The Yukon has one of the highest rates of police-reported impaired driving in Canada. In 2019, the territory recorded about 1,956 alcohol-impaired driving incidents per 100,000 people — roughly ten times the national rate and the second-highest of any province or territory. Its impaired driving laws reflect that: a driver stopped in Whitehorse or on the Alaska Highway can face roadside licence suspensions, vehicle impoundment and, if convicted, a long driving disqualification.
This guide explains each part of the Yukon system. A DUI in the Yukon usually involves two separate tracks: territorial sanctions under the Motor Vehicles Act, which happen at the roadside, and criminal charges under the federal Criminal Code, which go to court.
24-hour roadside suspension
If a police officer reasonably believes your ability to drive is affected by alcohol, a drug or another substance, they can require you to surrender your licence for 24 hours and impound your vehicle for 24 hours. No breath reading is needed — the officer acts on what they observe. This is the lower tier of what is often called the Yukon two-tier impaired driving system.
90-day roadside suspension
A 90-day licence suspension applies when an officer has reasonable grounds to believe you:
- were operating a vehicle while impaired;
- had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 80 mg per 100 mL or more (the “over 80” level);
- refused a lawful demand for a breath or blood sample; or
- were driving while prohibited, disqualified or suspended.
Yukon licence holders receive a 14-day temporary permit before the 90 days begin. This suspension is administrative — it is separate from, and in addition to, any Criminal Code charge. You can apply to have it reviewed, but the review looks only at whether the officer had reasonable grounds, and applying does not pause the suspension.
Vehicle impoundment
A 90-day suspension also means your vehicle is impounded, at the registered owner’s expense (storage is charged daily plus towing). Minimum impound periods are:
- 30 days for a first impoundment in five years;
- 60 days for a second;
- 120 days for a third or later — and the vehicle’s registration is void for 240 days.
These periods are doubled when the officer believes the driver’s BAC was over 160 mg, or the driver refused or failed a breath or blood demand. See Yukon DUI penalties: impoundment and interlock for how to get a vehicle released.
Licence disqualification after a conviction
If you are convicted of an impaired driving offence — including a discharge — the Motor Vehicles Act disqualifies you from driving automatically:
- 1st conviction: 1 year
- 2nd conviction (within 5 years): 3 years
- 3rd or later conviction: indefinite
This is on top of the Criminal Code penalties a judge imposes, such as the minimum $1,000 fine for a first offence. A remedial driving program is required after any driving-related Criminal Code conviction.
Ignition interlock program
The Yukon’s Driver Control Board can let some drivers return to the road early with an ignition interlock device. The device has a 0.02 BAC preset limit, and minimum program lengths are 6 months for a first offence, 30 months for a second and 60 months for a third.
Drugs, cannabis and medication
Yukon impaired driving laws are not limited to alcohol. Officers can act on impairment by cannabis, illegal drugs or medication, and the Criminal Code sets blood-drug limits. Read more in impaired driving in the Yukon: alcohol, drugs and cannabis.
New drivers
Drivers in the graduated licensing program must have zero alcohol and zero drugs in their system. See Yukon’s zero-tolerance rules for new drivers.
What to do if you’re charged
Roadside suspensions and court charges have different deadlines. An experienced Yukon DUI lawyer can review the evidence, the timing of breath demands and whether your Charter rights were respected, and advise you on both tracks.
Frequently asked questions
No. The 90-day suspension is an administrative sanction under the Yukon Motor Vehicles Act. A conviction comes only from a court after a Criminal Code charge, and brings a separate licence disqualification.
A minimum of 30 days for a first impoundment in five years, doubled to 60 days if the BAC was over 160 mg or you refused a breath or blood demand.
One year for a first conviction, three years for a second within five years, and indefinitely for a third, unless the Driver Control Board allows early reinstatement with an ignition interlock.
Find a Yukon impaired driving lawyer →
This article is general information about Yukon and Canadian impaired driving law as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Rules can change; speak with a lawyer about your situation.
Sources: Government of Yukon, Consequences of driving impaired; Government of Yukon, Ignition Interlock Program; Yukon Department of Justice summary of Motor Vehicles Act impaired driving sanctions (2022).
