Drink driving offences

An overview of how to get your driver licence back following a driving ban for a drink driving offence.

If you are caught driving with a Blood or Breath Alcohol Concentration (BAC) over the legal limit you will face heavy fines, loss of licence with a requirement to install an interlock before being relicensed and, for the most serious offenders, possible imprisonment.

The penalties for drink-driving differ depending on:

  • the type of offence you committed
  • when you committed the offence 
  • your age at the time of the offence
  • the licence or permit you held
  • if it wasn't your first offence.

For more information, visit Drink driving penalties.

As well as being fined, you’ll also have your licence cancelled or be disqualified from driving for at least three months, but in most cases, it will be six months or more. 

This can be for longer periods if, for example, you had a high BAC or it was a repeat offence. You can be cancelled/disqualified for up to five years, at the discretion of the Magistrates’ Court.  

First time offenders may have their vehicle immediately impounded or immobilised by police for 30 days for BAC readings of .10 or more. 

Repeat offenders may have their vehicle immediately impounded or immobilised by police for 30 days, plus additional time may be applied by the courts.

The Behaviour Change Program (BCP) is now a requirement for anyone who's committed either a drink, drug or combined drink and drug-driving offence or any other serious motor vehicle offence involving alcohol and/or drugs. 

You may be required to complete a Drink Driver Behaviour Change Program (BCP) or an Intensive Drink and Drug Driver Program (BCP) depending on the type of offence you committed and if you had any prior drink or drug driving offences.

If you’ve completed a BCP for a prior offence, you’ll need to do another BCP for this offence.

For more information, see Behaviour Change Program or search for your nearest BCP Provider.

Please note that there may be waiting times to attend a program.

Before you apply to get your licence back, you’ll need to install an alcohol interlock in any vehicle you intend to drive. Your interlock service agent will also need to sign and complete an Alcohol Interlock Installation Certificate [PDF 122 Kb] as evidence that an approved interlock has been installed.

Once you have an interlock installed, present your Alcohol Interlock Installation Certificate [PDF 122 Kb] provided to you by your installer, along with any BCP certificate and your id to a VicRoads office to have your licence re-issued.

Once you have an interlock installed and have your licence reissued, you’re automatically participating in the Victorian Alcohol Interlock Program (VAIP) and you can register to monitor your progress online, using the Alcohol Interlock Management System (AIMS). 

Depending on the details of your offence, you will need an interlock for a minimum period of at least six months but may be up to four years.

You may also be required to complete a 2-hour Pre-interlock Removal Behaviour Change Program before applying to have your alcohol interlock licence condition removed. If you had to complete an Intensive Drink and Drug Driver Program (BCP) for your offence, to get your licence back, then you’ll need to complete the 2-hour Pre-interlock Removal Program.

Your interlock usage and removal will be managed VicRoads.

Go to Find an alcohol interlock supplier for more.

Once your cancellation period has ended and you have met all of your relicensing requirements such as  completing the BCP and installing an alcohol interlock, you’ll need to visit a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to get your driver licence or learner permit reissued. 

You’ll need to bring:

If you haven’t held a current Australian or overseas driver licence in the last five years or need to reissue an expired motorcycle learner permit, you will also need to be retested before your licence or learner permit is issued. Visit renew your licence or learner permit for information about what tests are required.

Your ‘I’ and ‘Z’ conditions

When you get your licence reissued, it will have an ‘I’ and a ‘Z’ condition.

The ‘I’ stands for alcohol interlock and means that you must have an alcohol interlock fitted to any vehicle you drive.

The ‘Z’ stands for ‘zero BAC’ and means that you must have a zero blood alcohol concentration whenever you drive.

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