Driver Safety
Drink driving limits, plainly.
Your legal limit depends on your licence, and if you're on your Ls or your Ps it's zero. Here's what the limits actually are, how long alcohol really stays with you, and what happens if you get it wrong.
The short version
On your Ls or Ps, zero. On an open licence, under 0.05. And nothing clears alcohol faster than time.
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Your limit depends on your licence
Queensland sets different blood alcohol limits for different drivers. Read the licence groups below and check the official limits for your vehicle and circumstances. Queensland alcohol limits
Learner & P
Your limit is 0.00
- Zero. Any alcohol in your system and you're over.
- It applies the whole time you're on your Ls, your P1 and your P2.
- There's no "one quiet drink". If you're driving, it's none.
Open licence
Your limit is under 0.05
- You must stay below 0.05, it's a hard ceiling, not a target.
- Even under it your reactions, judgement and vision are affected.
- The only way to be sure you're under is to not drink before driving.
Truck, bus, taxi
Your limit is 0.00
- Driving a truck, bus, taxi or rideshare for work? Zero, on any licence.
- The same applies to driving instructors giving a paid lesson.
- Work vehicles carry the strictest limit for good reason.
0.00on your Ls & Ps
Not "one drink". None.
Every learner and provisional driver in Queensland must blow a flat zero. It's the single easiest road rule to follow, because the safe amount to drink before you drive is nothing at all.
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How long alcohol really takes
The only reliable way to be under is to not drink before you drive. There's no trick that speeds it up: not coffee, not food, not a cold shower, not a big sleep. Alcohol affects people differently. Do not estimate a safe driving time from the number of drinks; plan a way home that does not involve driving after drinking. Queensland alcohol limits
The catch is that a "drink" is usually more than one standard drink. People pour big and count small.
| One standard drink is roughly | Which means |
|---|---|
| 285ml full-strength beer | A schooner is about 1.5 |
| 375ml mid-strength beer | A can is about 1 |
| 100ml wine | A poured glass is often 1.5 to 2 |
| 30ml spirits | A mixed drink can hide 2 or more |
So a couple of glasses of wine with dinner can sit in your system well into the next morning. If you're driving in the morning, that matters.
What it costs you
Drink driving in Queensland isn't a slap on the wrist, and it's harsher for learner and provisional drivers because your limit is zero.
Licence restrictions
Drink-driving charges can lead to licence restrictions and court penalties. Check the current Queensland guidance for your circumstances. Queensland drink-driving penalties
Months off the road
A disqualification of several months, even for a first offence on your Ls or Ps.
Court and a fine
It goes to court, with fines into the thousands and jail possible for high readings.
On your record
A conviction stays on your traffic history. Drink-driving charges can lead to licence restrictions and court penalties. Check the current Queensland guidance for your circumstances. Queensland drink-driving penalties
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Common questions
Does coffee, food or a shower sober you up?
No. They might make you feel more alert, but they don't lower your blood alcohol. Only time does that. Feeling "fine" and being under the limit are two very different things, and a breath test only measures one of them.
How long after drinking can I drive?
Alcohol affects people differently. Do not estimate a safe driving time from the number of drinks; plan a way home that does not involve driving after drinking. Because you can't measure it accurately, the only safe answer if you're on your Ls or Ps is to not drink at all before driving. Queensland alcohol limits
What if I'm only just over the limit?
On your Ls or Ps there is no "just over", because your limit is zero. Drink-driving charges can lead to licence restrictions and court penalties. Check the current Queensland guidance for your circumstances. There's no low reading that makes it a minor matter. Queensland drink-driving penalties
Can I sleep it off and drive in the morning?
Sometimes not. If you drank heavily late, you can still be over the limit the next morning, even after a full night's sleep. Morning-after drink driving is more common than people think. If in doubt, don't drive.
This is general information, not legal advice; check qld.gov.au or speak to a lawyer about your situation.