A drink-driving charge in Marlborough is dealt with under one nationwide law — the Land Transport Act 1998 — but your case will be heard locally, almost always at the Blenheim District Court on Alfred Street. Whether you were stopped on State Highway 1 near Blenheim, coming home from a Marlborough winery, or anywhere across the region, the limits, the penalties and the deadlines are the same throughout New Zealand. What changes is where you front up and who can help you locally. This page sets out, in plain English, what the law says, what a conviction can mean for your licence and your record, and where to get free help in Marlborough. This is general legal information to steady you — not legal advice, and it creates no lawyer-client relationship.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across Marlborough.
Do this first: read every piece of paper the police gave you and find your court date. Drink-driving at the criminal level is charged under section 56 of the Land Transport Act 1998 and is heard in the District Court — for Marlborough that is the Blenheim District Court, 58 Alfred Street, Blenheim. If your breath-alcohol was over 400 micrograms (or your reading was very high, or you have a recent prior), the police may have given you an immediate 28-day roadside licence suspension on the spot, so do not drive until you have checked. A conviction carries a mandatory minimum disqualification of at least six months, so this is worth getting advice on early. If you can't afford a lawyer, Community Law Marlborough offers free legal help — see the resources below.
Here's what blindsides people: for a high reading, your licence can be taken on the roadside, on the night, long before your Blenheim court date. If you blow over 650 micrograms of breath alcohol (over 130mg blood), or over 400 micrograms with a relevant conviction in the last four years, the police can serve an immediate 28-day suspension and take your physical licence on the spot under the Land Transport Act 1998. That is separate from — and on top of — anything the District Court later orders. Many drivers assume nothing happens until court and keep driving, which is itself a fresh offence. Don't guess. Check your paperwork, and if you're unsure whether you've been suspended, get advice before you get back behind the wheel.
If you can't afford a private lawyer, these New Zealand services can help with information, free advice, or a referral. Legal Hotline is not a law firm or a community law centre and does not provide these services — we point you to them and give general information, not legal advice.
I've been charged with drink-driving in Marlborough — which court will I go to?
Almost certainly the Blenheim District Court (Te Waiharakeke) at 58 Alfred Street, Blenheim, which hears Marlborough drink-driving charges. Serious matters or jury trials can be moved up to the High Court. Your court date will be on the paperwork the police gave you — read it carefully, because attendance is required. For free, plain-English information about your first steps, call 0800 461 100, any hour.
What's the legal alcohol limit for driving in New Zealand?
For drivers 20 and over, the limits are 250 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath, or 50 milligrams per 100ml of blood. Between 250 and 400 micrograms breath it's an infringement (a fee and demerit points); above 400 micrograms it becomes a criminal charge heard in the District Court. For drivers under 20 the limit is zero — any alcohol at all is an offence. These limits are the same everywhere in New Zealand, including Marlborough.
The police took my licence on the night — can they do that before court?
Yes. If you blow over 650 micrograms of breath alcohol (over 130mg blood), or over 400 micrograms with a relevant conviction in the last four years, police can serve an immediate 28-day roadside suspension and take your physical licence on the spot under the Land Transport Act 1998. That is separate from anything the Blenheim District Court later decides. Do not drive until you've checked whether you've been suspended — driving while suspended is a fresh offence.
Will I lose my licence for a first drink-driving offence?
If you're convicted of a criminal-level first offence (over 400 micrograms breath), yes — the Land Transport Act 1998 sets a mandatory minimum disqualification of six months or more, and the court must impose it. A reading in the 250–400 microgram infringement zone doesn't bring a conviction or court disqualification, but it does carry 50 demerit points. Getting advice early can affect the outcome, so it's worth doing.
What is an alcohol interlock and will I have to get one?
An alcohol interlock is a breath-testing device fitted to your car that stops it starting if it detects alcohol. Under the Land Transport Act 1998, the court must generally sentence you to an alcohol interlock licence if you're convicted with a reading at or over 800 micrograms of breath (160mg blood), or you have a further drink-driving conviction within five years. You keep the interlock for at least 12 months, then move to a three-year zero-alcohol licence.
What are the penalties for a third drink-driving offence?
A third or subsequent criminal drink-driving offence carries up to two years' imprisonment or a fine of up to $6,000, plus mandatory disqualification of more than one year. A high reading or a recent prior also triggers the mandatory alcohol interlock sentence. These are the maximums and minimums set by the Land Transport Act 1998; your actual outcome depends on your facts, which is why advice matters.
I'm under 20 — does the same limit apply to me in Marlborough?
No — the limit for any driver under 20 is zero. Any alcohol in your system is an offence. A reading above zero but under 150 micrograms breath is an infringement (a fee and demerit points); 150 micrograms or more is dealt with criminally, with disqualification. The rule is the same throughout New Zealand, including Marlborough. If you're a young driver facing this, get advice early.
Can I get free legal help with a drink-driving charge in Marlborough?
Yes. Community Law Marlborough (0800 266 529, Level 4, 1 Market Street, Blenheim) offers free, confidential legal help for people who can't afford a lawyer or aren't eligible for legal aid, and the Citizens Advice Bureau Marlborough runs a free legal clinic. If your charge risks imprisonment you may also qualify for government legal aid through the Ministry of Justice.
Do I have to appear at the Blenheim District Court myself?
For a drink-driving charge you are generally required to attend court, and a lawyer can appear with you or, in some situations, on your behalf. Your first court date will be on the police paperwork — missing it can lead to a warrant for your arrest. If you're unsure what your charge sheet means or what you need to do, get advice before the date, not after.
I refused or couldn't complete the breath test — what happens now?
Failing or refusing to give a breath or blood specimen when lawfully required is itself an offence under the Land Transport Act 1998, carrying penalties similar to the high-level drink-driving offences, including disqualification. It is rarely a way out. The exact situation depends on what was asked and how — this is something to get advice on quickly rather than assume.
How much will it cost to get information about my charge?
The information service for New Zealand is free, with no income test and no web form — it gives you general legal information to orient you, not legal advice, and creates no lawyer-client relationship. Call 0800 461 100, any hour. Community Law Marlborough and the Citizens Advice Bureau also offer free help in Blenheim.
We connect worried Marlborough drivers — facing a drink-driving charge at the Blenheim District Court, a 28-day roadside suspension, or a possible alcohol interlock sentence — with New Zealand-qualified lawyers who can act. If you're a lawyer in the Marlborough region who handles drink-driving and traffic matters and would like sensible, ready-to-consult enquiries sent your way, we'd like to hear from you. This is a referral path for vetted lawyers, separate from the free information service for drivers. Reach out to learn how to join.
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.
A drink-driving charge in Marlborough is governed by one national law — the Land Transport Act 1998 — but heard close to home at the Blenheim District Court, and the deadlines and disqualifications can move faster than people expect. You don't have to work out the limits, the 28-day suspension and the interlock rules on your own. Our free, plain-English information service for New Zealand is live now on 0800 461 100, any hour. Community Law Marlborough and the Citizens Advice Bureau in Blenheim also offer free help. This page is general legal information, not legal advice, and creates no lawyer-client relationship.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.