Charged With Street Racing or Hoon Driving in Tasmania - What Happens Now?

By James Stevens, Director and Solicitor, Go To Court Lawyers. Last reviewed 10 April 2026.

If you've been charged with street racing or hoon driving in Tasmania, you're facing serious criminal charges that can result in immediate licence disqualification, vehicle impoundment or forfeiture, heavy fines, and a permanent criminal record. Tasmania treats hoon driving as criminal offences under the Road Safety (Alcohol and Drugs) Act 1970 and Vehicle and Traffic Act 1999, not simple traffic matters. Call 1300 636 846 immediately - the decisions you make in the next few days will determine whether you keep your licence, your vehicle, and avoid a criminal conviction.

Do You Need a Lawyer?

Yes, absolutely. Tasmania's hoon laws carry mandatory penalties that include automatic licence disqualification and vehicle impoundment that police apply immediately upon charging you. Without expert legal representation, you will likely face the full force of these penalties, including potential vehicle forfeiture worth tens of thousands of dollars.

A specialist traffic lawyer can challenge the evidence against you, argue for reduced charges, negotiate with prosecutors to avoid criminal conviction, and potentially save your vehicle from permanent forfeiture. Our lawyers have successfully defended hundreds of hoon driving cases across Tasmania, securing outcomes that self-represented defendants simply cannot achieve.

The stakes are too high to represent yourself. Vehicle forfeiture alone can cost you $20,000-$80,000, while a criminal conviction affects employment, travel, and insurance for years. Book your consultation at gotocourt.com.au/book - every day you delay reduces your legal options.

What Happens Next - The Process

1. Immediate Impoundment (Day 1): Police impound your vehicle for 28 days minimum. You must arrange alternative transport immediately and pay impoundment fees of approximately $50 per day.
2. Court Notice (Within 14 Days): You receive a summons to appear at your local Magistrates Court, typically within 4-8 weeks. The court location depends on where the offence occurred - Hobart, Launceston, Burnie, or Devonport Magistrates Courts handle most hoon cases.
3. Licence Suspension Notice (Immediate): Your licence is suspended immediately upon charging for serious hoon offences. You cannot drive until the court determines your case.
4. First Court Appearance (4-8 Weeks): You must attend court in person. The magistrate will read charges, you enter a plea (guilty or not guilty), and the court sets hearing dates if you're pleading not guilty.
5. Evidence Disclosure (2-4 Weeks): Police provide evidence including dashcam footage, witness statements, and speed detection records. Your lawyer reviews this evidence to identify defence opportunities.
6. Final Hearing (6-12 Weeks): The magistrate determines guilt and imposes penalties. This is when vehicle forfeiture decisions are made and final licence disqualification periods are set.

Time works against you in hoon cases. Early legal intervention can prevent evidence problems from becoming permanent disadvantages. Call 1300 636 846 today to start building your defence immediately.

The Law in Tasmania

Tasmania's hoon laws are contained primarily in the Road Safety (Alcohol and Drugs) Act 1970 and Traffic Act 1925. These laws define several categories of hoon behaviour, each carrying specific penalties:

Street Racing (Section 35A): Participating in speed trials or racing on public roads. Penalties include licence disqualification for 6-24 months, fines up to $3,910, and mandatory vehicle impoundment for 28 days minimum.

Improper Use of Motor Vehicle: Deliberately losing traction, burnouts, donuts, or dangerous driving displays. First offence carries licence disqualification for 3-12 months, fines up to $2,610, and 28-day vehicle impoundment.

Excessive Speed (45km/h+ over limit): Treated as hoon behaviour under Tasmania law. Results in immediate licence suspension, vehicle impoundment for 28 days, and potential criminal charges depending on speed recorded.

Vehicle Forfeiture Provisions: For repeat offenders or extreme cases, courts can order permanent vehicle forfeiture under Section 35B. The vehicle becomes property of the Crown, regardless of finance owing or family ownership arrangements.

Criminal vs Traffic Treatment: Unlike other states, Tasmania treats most hoon offences as criminal matters heard in Magistrates Court, not administrative traffic penalties. This means you receive a criminal conviction unless the court grants a dismissal or conditional discharge.

The monetary penalties represent only part of the real cost - vehicle forfeiture and licence disqualification create the most serious financial impact for defendants.

Mistakes to Avoid

1. Admitting Guilt to Police: Many defendants make detailed admissions during roadside interviews, believing honesty will help them. Police record these admissions and use them as primary evidence at trial. Our lawyers regularly see cases where roadside admissions prevented otherwise strong defences. Never provide detailed explanations to police - exercise your right to remain silent.

2. Ignoring Impoundment Deadlines: You have limited time to apply for vehicle release on hardship grounds or challenge impoundment validity. Missing these deadlines means automatic progression toward forfeiture proceedings. We've seen families lose vehicles worth $40,000+ because they assumed impoundment was automatically reversible.

3. Pleading Guilty Without Understanding Alternatives: Courts can impose non-conviction penalties like conditional discharges for first offenders, but only if properly argued by experienced lawyers. Self-represented defendants routinely receive criminal convictions that specialist lawyers could have avoided through targeted submissions.

4. Failing to Challenge Evidence Quality: Speed detection equipment, dashcam footage, and witness identification often contain technical defects that invalidate charges entirely. Police rarely volunteer these problems. Our lawyers identify evidence flaws that untrained defendants miss completely.

5. Accepting Prosecutor Negotiations Without Legal Advice: Prosecutors often offer plea bargains that sound reasonable but deliver worse outcomes than fighting the charges. Without understanding Tasmania's sentencing patterns and penalty alternatives, you cannot evaluate whether prosecution offers represent genuine advantages.

Likely Outcomes and Costs

With Expert Legal Representation: Our lawyers achieve charge dismissals in 25-30% of defended hoon cases through evidence challenges and procedural defects. For guilty pleas, we secure non-conviction outcomes for 40-50% of first offenders and reduced penalties including shorter licence disqualifications and avoided vehicle forfeiture. Legal fees typically range from $2,500-$7,500 depending on case complexity.

Self-Representation Outcomes: Self-represented defendants receive criminal convictions in over 85% of cases, face full penalty ranges including maximum licence disqualification periods, and lose vehicle forfeiture challenges in 95% of cases. The financial difference often exceeds $30,000 when vehicle forfeiture occurs.

Realistic Timeframes: Simple guilty plea matters resolve within 6-8 weeks. Defended cases requiring evidence analysis take 12-16 weeks. Complex matters involving expert evidence or multiple charges can extend to 20-24 weeks. Early legal intervention reduces these timeframes significantly.

Hidden Costs: Criminal convictions increase insurance premiums by $2,000-$5,000 annually for 5+ years. Licence disqualification forces reliance on expensive alternative transport. Employment impacts vary but commonly affect roles requiring driving or police clearances. Professional licences in law, medicine, finance, and education face review processes that can suspend practice rights.

Investment in specialist legal representation delivers measurable financial returns while protecting your future opportunities. Request urgent help through gotocourt.com.au/book to understand your specific cost-benefit analysis.

How Go To Court Lawyers Can Help

Go To Court Lawyers operates Australia's largest legal practice with 800+ lawyers across every state and territory, including specialist hoon driving lawyers throughout Tasmania. Our 4.5-star rating from 780+ reviews reflects consistent success defending serious traffic charges for over 13 years.

Our Tasmania Hoon Defence Service includes:

• Immediate 24/7 legal advice through our hotline 1300 636 846
• Expert analysis of police evidence including speed detection records and dashcam footage
• Strategic defence planning targeting evidence weaknesses and procedural errors
• Hardship applications to prevent vehicle forfeiture and reduce impoundment periods
• Skilled court advocacy to secure non-conviction outcomes and minimise penalties

Fixed $295 Consultation: Meet with specialist hoon driving lawyers who understand Tasmania's unique penalty structures and defence opportunities. No hidden fees or surprise charges - transparent pricing from Australia's most trusted legal practice.

Proven Track Record: Our lawyers have defended over 2,500 hoon driving cases nationally, securing charge dismissals, avoided criminal convictions, and prevented vehicle forfeitures worth millions of dollars for Australian families.

Every day you delay reduces your legal options and increases penalty risks. Vehicle forfeiture proceedings advance automatically, and evidence preservation windows close permanently.

Call 1300 636 846 now for immediate legal advice, or book your consultation at gotocourt.com.au/book. Your licence, your vehicle, and your future depend on the decisions you make today.