UK Drink Driving Ban: Penalties, DR10 & Course

A drink-driving conviction in the UK carries a minimum 12-month disqualification, an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison. Here is how the ban, the endorsement and the rehabilitation course actually work.

What counts as a drink-driving offence

The core offence is driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle on a road or other public place while over the prescribed alcohol limit, or while unfit to drive through drink. It also covers being in charge of a vehicle while over the limit, and refusing to give a breath, blood or urine specimen when required by police.

These are separate offences from the limit itself. The limit that decides whether someone is "over" varies by nation, England, Wales and Northern Ireland set it at 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, while Scotland's limit is lower at 50mg. See our drink-driving limit page for the full breath, blood and urine figures in each nation. Everything on this page, the ban lengths, the fine, the rehabilitation course, applies UK-wide once someone is convicted, regardless of which limit they exceeded.

Penalties for driving or attempting to drive over the limit

A conviction for driving, or attempting to drive, while over the limit carries:

• A minimum 12-month disqualification from driving.
• An unlimited fine.
• Up to 6 months' imprisonment.

The endorsement recorded against the licence is DR10 (drug-driving convictions use the equivalent DG10 code). These are minimums, not typical outcomes, a court can and often does impose a longer ban or a higher fine depending on the circumstances, including how far over the limit the reading was and whether the driving itself was dangerous.

Penalty summary table

A second conviction within 10 years

If someone is convicted of a drink-driving offence again within 10 years of a previous conviction, the minimum disqualification rises to 3 years. This is a fixed statutory minimum under the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, courts routinely go beyond it depending on the reading and any aggravating factors, such as a very high level of alcohol or the driving itself putting others at risk.

The drink-drive rehabilitation course (DDRS)

Where a court imposes a ban of 12 months or more, it can offer the driver a place on an approved drink-drive rehabilitation course. Completing the course cuts the length of the ban by up to a quarter. For example, a 12-month ban can be reduced to 9 months.

A few points worth knowing about the course:

• It is offered by the court, not something a driver can demand.
• The driver pays for it, and the cost is up to about £250.
• The reduced ban only takes effect once the course is completed, so someone who signs up but does not finish it serves the full original ban.
• It is separate from the speed awareness course used for some speeding offences, this one is specific to drink-driving.

High risk offenders

Some drink-drivers are classed as High Risk Offenders (HROs). This includes people convicted with a very high alcohol reading, or those convicted of drink-driving more than once in a 10-year period. An HRO must pass a medical examination, arranged through the DVLA's medical adviser, before their licence is returned at the end of the ban. The licence is not simply reissued once the disqualification period ends, the medical has to be completed and passed first, which can add time beyond the ban itself.

"In charge" of a vehicle while over the limit

Being in charge of a vehicle, rather than actually driving it, while over the limit is a separate and generally less serious offence. It can still lead to a fine, points or a discretionary disqualification, but it does not carry the same automatic minimum 12-month ban that applies to driving or attempting to drive over the limit. Whether someone was "in charge" depends on factors such as where they were in relation to the vehicle, whether the engine was running, and whether they had the keys.

How long the conviction stays on your licence

A drink-driving conviction (DR10) stays on the licence record for 11 years from the date of conviction. This is longer than most other endorsements, for comparison, a standard speeding endorsement (SP30) is removed after 4 years. The extended retention period reflects how drink-driving is treated as a more serious road safety risk, and it can affect insurance premiums for the full 11 years even after the ban itself has ended.

Getting your licence back

Once the disqualification period ends, most drivers need to apply to the DVLA for a new licence, it is not reissued automatically. High Risk Offenders must also pass the medical described above before DVLA will issue it. Anyone unsure whether they fall into the HRO category, or what a specific court has ordered, should check the paperwork from the court or contact the DVLA directly rather than assume.

This page is general information about UK-wide drink-driving penalties, not legal advice for a specific case. Anyone facing a drink-driving charge, or a decision about the rehabilitation course or an HRO medical, should get advice from a solicitor, as the outcome depends on the individual circumstances and the court's discretion.

This article is for general information about UK driving law and does not constitute legal advice. If you are facing a drink-driving charge or a court decision about a ban, course or licence, consult a solicitor about your specific circumstances.

Related reading: UK Driving Laws hub, United Kingdom law hub, drink-driving limit by nation, penalty points and totting-up, driving without insurance.