Minimum ban for drink driving

For most drink driving offences that involve driving or attempting to drive (for example driving with excess alcohol, being unfit through drink, or failing to provide a specimen when driving or attempting to drive), disqualification from driving is obligatory. The usual minimum period is 12 months.

The minimum rises to 3 years if you are convicted of a second drink driving offence (or certain other specified drink or drug driving offences) within a 10 year period.

More serious related offences carry longer minimum bans. For example, causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs carries a minimum of 5 years, and this rises to 6 years for a repeat conviction within 10 years.

The drink drive rehabilitation scheme:

Where a ban of 12 months or more is imposed for a drink driving offence, the court may offer you the chance to reduce the ban by completing an approved drink drive rehabilitation course. The reduction can be up to a quarter of the total ban, so a 12 month ban could be reduced to about 9 months if the course is completed by the deadline set by the court. Taking part is voluntary, you usually pay the course fee yourself, and you must finish it by the date the court specifies.

Points to be aware of:

The 12 month minimum applies to offences involving driving or attempting to drive. A related but different offence, being in charge of a vehicle while over the limit or unfit, does not carry an obligatory ban in the same way. For that offence the court can instead impose penalty points, though it may still disqualify.

The figures above are minimums, not fixed periods. Courts can and often do impose longer bans, particularly where the alcohol reading was high, there was an accident, or there are aggravating features.

A very high alcohol reading, refusal to provide a specimen, or other aggravating factors can push the ban well beyond the minimum and can also lead to a community order or custody in serious cases.

Practical points:

If you are facing a charge, the exact ban will depend on your reading, your record, and the circumstances, so the specific figures for your case matter. Keep any documents from the police and the court, note the alcohol reading if you have it, and check whether the court has offered the rehabilitation course and the deadline for completing it.

If you want, tell me the type of offence, the alcohol reading, and whether you have any previous drink driving convictions in the last 10 years, and I can explain the likely minimum ban and options that apply to your situation.