How long does a Drinking Penalty Stay on The Driving License

At times, we may be at the very wrong end of driving situations and find ourselves being charged with the offense of drunk driving with corresponding penalty points being incurred on your driving license. Then the question begins to boggle your mind, how long does a drinking penalty stay on the driving license?

We understand this unfortunate situation all too well, and in this article, we will discuss what the penalty system is all about, the drinking penalty point and how long the points stay on your driving license.

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The penalty points system for driving offenses was introduced in Ireland in 2002. It is essentially a formal rebuke by the Gardai incurred on your driving license that indicates that you are guilty of a specific driving offense. The penalty points aim to improve the overall driving behavior in Ireland when an alarming rate of deaths and the grievous bodily injury was observed.

Later on, the system was extended to Insurance, seat belt wearing and careless driving offenses in 2003 and 2004. In August 2014, a lower threshold of points leading to disqualification of learner and novice drivers was implemented. Later than a year, penalty points offenses for learner drivers unaccompanied, leaner and novice drivers not displaying the L and N plates respectively, and a range of other new offenses and increased points for existing offenses were introduced.

Penalty point offenses are recorded on your driving license in these situations:

• When you are convicted of a driving offense that attracts penalty points or;
• In the situation where you opt to pay the fine rather than having the matter referred to the courts in the case where you are served with a fixed charge notice for an alleged offense that should normally attract penalty points.

Any driver accumulating 12 penalty points within any given three year period will be automatically disqualified from driving for six months. Where the driver is taking out a first learner permit on or after 1 August 2014, a lower threshold of 7 penalty points applies while he or she drives under any learner permit and subsequently during the first two years while he or she is driving under a full driving license.

In the situation where the driver is a foreigner with a foreign license, a record will be created and the penalty points recorded on that record. Such a driver is required to surrender his/her Irish or foreign driving license to the National Driver License Service within ten days of disqualification. It is worthy of note to state that it is an offense not to surrender the license or to drive while being disqualified.

Drink Driving Offences and its Penalty

This ugly situational offense is relatively self-explanatory. This is when you are driving in the state where you have a level of alcohol in your blood system than is legally acceptable. For drink driving offenses, the disqualification periods range from 3 months to 6 years depending on the level of alcohol detected.

Whether you are first of subsequent offender is also very significant is determining how long drink driving points stay on your license. There is also the offense of refusing to provide a sample of blood, urine or breath for evidential purposes which will in itself attract an automatic disqualification for four years for a first offense and six years for a second or subsequent offense.

The offense of refusing to provide a sample of blood, urine, or breath for evidential purposes will attract an automatic disqualification of 4 years for a first offense and six years for a second or subsequent offense.

The Penalties for Drink Driving at the New Lower Limit.

For a more precise understanding, we will be providing detail of the administrative procedures for dealing with drink driving offenses. If the driver is a learner, novice or a professional driver, they are tested at the 20mg limit. If a driver is tested and they are above this limit, they are served with an on-the-spot fixed penalty notice, and they receive a fine of 200 Euros, and the person will be disqualified from holding a driving license period of 3 months.

If the driver (or any category and with any vehicle) is tested at the 50mg limit and they are over the limit, they will be issued with an on the spot fixed penalty notice in addition to a fine of 200 Euros and three penalty points. Points will remain on the license record for three years. Any driver accumulating 12 points in a three year period will be disqualified from driving for 6 months.