Licence disqualification

You will be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver licence for a period if convicted of a:

• drink driving or drug driving offence
• dangerous driving offence
• criminal offence involving the driving or use of a motor vehicle.

If you’re convicted of 2 or more offences with separate disqualification periods, you’ll serve each disqualification period one after the other (cumulatively ) rather than all at the same time (concurrently).

If you drive a vehicle in Queensland while disqualified from holding a driver licence, you’ll need to appear in court for disqualified driving.

If you’re convicted of this offence, the court must disqualify you from holding a driver licence for an additional 2 to 5 years.

You may also get a fine or imprisonment for up to 18 months.

Cumulative disqualifications for repeat drink and drug drivers

Drink and drug driving is a significant contributing factor to road crashes in Queensland.

We apply cumulative disqualifications to these high risk drivers. We do this to improve road safety by:

• providing an extra deterrent against committing dangerous driving offences
• keeping high risk drivers off the road for longer.

A cumulative disqualification means that you're a repeat offender and you'll serve each disqualification period one after the other rather than all at the same time.

Your first disqualification period will start on the date of your court conviction, and the second will start after you've served the first disqualification period.

A cumulative disqualification period will apply to you if you commit:

• multiple drink or drug offences
• a drink or drug driving offence and the same time you commit an offence for driving without a valid driver licence.

Download our information sheet to learn more about cumulative disqualifications and the offences.

Getting your licence back after being disqualified

Once you have served a period of disqualification, you can apply to have your licence re-issued. If you are eligible for a licence, you will be issued with a probationary licence, which you must hold for at least 1 year.