Driver's License Consequences

You probably know that a DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated) conviction brings with it penalties such as jail time, fines, and a driver’s license suspension. However, did you know that your license can be suspended more than once?

The first situation in which your license can be suspended is when you are pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving. When you are pulled over, the law enforcement agent will ask you to submit to a blood, breath, or urine test. If you take the test and fail it due to a blood alcohol content (BAC) over the legal limit, the officer can take your license. This is often referred to as an administrative license suspension.

It is important to know that even if you don’t take the chemical test, your license can be automatically suspended. This is due to implied consent laws. When you signed the documents to receive your license, you agreed to comply with an officer’s requests when pulled over during a traffic stop. If you politely decline to take a blood, breath or alcohol test, the officer will take your license at the scene.

Sometimes the citation for a DUI includes a temporary license so you are able to get your affairs in order. After this temporary license expires, your license is considered suspended or revoked. If you continue to drive without a license, you will face additional penalties such as fines, vehicle impoundment, and jail time.

Your license can also be suspended as part of your criminal case sentence. In many states, this suspension can last for a year, depending on whether or not you have had prior DUI convictions. The judge may allow you to have a special driving permit that will let you drive to work, school, or other necessary locations. However, these permits are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.

If you have been arrested for DUI, you can fight a license suspension. An experienced DUI defense lawyer will help you file the paperwork necessary to keep your license, as well as help you avoid jail time, fines, and the other penalties that are associated with a conviction.