Provisions about cancellation and disqualification
50 Provisions about cancellation and disqualification
S. 50(1) amended by No. 78/1987 s. 7(1)(a)(b), substituted by No. 53/1989 s. 8(1), amended by Nos 41/1992 s. 4(b), 23/2001 s. 7(1), 94/2003 s. 8(8), substituted by Nos 49/2014 s. 18(1), 68/2017 s. 9(1).
On convicting or finding a person guilty of an offence under section 49(1)(b), (f) or (g), the court must—
cancel any driver licence or learner permit held by the offender; and
whether or not the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, disqualify the offender from obtaining one for such time as the court thinks fit, not being less than the minimum period of disqualification determined in accordance with subsection (1A).
S. 50(1A) inserted by No. 53/1989 s. 8(1), amended by Nos 41/1992 s. 4(c), 94/2003 s. 8(9), substituted by Nos 49/2014 s. 18(1), 68/2017 s. 9(1).
The minimum period of disqualification is—
for a first offence—the period specified in Column 2 of Schedule 1; or
for a subsequent offence—the period specified in Column 3 of Schedule 1—
ascertained by reference to the concentration of alcohol in the blood or breath of the offender as specified in Column 1 of that Schedule.
S. 50(1AB) inserted by No. 41/1992 s. 4(d), amended by Nos 23/2001 s. 7(2), 92/2001 s. 14, 94/2003 s. 8(10), substituted by No. 49/2014 s. 18(1), repealed by No. 68/2017 s. 9(2).
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S. 50(1AC) inserted by No. 81/2006 s. 19(1), substituted by No. 49/2014 s. 18(1), repealed by No. 68/2017 s. 9(2).
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S. 50(1AD) inserted by No. 49/2014 s. 8, amended by No. 5/2016 s. 36(Sch. 1 item 20).
On convicting a person, or finding a person guilty, of an offence under section 49(1)(bc) or (j), the court must, if the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, cancel that licence or permit and, whether or not the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, disqualify the offender from obtaining one for such time as the court thinks fit, not being less than—
in the case of a first offence, the period specified in Column 2 of Schedule 1AB ascertained by reference to the concentration of alcohol in the blood or breath of the offender as specified in Column 1 of that Schedule; and
in the case of a subsequent offence, the period specified in Column 3 of Schedule 1AB ascertained by reference to the concentration of alcohol in the blood or breath of the offender as specified in Column 1 of that Schedule.
S. 50(1B) inserted by No. 53/1989 s. 8(1), amended by Nos 41/1992 s. 4(e), 5/2016 s. 36(Sch. 1 item 20).
On convicting a person, or finding a person guilty, of an offence under section 49(1)(a), (c), (d) or (e) the court must, if the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, cancel that licence or permit and, whether or not the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, disqualify the offender from obtaining one for such time as the court thinks fit, not being less than—
in the case of a first offence, 2 years; and
in the case of a subsequent offence, 4 years.
S. 50(1C) inserted by No. 14/2000 s. 7(1), amended by No. 5/2016 s. 36(Sch. 1 item 20).
On convicting a person, or finding a person guilty of an offence under section 49(1)(ba), the court must, if the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, cancel that licence or permit and, whether or not the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, disqualify the offender from obtaining one for such period as the court thinks fit, not being less than—
in the case of a first offence, 12 months; and
in the case of a subsequent offence, 2 years.
S. 50(1D) inserted by No. 14/2000 s. 7(1), amended by No. 5/2016 s. 36(Sch. 1 item 20).
On convicting a person, or finding a person guilty of an offence under section 49(1)(ca) or (ea), the court must, if the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, cancel that licence or permit and, whether or not the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, disqualify the offender from obtaining one for such period as the court thinks fit, not being less than—
in the case of a first offence, 2 years; and
in the case of a subsequent offence, 4 years.
S. 50(1DA) inserted by No. 111/2003 s. 8(1) (as amended by Nos 49/2004 s. 41(3)(4)), 5/2016 s. 36(Sch. 1 item 20).
On convicting a person, or finding a person guilty of an offence under section 49(1)(eb), the court must, if the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, cancel that licence or permit and, whether or not the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, disqualify the offender from obtaining one for such period as the court thinks fit, not being less than—
S. 50(1DA)(a) amended by Nos 81/2006 s. 4(4)(a)(i), 70/2016 s. 35(a).
in the case of a first offence, 2 years; and
S. 50(1DA)(b) amended by Nos 81/2006 s. 4(4)(a)(ii), 70/2016 s. 35(b).
in the case of a subsequent offence, 4 years.
S. 50(1E) inserted by No. 111/2003 s. 8(1) (as amended by No. 49/2004 s. 41(3)(4)), amended by Nos 75/2010 s. 14(a)(b), 5/2016 s. 36(Sch. 1 item 20), 46/2024 s. 42B(1).
Subject to subsection (1F), on convicting a person, or finding a person guilty of an offence under section 49(1)(bb), (h) or (i), the court must, if the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, cancel that licence or permit and, whether or not the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, disqualify the offender from obtaining one for—
S. 50(1E)(a) amended by Nos 81/2006 s. 4(4)(b)(i), 75/2010 s. 14(c), 68/2017 s. 27(a).
in the case of a first offence, a period not less than 6 months; and
S. 50(1E)(b) amended by Nos 81/2006 s. 4(4)(b)(ii), 75/2010 s. 14(d), 68/2017 s. 27(b).
in the case of a subsequent offence, a period not less than 12 months.
S. 50(1F) inserted by No. 46/2024 s. 42B(2).
If an offence under section 49(1)(bb), (h) or (i) is in relation to the use of a prescription drug that is a legal medicinal cannabis product by a person in accordance with a prescription or other authority, on convicting the person, or finding the person guilty of an offence under section 49(1)(bb), (h) or (i)—
subsection (1E) does not apply; and
the court may, if the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, cancel that licence or permit and, whether or not the offender holds a driver licence or learner permit, disqualify the offender from obtaining one for—
in the case of a first offence, a period not less than 6 months; and
in the case of a subsequent offence, a period not less than 12 months.
S. 50(2) substituted by No. 78/1987 s. 7(2), amended by Nos 6/2020 s. 4, 30/2021 s. 48.
Any period of suspension imposed on a person under Division 1 of Part 6B, or period of disqualification under Division 2 of Part 6C, must be deducted from the period of disqualification imposed on that person under this section.
S. 50(3) amended by Nos 78/1987 s. 7(3), 53/1989 s. 8(2), 57/1989 s. 3(Sch. item 173.7), 94/2003 s. 8(11), 81/2006 s. 4(4)(c), repealed by No. 56/2013 s. 24(1).
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S. 50(4) amended by Nos 78/1987 s. 7(3), 57/1989 s. 3(Sch. item 173.8(a)(b)), 5/1990 s. 7(1), 92/2001 s. 15(1)(a)(b), repealed by No. 56/2013 s. 24(1).
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S. 50(4A) inserted by No. 5/1990 s. 7(2), 19/1991 s. 7(1), 14/2000 s. 7(2)(a)–(c), 1/2002 s. 6(a), 94/2003 s. 8(12), 81/2006 s. 4(4)(d), repealed by No. 56/2013 s. 24(1).
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S. 50(4B) inserted by No. 5/1990 s. 7(2), amended by Nos 58/1995 s. 12, 14/2000 s. 7(3), 1/2002 s. 6(b), 81/2006 s. 4(4)(d), repealed by No. 56/2013 s. 24(1).
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S. 50(4C) inserted by No. 5/1990 s. 7(2), repealed by No. 56/2013 s. 24(1).
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S. 50(4D) inserted by No. 89/1991 s. 11, amended by No. 14/2000 s. 7(4), repealed by No. 56/2013 s. 24(1).
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S. 50(5) amended by Nos 5/1990 s. 7(3), 23/1994 s. 118(Sch. 1 item 50.2), 1/2002 s. 6(c), repealed by No. 56/2013 s. 24(1).
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S. 50(5A) inserted by No. 69/2009 s. 54(Sch. Pt 1 item 50.7), repealed by No. 56/2013 s. 24(1).
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S. 50(5B) inserted by No. 52/2012 s. 23, repealed by No. 56/2013 s. 24(1).
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S. 50(6) inserted by No. 23/2001 s. 8, amended by No. 49/2019 s. 110.
This section does not apply to a person who is convicted or found guilty of a supervising driver offence.
Note to s. 50 inserted by No. 56/2013 s. 24(2), substituted as Notes by No. 49/2014 s. 18(2).
Notes
Note 1 to s. 50 amended by No. 49/2019 s. 116(Sch. 1 item 95).
1 Unless section 31KA applies to him or her, a person disqualified under this section needs to obtain a licence eligibility order from the Magistrates' Court before he or she can apply to the Secretary for the grant of a driver licence or learner permit: see section 31A.
2 See section 50AAA and Schedule 1B in relation to the giving of an alcohol interlock condition direction when a person disqualified under this section from obtaining a driver licence or learner permit applies to the Magistrates' Court for a licence eligibility order.
S. 50AAA inserted by No. 1/2002 s. 7, amended by Nos 94/2003 s. 8(13), 111/2003 s. 9 (as amended by No. 110/2004 s. 44(2)), 49/2004 s. 31, 110/2004 s. 31(1), 81/2006 ss 5(1)–(4) (5)(a), 19(2)(3)(b), 45/2012 s. 3, substituted by No. 56/2013 s. 6.
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