DR10 Drink Driving Conviction: Points, Ban And Years On Your Licence
Yes, you can look for car insurance with a DR10 once your drink driving ban has ended, through specialist brokers who search for insurers that consider drink drivers. Fewer insurers may quote, and prices are likely to be higher while the conviction is recent.
- Points3–11Only if the court exceptionally doesn't ban you; normally it records a ban instead.
- On your licence11 yearsFrom the date of conviction.
- Ban1 year+At least 1 year, or 3 years if convicted twice in 10 years.
- Insurers may see it5 yearsThe first 5 of the 11 years (30 months if under 18).
Penalties can also include up to 6 months in prison, an unlimited fine and a criminal record.
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What Is A DR10 Motoring Conviction?
DR10 is the drink driving code for driving, or attempting to drive, with an alcohol level above the legal limit. The limit is set for your breath, blood or urine, and Scotland's is lower than the rest of the UK (see the table below).
A DR10 is about the alcohol level. If the charge was driving while unfit through drink, the code is DR20 instead. Being in charge of a vehicle over the limit, without driving it, is DR40. DR10 and DR20 both carry 3 to 11 points and stay on your licence for 11 years, while DR40 carries 10 points and stays for 4.
High Risk Offender Rules After A Drink Driving Conviction
Some drink drivers don't get their licence back automatically when the ban ends. GOV.UK says you're a high risk offender if you:
- were convicted of 2 drink driving offences within 10 years
- were driving with at least 87.5 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, 200mg per 100ml of blood or 267.5mg per 100ml of urine
- refused to give the police a sample of breath, blood or urine to test for alcohol
- refused to allow a blood sample to be tested for alcohol, for example one taken while you were unconscious
You'll need to pass a medical with one of DVLA's appointed doctors, which you pay for, before you get your new licence. DVLA sends a D27PH renewal form 90 days before your ban ends. The process is different in Northern Ireland.
DR10Drink Driving Limits And Penalties For A DR10 Conviction
The drink drive limit depends on where in the UK you're driving. Scotland has had a lower limit since 5 December 2014.
| Sample | Legal limit |
|---|---|
| Breath | 35 micrograms per 100ml |
| Blood | 80 milligrammes per 100ml |
| Urine | 107 milligrammes per 100ml |
| Sample | Legal limit |
|---|---|
| Breath | 22 micrograms per 100ml |
| Blood | 50 milligrammes per 100ml |
| Urine | 67 milligrammes per 100ml |
The penalty depends on the offence, and the actual penalty is up to the magistrates who hear your case.
| Offence (code) | You may get |
|---|---|
| Driving or attempting to drive above the limit or unfit through drink (DR10, DR20) | 6 months' imprisonment, an unlimited fine and a ban of at least 1 year (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years) |
| Refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine for analysis (DR30) | 6 months' imprisonment, an unlimited fine and a ban of at least 1 year (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years) |
| In charge of a vehicle above the limit or unfit through drink (DR40, DR50) | 3 months' imprisonment, a fine of up to £2,500 and a possible ban |
| Causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink (CD40, CD60, CD70) | Life imprisonment, an unlimited fine, a ban of at least 5 years and an extended driving test before your licence is returned |
Source: the GOV.UK drink drive limit and drink-driving penalties pages (linked in the sources below), checked 30 September 2026.
This information is based on our understanding of current law and insurance practice at the time of writing. Rules, penalties and rehabilitation periods can change and may apply differently depending on individual circumstances.
The Drink-Drive Rehabilitation Course After A DR10 Conviction
If your ban is for 12 months or more, the court may offer you a drink-drive rehabilitation course. It's up to the court to offer it, and you have to decide in court whether to take it. You can't change your mind later.
Finish the course within the set time and your ban is reduced, usually by a quarter. The course can cost up to £250. There's a different process in Northern Ireland.
Can You Get Car Insurance After A DR10 Conviction?
Yes. Once your ban has ended, specialist brokers can look for insurers that consider a DR10. Not every insurer will quote for a drink driver, and prices are likely to be higher while the conviction is recent. The full convictions guide covers the general rules, such as which convictions insurers ask about.
Getting Back On The Road After A Drink Driving Ban
Don't drive until the ban has ended and you're entitled to drive again, and have cover in place before your first drive. If you were disqualified for 56 days or more, you must apply for a new licence before driving.
Do You Have To Tell Your Insurer About A DR10?
Yes, whenever an insurer's questions cover it. Give the DR10 code, the conviction date and the ban length exactly as your court paperwork shows, and say if a course shortened the ban.
What Cover Can You Get With A Drink Driving Conviction?
A DR10 doesn't automatically mean third party only. Specialist brokers may still find comprehensive quotes, which also pay out for damage to your own car. Some insurers may only offer third party, fire and theft or third party, or may set a higher excess.
Need a van or a bike after your drink driving ban? See van insurance for drink drivers or motorbike insurance with a DR10.
Please note that policy features, benefits, terms and conditions vary among insurance providers, so always check the policy wording.
Cover Tip: If you finished the drink-drive rehabilitation course, your DR10 ban ends earlier than the court first set. Use the reduced end date when you pick a policy start date, and don't drive until your licence is back.
Telling Your Insurer About A DR10 Conviction
Three things to know before you answer the conviction questions on a DR10 quote.
- Answer The Questions Accurately - The Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 sets out how insurers treat wrong answers. MoneyHelper says an insurer can reject a claim if you didn't take reasonable care to answer accurately. Unsure of an answer? The Financial Ombudsman expects you to find out.
- Insurers May Be Able To Find Out - GOV.UK says insurers may be able to find out about a DR10 during the first 5 years of the 11-year endorsement, so give it whenever the form asks within that time.
- Wrong Answers Can Affect A Claim - If information turns out to be wrong, the Financial Ombudsman says an insurer might charge more, restrict the policy, settle a claim only in part, or cancel the policy as if it never existed, which means an ongoing claim will be declined.
How Does A Drink Driving Conviction Change Your Insurance Price?
Insurers may ask about more than the DR10 code, such as your ban and any other endorsements. These details may affect the price you're quoted.
| Key Factor | Impact on your price |
|---|---|
| How recent it is | Prices are likely to be at their highest while your DR10 is recent, and may ease as it gets older. |
| Length of your ban | A longer ban may be seen as a more serious case. If you were convicted of a drink- or drug-driving offence in the 10 years before this one, the ban is usually at least 3 years. |
| Your alcohol reading | A higher reading may be treated as more serious. A breath reading of at least 87.5 micrograms also makes you a high risk offender. |
| Other codes on your licence | A DR10 alongside other endorsements, such as speeding points, may narrow the choice of insurers and raise the price further. |
| The car, mileage and parking | A powerful or modified car may cost more to insure after a DR10. Give a realistic mileage and where the car is kept overnight. |
The quotes you get will depend on your own details.
Price Insight: Don't let a DR10 policy renew without checking. Prices may ease as the conviction gets older, so compare again before each renewal, giving the same conviction and ban dates each time.
Ways To Help Reduce Insurance Costs After A DR10 Conviction
Ask For A Black Box Quote
Ask whether a black box policy is available. Most insurers look at things like speed, braking and time of day, so it may reflect how you drive after a DR10.
Pick A Lower-Group Car
Check the insurance group before you buy a car after your drink driving ban. A lower-group, unmodified car is usually cheaper to insure, which helps with a DR10.
Keep The Excess Affordable
Raise the voluntary excess only to a level you could pay, on top of the compulsory excess, if you claimed. A higher excess may lower a DR10 premium.
Pay For The Year Upfront
Pay annually if you can. Monthly instalments may add interest on top of a DR10 premium.
Our Expert On A DR10 Drink Driving Conviction
A DR10 usually means a ban of at least a year, or 9 months if a 12-month ban is cut by the course, and that wait can feel like being stuck. The upside is that the ban has an end date, so you can plan your cover around it.
One thing catches drink drivers out: assuming the licence comes back the day the ban ends. If you're a high risk offender, GOV.UK's guide to drink-driving bans says you won't get your new licence until you've passed a DVLA medical, and it isn't returned automatically.
My rule of thumb: work out the date you can legally drive again, after any course reduction and any medical, and ask for quotes from that date. Then give the same conviction date, offence date and ban details on every form, so the quotes you compare are like for like.
Insurance Expert & Co-founder of Clean Green Cars
DR10 Drink Driving Conviction Insurance Questions
How Long Do I Need To Declare A DR10?
For as long as an insurer's questions cover it. A DR10 endorsement is spent 5 years from conviction in England and Wales (2.5 years if under 18), but stays on your licence for 11. Once it's spent, MoneyHelper says you don't need to declare it, even if you're asked.
Is A DR10 The Same As Being Drunk In Charge?
No. A DR10 is for driving or attempting to drive over the limit. Being in charge of a vehicle over the limit is DR40: 10 points and a possible, not obligatory, ban.
How Much Does A DR10 Affect Car Insurance?
It depends on your details, but prices are likely to be higher while it's recent.
Does A Drink Driving Ban Apply Across The Whole UK?
Yes. GOV.UK says you can't drive anywhere in the UK if any UK court has banned you for drink driving, so a ban from a Scottish court also applies in England and Wales.
What Happens If I Get A Second Drink Driving Conviction?
Usually a longer ban: at least 3 years if convicted twice. Two drink driving offences in 10 years also make you a high risk offender, needing a DVLA medical before your licence returns.
What Happens After I Submit My Details?
Clean Green Cars introduces you to specialist brokers who consider DR10 convictions. They contact you with quotes based on your details, and you're under no obligation to accept any quote.
What To Have Ready Before Comparing Quotes With A DR10 Conviction
Have these to hand so your DR10 details match on every quote.
- Your DR10 conviction date and offence date
- Ban start and end dates, after any course reduction
- Your points and any other codes
- The car's registration and where it's kept overnight
- Your annual mileage and claims history
Compare DR10 Drink Driving Car Insurance Quotes
Sources For DR10 Drink Driving Conviction Facts
- GOV.UK - Drink-driving penalties - Prison, fines and bans by offence, and the high risk offender rule (checked 30 September 2026).
- GOV.UK - The drink drive limit - Breath, blood and urine limits, including Scotland's lower limit (checked 30 September 2026).
- GOV.UK - Drink-drive rehabilitation course - Who can be offered it, the cost and how much it reduces a ban (checked 30 September 2026).
- GOV.UK - How long endorsements stay on your licence - Why a DR10 stays 11 years and when insurers may find out (checked 30 September 2026).
- MoneyHelper - Insurance if you have a criminal conviction - Spent convictions (checked 15 October 2026).
- MoneyHelper - If your insurance claim is rejected - When an insurer can reject a claim over an answer given without reasonable care (checked 15 October 2026).
- GOV.UK - Endorsement codes and penalty points - DR10 points and years on your record (checked 15 October 2026).
- GOV.UK - Rehabilitation periods - When endorsements and bans are spent (checked 15 October 2026).
- Financial Ombudsman - Misrepresentation - What an insurer can do if an answer is wrong (checked 15 October 2026).
