1
Your limit depends on your licence
Queensland sets different blood alcohol limits for different drivers. Pick your licence to see yours.
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.
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.
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.
2
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. Your body clears alcohol at its own pace, roughly one standard drink an hour, and only time does it.
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.
3
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.
⏱️
Suspended on the spot
Blow over and your licence is suspended immediately, for at least 24 hours.
🚫
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. A second within 5 years is treated far more harshly.
4
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?
As a rough guide your body clears about one standard drink an hour, but it varies with your size, what you've eaten, how tired you are and more. 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.
What if I'm only just over the limit?
On your Ls or Ps there is no "just over", because your limit is zero. Any reading above 0.00 is an offence, and it still means an immediate suspension, a court date and a disqualification. There's no low reading that makes it a minor matter.
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.
These limits and penalties reflect Queensland law current in July 2026 and can change. This is general information, not legal advice; check qld.gov.au or speak to a lawyer about your situation.
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