Restricted licence
Getting a restricted licence
If you're convicted of a drink or drug driving offence, and you're eligible, you may apply to the court that convicted you for an order directing that you be issued with a restricted licence. This is commonly known as a 'work' licence.
How you can apply
- Before the court hearing, you'll need to complete the Application for an Order directing the issue of a Restricted Licence(s87) (Form F3181)
- Give your application to the Magistrate immediately after you've been found guilty and before the Magistrate disqualifies you from holding or obtaining a driver licence.
You can get the Application for an Order directing the issue of a Restricted Licence (s87) (Form F3181) by visiting a:
- Transport and Motoring service centre
- Queensland Government licence issuing office
- Magistrates Court.
Are you eligible?
To be eligible for a restricted licence, you must be able to demonstrate to the court that you:
- are a fit and proper person to continue to drive under a restricted licence, having regard for the safety of other road users and the public generally
- need a driver licence to earn your living, and that refusal to make an order for a restricted licence would cause you or your family extreme hardship.
Reasons you may not be eligible
You are not eligible to apply for a restricted licence if at the time you committed the offence:
- and were convicted, you did not hold a valid open licence
- you were driving a motor vehicle that you were not authorised to drive under your open licence
- you were learning to drive the next higher class of licence under the authority of your Queensland open licence
- your blood or breath alcohol concentration was 0.15 or greater, when tested
- you were using the vehicle in an activity directly connected with your means of earning a living
- you were driving a truck, tractor, specially constructed vehicle, bus, articulated motor vehicle, B-double, road train, taxi, limousine, tow truck, pilot or escort vehicle escorting an oversize vehicle, a vehicle carrying a placard load of dangerous goods or a vehicle being used by a driver trainer to give driver training
- your provisional or open licence has been suspended or cancelled in the past 5 years, or you have been disqualified from holding or obtaining a Queensland driver licence for a reason other than those outlined below
- you have been convicted of drink or drug driving or dangerous driving in the past 5 years
Exceptions
Your eligibility to apply for a restricted licence is not affected by a suspension, cancellation or disqualification:
- that was set aside on appeal
- imposed because of a mental or physical disability
- relating to which a special hardship order was granted
- imposed because you didn't pay a fine
- that was a 24-hour suspension because of a drink or drug driving related matter
- imposed because you failed to appear in court to answer a charge of drink or drug driving
- that was immediately suspended because of a mid-range alcohol offence.
Conditions for restricted licence holders
If a court grants an application for a restricted licence, you'll be issued with an order directing that you be issued with a restricted licence during your disqualification period. This will be subject to the conditions in the order.
The order will restrict you to driving for circumstances directly connected with earning your livelihood and may include the:
- class of vehicle
- purpose
- times or time periods a vehicle may be driven.
If you're granted a restricted licence then when you're driving, you must:
- carry your licence and court order and promptly show it to a police officer when asked
- comply with the conditions, including vehicle class, on the court order
- have a zero blood alcohol concentration.
You may also need to hold a probationary licence for a further time period before being eligible for an open licence.
You can't supervise a learner driver while you hold a restricted licence—you must hold an open licence to be a supervisor and have held that licence for at least 1 year.
Drink driver programs
If you're a drink driver and a court grants you a restricted licence, you may also need to complete a short online drink driving course. Also if you're convicted of a middle alcohol limit drink driving offence you'll need to participate in the Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program.