Queensland's doubled drug-driving penalties are now law
The Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026 passed Queensland Parliament on 17 September 2026. From 1 December 2026:
- the maximum fine for driving with a relevant drug present (s79(2AA)) doubles from 14 to 28 penalty units — about $4,836 at the current penalty-unit value of $172.70
- a new minimum court-imposed fine of 7.5 penalty units (about $1,295) applies to the offence
- the minimum licence disqualification for a first presence offence rises from 1 month to at least 2 months
- a new combined drink- and drug-driving offence carries up to 33 penalty units (about $5,699)
- the repeat-offender provision (s79(2F)) rises to 30 penalty units, and the maximum 3-month prison term for the presence offence is unchanged.
Medicinal cannabis patients got nothing from this package. The Transport Minister acknowledged patients' concerns in debate but said the Drug Driving Review found no scientifically reliable test to distinguish impaired and unimpaired drivers — so Queensland keeps zero tolerance for THC presence, including for prescribed, unimpaired patients. The contrast with NSW — which passed its registration scheme the same week — is stark.
What it means for patients: the presence offence applies today at up to 14 penalty units, and gets substantially more expensive from 1 December. See the Queensland page for the full penalty breakdown. A drug-driving education program for repeat offenders and streamlined roadside testing follow in 2027. The separate review of medicinal cannabis and drug driving is still with the government.