Driving offence
Drink driving sentence calculator
Choose the factors in the court guideline and enter weekly net income where it applies.
Summary: The alcohol reading selects the guideline row. A court must disqualify for at least 12 months and decides the final sentence after all case factors. This is an adult magistrates' court guideline for England and Wales.
Not published
None published
Unlimited
Checked on .
- DR10 endorsementPoints, retention and declaration rules.
- All driving offencesCompare eight common offence guidelines.
- Drug driving sentence calculatorThe guideline combines culpability and harm. It says a drug level cannot be directly connected to harm, so the calculator does not ask for one.
- Mobile phone driving offence sentenceThe fixed penalty is £200 and 6 points. In court the ordinary starting point is a Band B fine, raised to Band C for the factors stated in the guideline.
Guideline categories and sentence ranges
| Category | Starting point | Sentence range | Disqualification | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest alcohol reading band | Band C fine | Band B fine to Band C fine | 12 to 16 months | None in the ordinary guideline because disqualification is obligatory |
| Second alcohol reading band | Band C fine | Band C fine to low level community order | 17 to 22 months | None in the ordinary guideline because disqualification is obligatory |
| Third alcohol reading band | Medium level community order | Low level to high level community order | 23 to 28 months | None in the ordinary guideline because disqualification is obligatory |
| Highest alcohol reading band | 12 weeks custody | High level community order to 26 weeks custody | 29 to 36 months | None in the ordinary guideline because disqualification is obligatory |
Which factors does the guideline use?
- The specimen type and reading select the guideline row.
- A second relevant conviction within 10 years changes the minimum disqualification ranges.
Why is this not a sentence prediction?
- The court decides the sentence. This calculator reports the guideline and is not a prediction.
- A guilty plea, aggravating and mitigating factors can change the sentence.
Common questions
- Is there a fixed penalty for drink driving?
- No fixed penalty is published for this offence. It is dealt with by a court.
- Is a driving ban mandatory?
- The guideline says the court must endorse and disqualify for at least 12 months.
Related pages
- Drug driving sentence calculatorThe guideline combines culpability and harm. It says a drug level cannot be directly connected to harm, so the calculator does not ask for one.
- Mobile phone driving offence sentenceThe fixed penalty is £200 and 6 points. In court the ordinary starting point is a Band B fine, raised to Band C for the factors stated in the guideline.
- Driving without insurance sentence calculatorThe fixed penalty is £300 and 6 points. A court uses culpability and harm to select one of three categories and can impose an unlimited fine or disqualification.
- Careless driving sentence calculatorThe guideline has three culpability levels and two harm levels. Their combination selects a fine from Band A to Band D and the points or possible ban.
Sources
Guideline and penalty figures were checked against the linked official pages on 10 September 2026.