What Happens After You Get Your VicRoads Relicensing Letter

That envelope from VicRoads landing in your letterbox can bring up a mix of relief and confusion. Relief, because it means the wheels are finally turning on getting your licence back. Confusion because the letter is full of program names and conditions that are hard to decipher.

If you've recently received a VicRoads relicensing letter, here's exactly what it means and which VicRoads drink driving course applies to you.

Quick Answer

• Your VicRoads relicensing letter tells you which behaviour change program you must complete before applying to get your licence back.

• There are three VicRoads drink driving course types: Drink Driver, Drug Driver, and Intensive Drink and Drug Driver. Your offence details determine which one applies.

• You can't book into a course without this letter, so don't lose it.

• Completing the right course earns you a Certificate of Completion, which you then return to VicRoads.

• Costs, session numbers, and timeframes vary by program.

Why You've Received This Letter

VicRoads sends a relicensing letter to everyone who's lost their licence for a drink or drug-driving offence, once it's time to start the path back to driving legally. It outlines your Vicroads relicensing requirements, including exactly which course you need to complete.

Don't assume any course will do. The letter is your reference point, and providers won't book you in without it because the wrong program won't count toward reissuing your licence. If you've misplaced yours, request a replacement by emailing VicRoads' Driver Relicensing Services or calling them directly.

Understanding Your VicRoads Relicensing Letter

Your letter will name one of three programs, and which one you've been assigned comes down to your offence:

1. Drink Driver Program: Usually applies if it was your first offence, your BAC was below 0.15, and no drugs were involved. Two group sessions, a week apart, around 3 hours each.

2. Drug Driver Program: For first-time offences where illicit drugs were detected, with a similar two-session structure.

3. Intensive Drink and Drug Driver Program: Required for repeat offences, a BAC of 0.15 or higher, combined drink and drug offences, refusal offences, or more serious charges such as dangerous driving. Four sessions across three weeks, including a one-on-one counselling session.

If your letter mentions an interlock condition, you may also need a separate 2-hour pre-interlock removal session later on, at the end of your interlock period.

Read the letter twice if you need to. People sometimes assume they know which program applies based on what a mate went through, but every case is assessed individually. If anything's unclear, call VicRoads' Driver Relicensing Services on 1300 723 790.

Booking Your VicRoads Drink Driving Course

Once you know which program you need, book in with an approved provider. Most providers, including us, require you to confirm the exact course named in your letter before taking a booking.

A few things to know before you book:

• All sessions are delivered in person. Online programs are available only for Special Circumstances

• Group sizes are capped, so spots can fill.

• A government cost recovery fee applies on top of the provider's own fee but is included in our total price.

• You'll need ID at every session.

If your offence falls under the behaviour change program requirements involving repeat offences or a high BAC reading, you'll need our VicRoads intensive drink and drug driver program, built for those more complex cases.

What Happens During the Course

Each session is run by an accredited Facilitator. You'll take part in group discussion, work through a participant handbook, and complete a short questionnaire about your alcohol or drug use. The goal is to understand what led to the offence and to develop a realistic plan to prevent it from happening again.

Turn up to every session, take part properly, finish the handbook, and you'll be issued a Certificate of Completion to present to VicRoads as proof you've met your obligation. Please be assured that literacy problems are not an issue and will not prevent anyone from completing the program.

After Your Course: Getting Your Licence Back

Completing your VicRoads Behaviour Change Program is a major milestone, but it's not always the final one. Depending on your case, you may also need a licence eligibility order from the Magistrates' Court before VicRoads will reissue your licence. 

Once every condition on your letter or court order is satisfied, head to a VicRoads service centre with your Certificate of Completion and any required eligibility documentation to apply for your licence to be reissued.

Getting Support Through the Process

We know this process can feel like a maze, especially while juggling work, family, and getting back on the road. At Drink Drive Victoria, we run sessions across Melbourne and major regional centres for everyone who needs to complete a Vicroads drink-driving course, whether that's the standard Drink or Drug Driver Program or the Intensive course. Our team has supported thousands of Victorians through this exact process, with no judgment and straightforward guidance at every step.

If you've received your letter and you're ready to book, or you're still unsure which course applies to you, contact Drink Drive Victoria and we'll help you work out the right path forward.