Have you had your licence cancelled because of a drink or drunk driving offence, or been disqualified because of a serious motor vehicle offence or police pursuit? If so, then there are certain conditions that need to be met before you can apply to the court for a Licence Eligibility or Restoration Order. Some of the conditions may include participating in a driver education course, obtaining a report, having an interview with a police officer, obtaining an assessment report about your usage of alcohol, or having an interlock imposed. These penalties will also apply if the offending was in another State.
If your licenced has been cancelled because of drink or drug driving then you need to apply to the Courts for a Restoration Order. To regain your licence you will need to participate in an accredited driver education program and obtain an assessment report; attend at the magistrate’s court to arrange a hearing; and prior to the hearing have an interview with the police. Once the Order is obtained you need to attend at Vic Roads to have your licence re-issued. As part of the Order the Magistrate may require you to fit an alcohol interlock to your vehicle for a period of time. If you have been charged with drug driving you may need to participate in a driver education program twice, and obtain two reports. Further information on what is required is outlined in the “Getting your licence back” brochure issued by VicRoads.
If you have had your licenced cancelled or disqualified because of a serious motor vehicle offence such as dangerous driving, or due to a police pursuit, then you need to make an application to the court for a Licence Eligibility Order. Before you apply though, make sure that all your driving bans have been completed. Before you make the application to the court you need to be sure that you have completed all of the eligibility requirements. These are similar to the above Restoration Order requirements but may contain additional assessments depending on the seriousness of the offence. To assess your particular requirements you can enter in the details of your offence at the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria Online Driver’s Licence Restoration Guide, which will then formulate a report showing exactly what you need to complete. An example of the report, for someone who has committed a dangerous driving offence while intoxicated, can be seen here.
The Victorian Association of Drink & Drug Driver Services (VADDS), manage the driver education programs. VADDS also provides the court reports and alcohol and drug treatment services. They have locations in the inner and outer metropolitan and rural areas across Victoria. To find out more about the programs offered, the location of your nearest provider, and fees for assessment, please visit www.vadds.asn.au or call 1800 888 236.
If the court imposes the condition of you requiring an alcohol interlock device for your vehicle you will need to have one fitted prior to you driving the vehicle. This also means that you cannot drive any vehicle that does not have an interlock fitted. The timeframe you will be required to have the interlock condition depends on your age, BAC reading and whether you have prior offences. This varies from 6 months to 4 years depending on your situation. At the end of the interlock period you will need to apply to the court to have it removed. Some frequently asked questions about interlocks, including how long you may require one, and how to have it removed, is found on the Magistrates of Victoria’s website. A full list of approved suppliers can be obtained from your nearest VicRoads.
