A drink driving charge on the Gold Coast usually starts on the side of the road and ends in a courtroom at Southport. What happens in between decides most of what matters: how long you lose your licence, whether you can keep driving for work, and whether a conviction is recorded. This guide explains the process in plain terms, so you know what you are dealing with before you walk into Court.

It is general information, not advice on your matter. For the service itself, see our drink driving lawyers page. Fraser Lawyers acts for people charged with drink driving offences in Gold Coast courts.

How a drink driving charge happens.

Most charges begin with a roadside breath test. If the device returns a positive result, you are usually taken for a second, evidentiary test on a more accurate machine. The reading from that second test is the one that counts.

Once you are charged, police give you paperwork. On the Gold Coast this is most often a Notice to Appear, which tells you when and where to attend Court. Depending on the reading and your history, your licence may be suspended immediately, before you have set foot in a courtroom.

Keep that paperwork. The charge, the alleged reading, and the court date on it are the three facts that shape everything that follows.

The alcohol limits, in general terms.

Queensland sorts drink driving by the alcohol reading, and the band you fall into drives the seriousness of the charge.

  • Low range: readings generally from 0.05 to under 0.10.
  • Mid range: readings generally from 0.10 to under 0.15.
  • High range: readings of 0.15 and above.

There are separate offences for driving under the influence, for driving with a relevant drug present, and for refusing to provide a breath or saliva test. Refusing is not a way out. It is its own charge, with consequences of its own.

Within each band, the penalty is not a fixed figure. It scales with the reading, the type of licence you held, and your traffic and criminal history. A first low-range reading after dinner is not treated the same as a repeat high-range charge. The Court understands that difference, and so should anyone advising you.

Going to Court at Southport.

Gold Coast drink driving matters are heard in the Magistrates Court, most commonly at Southport. The mistake many people make is treating the appearance as a formality. Sometimes it is straightforward. Often it is not.

Before the date, the questions worth answering are usually these. What exactly have you been charged with? Is the reading or the charge legally and factually sound? Should you plead guilty, or is there something worth contesting? Is there material that should be put before the Court to explain the circumstances?

Even in a simple matter, preparation can change the practical result: the penalty, the licence outcome, and whether a conviction is recorded. Magistrates hear these cases every week. They know the difference between genuine mitigation and theatre.

Some lower-level matters can be dealt with by mail without attending. That can be efficient, until it produces an outcome that could have been managed better. If disqualification length, work licence eligibility, prior history, or the recording of a conviction is in play, appearing in person is usually the safer course.

What happens to your licence.

For most drink driving offences, licence disqualification is mandatory once a conviction is recorded. The minimum and maximum periods depend on the band, the charge, and any earlier offences. Higher readings and repeat offending carry longer periods.

The useful question is rarely just whether you will lose your licence. It is for how long, whether any restricted licence is available to you, and what can be put to the Court to deal with the matter fairly. When the disqualification period ends, getting back on the road is itself a process. We cover that separately in getting your licence back after disqualification.

Can you keep driving for work.

For many people the first question is not about the fine. It is whether they can keep driving to earn a living.

A restricted work licence may be available in limited circumstances after certain drink driving charges. It is not available for every offence, and it is not automatic. It requires evidence, usually by affidavit, and the Court must be satisfied that the statutory requirements are met. Timing matters, because eligibility is worth assessing early rather than on the morning of Court.

A work licence application should not read like a plea for convenience. “It will be hard without a licence” is not enough. It is hard for almost everyone. The question is whether the legal test can be met. There is more detail on how these applications work on our work licence in Queensland page.

When to get advice.

You do not need a lawyer for every drink driving matter, and no honest lawyer would pretend otherwise. But the decisions made in the weeks between charge and court date tend to matter more than the ones made after.

Advice is worth getting early where the reading is mid or high range, where you have prior traffic or criminal history, where a work licence might be available, where your job depends on driving, or where you are unsure whether the charge is sound. The point of getting advice is not reassurance. It is to understand the charge, the realistic range of outcomes, and what, if anything, can be done about it.

Fraser Lawyers has acted in drink driving and traffic matters in Gold Coast courts since 2013. If you have been charged and want to know where you stand, call (07) 5554 6116 or send a short enquiry through the drink driving lawyers page.

Last updated 12 June 2026.

If you would like to discuss your matter, you can book a consultation or call (07) 5554 6116.