What is the offence?
A person must not drive a motor vehicle on a road unless the person holds a driver license authorising the person to drive the vehicle on the road.
What is the penalty?
Disqualified driving attracts a maximum penalty of $6.000.00 or 18 months imprisonment.
A mandatory disqualification of between two and five years must be imposed in addition to the above penalty.
What does the court take into account in sentencing?
There are a number of factors that the court will take into account when determining the appropriate penalty. These include:
- The reason for your driving at the time of the offence.
- Your previous traffic history.
- Your manner of driving at the time of the offence. That is were you intercepted as part of a random test or was it the manner of driving which attracted the police’s attention to you
- Was the disqualified driving associated with the commission of another offence.
- Your personal circumstances.
- Any other circumstances the Court considers relevant.
Frequently asked questions.
Q: Do the Courts consider disqualified driving to be a serious offence?
A: Disqualified Driving is a serious offence in Queensland. Magistrates regularly impose periods of imprisonment, particularly for repeat offenders.
Q: If I am convicted of disqualified driving am I able to apply for a work license?
A: Regrettably the court does not have any discretion when it comes to the minimum disqualification or the granting of a work license. No matter what your need for a license or the circumstances of your driving, if you are convicted of the offence you will be disqualified for at least two years.
