Behaviour Change Program
The Behaviour Change Program (BCP) was introduced on 30 April 2018. The program is now a requirement for anyone who's committed either a drink, drug or combined drink and drug driving offence.
Other serious driving offences that require mandatory BCP training include dangerous or negligent driving involving police pursuit, and theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.
Bushfire relief assistance
If you’ve been affected by the bushfires in one of the declared State of Disaster areas, VicRoads will provide assistance to help with your registration and licensing services.
What if my offence happened before the laws changed on 30 April 2018?
If you were cancelled for your offence before 30 April 2018, and still haven’t been relicensed, the BCP is now an additional requirement for you. Even if you didn’t originally have a driver education requirement for your offence.
What if my offence was before the laws changed, and I didn’t have an education requirement?
From 30 April 2019, the BCP must be completed before you can apply to get your licence back, even if you didn’t originally have a driver education requirement for your offence.
This applies if your drink and/or drug-driving offences happened before the new laws come in, and:
- your licence was cancelled before 30 April 2018 for that offence, and
- you are not relicensed for this offence by 29 April 2019.
What is the Behaviour Change Program (BCP)?
The Behaviour Change Program is designed to help you identify the underlying reason for your drink and or drug-driving offence and identify ways to reduce the risk of re-offending.
To complete the Behaviour Change Program, you’ll need to participate in all program components, including:
- contributing to group discussion
- participating in all activities
- completing the participant handbook
- completing the alcohol use/drug use questionnaire to determine if you require further support.
The facilitator may provide you with a referral for further support to assist you with any alcohol or other drug problems.
If you meet all the participation requirements at the end of the program, you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion.
What kind of program do I need to do?
The type of BCP you need to complete depends on the details of your offence. Refer to the below table for details.
You’ll receive a letter from us that has important information about enrolling in the right program. Please have this letter with you when booking into the BCP. If you have not received this letter or if you’re not sure about which BCP to complete, please contact Driver Relicensing Services on 1300 723 790.
To find a BCP provider, visit Behaviour Change Program providers.
Drink and Drug Driver Behaviour Change Program Components
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Offence details
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Drink Driver Program
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This applies to you if:
- you were caught drink-driving with a blood or breath alcohol concentration (BAC) of less than .15,
- it was your first offence and
- you didn’t have drugs in your system
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Drug Driver Program
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This applies to you if:
- you were caught driving with illicit drugs in your system and
- it was your first offence
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Intensive Drink and Drug Driver Program
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This applies to you if:
- it was your second or subsequent drink or drug-driving offence
- your BAC was .15 or more
- you had both alcohol and drugs in your system
- you were charged with a refusal offence for alcohol and or other drugs testing
- you were charged with driving while impaired (DWI)
- you were charged with driving under the influence (DUI)
- you were charged with a serious motor vehicle offence involving alcohol and/or other drugs, eg culpable driving
- you were charged with dangerous or negligent driving involving police pursuit
- you were charged with theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle
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Pre-Interlock Removal Program |
This applies to you if:
- an alcohol interlock licence condition has been imposed, and
- your drink-riving or alcohol related offence was one of the offences listed above that requires you to complete an Intensive Drink and Drug Driver Program prior to being relicensed, or
- you've been notified by us to complete this program
This program must be completed towards the end of your required alcohol interlock period of use and prior to applying to have your alcohol interlock licence condition removed.
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To find out more about what penalties would apply to you after a drink or drug-driving offence, see drink-driving penalties, drug-driving penalties, or combined drink and drug-driving penalties.
Will I need to complete a Behaviour Change Program for every offence?
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If your offence was on or after 30 April 2018, you’ll need to complete a BCP for each drink and/or drug driving offence.
If your most recent offence was before 30 April 2018, and if you have to complete the BCP for your offence, you’ll only need to do one program.
If you have completed the Drink Driver Program or the Drug Driver Program and you re-offend, you’ll be required to complete the Intensive Drink and Drug Driver Program.
What does a BCP include?
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The Behaviour Change Program has been developed to help participants explore the reasons behind their drink and or drug-driving offence and provide an opportunity to explore the consequences of their offence, not only on themselves but others, and identify the benefits of not re-offending.
The program enables participants to develop an action plan to assist them to not drink and or drug drive again. The program also provides referral support for those who have alcohol or drug use concerns.
How long are the programs?
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Drink Driver Program - The program is held over two sessions, one week apart. Each session runs for approximately 3.5 hours and includes a break/s. The maximum number of participants in a group is 12.
Drug Driver Program - The program is held over two sessions, one week apart. Each session will run for approximately 3.5 hours and includes a break/s. The maximum number of participants is 10.
Intensive Drink and Drug Driver Program - The program is held over four sessions. There will be three 3.5 hour sessions (includes a break/s) and a one on one counselling session with the facilitator prior to the third group session. The maximum number of participants is 8.
If you’ve committed a drink-driving offence and you’re a participant in the Intensive Drink and Drug Driver Program, you’ll also need to complete a 2-hour Pre-Interlock Removal Program before you can have your alcohol interlock removed.
Pre-Interlock Removal Program - If you committed a drink-driving or alcohol related offence that requires you to complete an Intensive Drink and Drug Driver Program, you’ll also need to complete a 2-hour Pre-Interlock Removal Program before you are eligible to have your alcohol interlock licence condition removed. The Pre-Interlock Removal Program is group based. The maximum number of participants in a group is 12.
More information about the Pre-Interlock Removal Program
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The 2-hour Pre-Interlock Removal Program aims to help participants avoid drink- driving when their alcohol interlock device is removed from their vehicle. Participants will share their experience of using the alcohol interlock and will explore, through group-based activities, what the positive changes were and what the challenges were of having the alcohol interlock device.
Participants will revisit their action plan from the behaviour change program they completed prior to being licensed with an alcohol interlock condition. They will discuss potential risks of drink-driving when the alcohol interlock device is removed and develop strategies to prevent drink-driving in the future.
How much does a BCP cost?
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BCP providers may charge slightly different fees, so we recommend contacting different organisations to compare costs.
A VicRoads Program Cost Recovery fee is also included in the total amount ($67 or $34 for eligible concession card holders), which is collected by the provider on behalf of VicRoads for the ongoing management of the BCP. This fee is collected prior to attending the program and is additional to the provider’s cost to deliver the program.