DUI Hardship License

There are many penalties that you may face if convicted of DUI (driving under the influence), including jail time, probation, fines, and DUI School. The penalty that may impact you the most is losing your driver’s license. Depending on your state and the circumstances of your case, this license suspension of revocation can last anywhere from three months to several years.

Fortunately, in some cases, you may obtain a DUI hardship license. This allows you to have your license reinstated on a conditional basis, allowing you drive to and from work, school, and other necessary locations. Obtaining a DUI hardship license requires some complicated legal maneuvering, so it is in your best interest to hire a skilled DUI defense lawyer.

In most states, first-time offenders are sentenced to a mandatory license suspension lasting a minimum of 90 to 180 days but no longer than one year. Habitual or felony offenders may be sentenced to years of license revocation or suspension. Though it is nearly impossible to have full driving rights restored during this suspension period, a DUI hardship license may be granted in special circumstances.

A DUI hardship license is known by several names depending on your particular state. Examples include: hardship license, work license, day license, and limited license. Each state has specific rules regarding the circumstances in which a hardship license may be granted, though it may be up to your judge’s discretion whether to grant it or not.

Contacting an experienced DUI lawyer may be the best way to find out what options are available to you.  There are specific steps and claims that you must make in order to begin the DUI hardship license process. To begin the process, you will need to file a formal petition with the judge, stating why you need to have a driver’s license in spite of your drunk-driving conviction. If your petition is accepted, you must then appear before a panel that will decide whether a DUI hardship license should be granted in your case.

The common reasons a hardship license may be granted are to allow you to go to work, to attend school, or to get to a clinic or hospital for necessary medical care. Attending alcohol or drug rehab programs or meetings or providing transportation for your children are other valid reasons.

There are several conditions that must be met in order to obtain a DUI hardship license. You may be required to attend driver safety school, install an ignition interlock device, and regularly meet with your probation officer. In most cases, you are only allowed to drive during your hours of employment or medical care. If you are pulled over by an officer during hours when you should not be driving, you will be charged with driving on a suspended license as well as a probation violation.

To learn if you are eligible for a DUI hardship license, contact an experienced DUI lawyer today.