Repeat drink driving course

All drink drivers who are convicted of 2 or more drink driving offences committed on or after Friday 10 September 2021 must complete the repeat drink driving course. The course is called Plan.Drive.Survive. Comprehensive and encourages you to separate drinking from driving.

About the course

You must complete the repeat drink driving course before you are eligible to complete the Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program.

To complete the course you will need to:

• enrol with an approved training provider—there is no fee to enrol
• attend the course in person with other participants
• complete 6 sessions of learning, allow at least 2 hours to complete each session.

When you complete the course successfully it remains valid for 5 years.

Approved training provider

Drug ARM is the approved training provider for the Plan.Drive.Survive. Comprehensive course. Please contact Drug ARM to enrol:

Website: www.drugarm.com.au/drink-driving
Phone: 07 3620 8898
Email: drinkdriving@drugarm.com.au

If you don’t complete the course, the interlock program will apply to you for up to 5 years (from the end of your disqualification period).

Scenario 1: you won't need to complete the course

You don’t need to complete the repeat drink driving course if you:

• commit a drink driving offence and are convicted in August 2020

and

• you commit another drink driving offence and are convicted in October 2021.

You will need to complete the Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program.

Scenario 2: you need to complete the course

You need to complete the repeat drink driving course and complete the Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program if you commit:

• a drink driving offence on 10 September 2021 and are convicted

and

• commit another driving offence in June 2022 and are convicted.

Scenario 3: you need to complete the course

You will need to complete the repeat drink driving course and the Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program if you commit:

• a drink driving offence on 1 January 2022 and are convicted

and

• commit another drink driving offence on 30 October 2022 and are convicted.

If you completed the course after being convicted for your offence on 30 October 2022 and are convicted of another drink driving offence on 15 March 2025, you won't need to do the course again. This is because you have completed it within the last 5 years

You will need to repeat the Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program.

Exemptions from the repeat drink driving course

If you meet strict eligibility criteria, you can apply for an exemption from completing the repeat drink driving course.

An exemption will not be granted if you cannot complete the course for any of the following reasons:

• parenting or general care responsibilities
• employment
• education (or another place you usually go)
• family member's employment, education or another place they usually go
• no transport available to attend in person
• cannot afford travel costs to attend in person
• cannot afford internet charges to attend online via remote learning.

Apply for an exemption

You can apply for an exemption any time after your drink driving disqualification period has ended.

Eligibility criteria

You can only apply for an exemption from the requirement to complete the repeat drink driving course for 2 reasons:

Reason 1

• You live in a remote location or on an island where the course is not available in person
  and
• you cannot complete the course online.

Reason  2

• You or a family member will experience severe hardship if you are not granted an exemption.

How to apply for an exemption

Apply in person

Complete and lodge a Plan.Drive.Survive. Comprehensive Drink Driving Education Program Exemption Application (F5311) at your nearest transport and motoring customer service centre. You will need to pay the application fee.

Apply by mail

You can post your completed Plan.Drive.Survive. Comprehensive Drink Driving Education Program Exemption Application (F5311) and fee (cheque or money order payable to the Department of Transport and Main Roads) to:

Department of Transport and Main Roads
Interlock Processing Unit
GPO Box 5232
BRSIBANE  QLD  4001