How Long Does Drink Driving Stay On Your Criminal Record?

Most drink-driving offences require you to disclose them for five years following your conviction following an endorsement on your driving licence. and and will remain on your criminal record until the date for dissolution is set by the court.

The expert drink driving offence solicitors at JMW have written this guide to explain how drink driving motoring convictions work and what circumstances determine how long a drink driving conviction stays on your licence.

What Are the Different Drink Driving Convictions?

The severity of your offence may determine how long a drink driving conviction will remain on your licence and criminal record. There are different types of drink driving convictions and these are designated with codes.

The different drink driving convictions in the UK are:

• Driving or attempting to while above the alcohol limit (DR10)
• Driving or attempting to while unfit due to alcohol (DR20)
• Failing to take an alcohol test following a drink driving accusation (DR30)
• Refusing to give permission for the analysis of a blood sample in relation to drink driving (DR31)
• Driving or in charge of a vehicle while above the alcohol limit (DR40)
• In charge of a vehicle while unfit due to alcohol (DR50)
• Failure to take an alcohol test (DR60)
• Refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity (DR61)
• Failing to provide specimen for a breath test (DR70)
• Intoxicated while in charge of a motor vehicle (DR90)
• Causing death through careless driving when unfit due to alcohol (CD40)
• Causing death by careless driving while above the alcohol limit (CD60)
• Causing death by careless driving and failing to take an alcohol test (CD70)

When you are sentenced with a drink driving conviction, or with multiple, the codes relating to the offence will be displayed on your licence and will be accessible by employers, police officers, car insurance brokers and car dealers. You will also hold a criminal record which will affect your ability to access certain things, such as DBS checks and certain job roles.

How Long Will Your Drink Driving Offence Remain On Your Licence?

The length of time your offence will remain on your driving licence, and the length of time you will be required to declare it are two separate factors. Once the declaration deadline has passed, you will not be required to disclose the offences to parties, such as employers during job interviews as one example.However, this is ultimately dependant on the role your seeking to apply for.

Driving offences may remain on your licence for any duration between four and 11 years, while you will be able to stop declaring them after five years.

Driving offences that will remain on your licence for four years include:

• DR40 - driving or in charge of a vehicle while above the alcohol limit
• DR50 - in charge of a vehicle while unfit due to alcohol
• DR60 - failure to take an alcohol test
• DR70 - failing to provide specimen for a breath test
• DR90 - intoxicated while in charge of a motor vehicle

If you have been convicted of one of the above motoring offences, you could also incur points on your licence. These points remain on your licence for five years.

Driving offences that will remain on your licence for 11 years include:

• DR10 - driving or attempting to while above the alcohol limit
• DR20 - driving or attempting to while unfit due to alcohol
• DR30 - failing to take an alcohol test following a drink driving accusation
• DR31 - refusing to give permission for the analysis of a blood sample in relation to drink driving
• DR61 - refusing to give permission for analysis of a blood sample that was taken without consent due to incapacity
• CD40 - causing death through careless driving when unfit due to alcohol
• CD60 - causing death by careless driving while above the alcohol limit
• CD70 - causing death by careless driving and failing to take an alcohol test

Depending on the offence and its severity, you would incur a disqualification and in some circumstances alternatively number of points between three and 11 for a conviction of the above type.

What if You Already Have a Driving Conviction On Your Licence?

If you already have a motoring conviction on your licence, or if you are committing a repeat offence, your penalties will be more severe. You may face more points added, higher fines, extensions of your offences on your licence, or outright disqualification. The penalty that you will incur will vary on a case-by-case basis, so you should speak to a solicitor to find out your options.

Talk to Us

If you are faced with a drink driving offence, you should speak to the expert motoring offences solicitors at JMW. Our team has decades of experience in handling cases where drivers have been above the legal alcohol limit and repeat offences. We will be able to help you navigate your conviction and will try to reduce or remove it through the use of evidence in court hearings.

Call us today on 0345 872 6666 or fill out an online enquiry form to get started.