queensland licence, a reading under 0.15, not driving for work or in a truck, taxi or other particular vehicle, and no relevant suspension, disqualification or drink driving conviction in the past 5 years. You must also prove extreme hardship to your livelihood.

Will I need to install an alcohol interlock?

Yes, if your reading was 0.10 or more, or you are convicted of UIL, failing to provide a specimen for analysis, dangerous driving while affected by alcohol, or 2 drink driving offences in 5 years. The prescribed period is 12 months of driving with an interlock after your disqualification ends.

Sources and date checked

Sources and references for this page, checked 20 Oct 2026.

Queensland Courts – Magistrates Courts directory (Maroochydore, Noosa, Caloundra, Nambour) — checked 19 Oct 2026
Queensland Courts – Maroochydore Magistrates Court 2026 calendar (PDF) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Queensland Courts – Noosa Magistrates Court 2026 calendar (PDF) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Queensland Courts – Caloundra Magistrates Court 2026 calendar (PDF) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Queensland Courts – Nambour Magistrates Court 2026 calendar (PDF) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 (Qld) – reprint current from 21 September 2026 (ss 79, 79B, 79E, 86, 87, 91I, 91N) — checked 20 Oct 2026
Queensland Government (TMR) – Restricted licence — checked 20 Oct 2026
Queensland Community Safety Act 2024 (Act No. 45), ss 93–104 – TORUM amendments commenced 31 August 2026 — checked 20 Oct 2026
Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026 (Act No. 23) – assent 21 September 2026; pt 10 div 3 commences 1 December 2026 — checked 20 Oct 2026
TORUM legislative history (commencement of amending Acts) — checked 20 Oct 2026

This page is general information about Queensland law only. It is not legal advice. Every matter turns on its own facts.

Sunshine Coast Magistrates Courts — court details

Maroochydore Magistrates Court

Street: Cornmeal Parade, Maroochydore QLD 4558
Postal: PO Box 732, Maroochydore Qld 4558
Phone: (07) 5376 5100
Email: courthouse.maroochydore@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours: 8.30am – 4.30pm Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri · 8.30am – 4.00pm Wed
Facilities: Wi-Fi · videoconferencing · remote witness room

➜ Get directions

Noosa Magistrates Court

Street: Langura Street, Noosa QLD 4567
Postal: PO Box 851, Noosa Qld 4567
Phone: (07) 5473 2200
Email: courthouse.noosa@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours: 8.30am – 4.30pm Monday to Friday

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Caloundra Magistrates Court

Street: 3 Gregson Place, Caloundra QLD 4551
Postal: PO Box 250, Caloundra Qld 4551
Phone: (07) 5293 4100
Email: courthouse.caloundra@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours: 8.30am – 4.30pm Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri · 8.30am – 4.00pm Tue
Facilities: Videoconferencing · remote witness room

➜ Get directions

Nambour Magistrates Court

Street: 156–168 Currie Street, Nambour QLD 4560
Postal: PO Box 310, Nambour Qld 4560
Phone: (07) 5374 7900
Email: courthouse.nambour@justice.qld.gov.au
Registry hours: 8.30am – 4.30pm Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri · 9.30am – 4.30pm Wed

➜ Get directions

Queensland Courts, Magistrates Courts directory (saved 19 Oct 2026) and the 2026 Maroochydore, Noosa, Caloundra and Nambour calendars (courts.qld.gov.au, checked 20 Oct 2026). These are court registry details, not Boorman Lawyers office details.

QLD Traffic Law

Choose your QLD traffic law topicQLD

Guides for Queensland traffic law matters.

QLDDrink Driving OffencesRead guide →QLDDrink Driving PenaltiesRead guide →QLDDrink Driving DefencesRead guide →QLDDrug Driving Offences & PenaltiesRead guide →QLDNo Conviction Drink DrivingRead guide →QLDDUI Restricted Work LicenceRead guide →QLDSpecial Hardship LicenceRead guide →QLDAlcohol Interlock LawsRead guide →QLDTraffic Offenders ProgramRead guide →QLDAppeal Immediate DUI Police SuspensionRead guide →QLDDangerous DrivingRead guide →QLDDUI Court Process GuideRead guide →

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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