If you’ve been convicted of a DUI in Florida, you may be eligible to get your license back depending on the circumstances of your conviction, such as if it’s your first DUI offense or how long it’s been since your last conviction. It’s advisable to speak with a DUI defense lawyer in Miami who has handled license reinstatement before.
After Your First DUI in Florida
If this is your first DUI conviction, your license may be suspended between 180 days and 1 year. Generally, you will have to serve at least 30 days of your suspension before you can apply for a hardship license. Obtaining a hardship license can be referred to as “early reinstatement.”
There are certain restrictions on where you can drive with a hardship license. You must complete DUI School, and you may be referred to treatment; if you are, attendance is a conditional requirement of having your license reinstated. You may apply for a hardship license at an Administrative Reviews Office in your area.
Alternatively, you may wait until the full term of your revocation has run its course, in which case you will have to show proof of your completion or enrollment inDUISchool. Treatment may be a conditional requirement of your reinstatement, and failure to complete either will result in your license’s cancellation.
Whether you request a hardship license or a standard license, you will have to take an examination and pay an administrative fee, license fee and revocation reinstatement fee. You will also be required to show proof of bodily injury insurance that covers $100,000 per person, $300,000 per occurrence, and up to $50,000 in property damage, effective on the date of your arrest. If you cannot show proof of this coverage on the date of your arrest, then you will be required to show proof of current coverage and will be required to pay a reinstatement fee of $150 to $500.
In addition, anyone convicted of a DUI in Florida may be required to have their vehicle fitted with an interlock ignition device, and you will be responsible for the associated installation, maintenance and monitoring fees. After a first conviction, you might not be ordered to get the ignition interlock, but if you had more than .15 blood alcohol content or had a minor in the car, you will be required to have it installed for at least 6 months.
Second and Subsequent DUI Arrests in Florida
After your second DUI offense, provided it’s not within 5 years of your prior conviction, your license will be revoked for a period of 180 days to 1 year, and you will not be eligible for a hardship license – you must serve the entire revocation period before you can get your license back.
If it is your second DUI within 5 years, then your license will be revoked for 5 years, but you may apply for a hardship license after you’ve served 1 year of the revocation period. In addition toDUISchool and treatment, you will also have to get a recommendation from the Special Supervision Services Program in order to be eligible for a hardship license. The conditions of reinstatement are otherwise the same as any other reinstatement – you must show proof of liability coverage; you will be responsible for fees; and your vehicle will be fitted with an ignition interlock.
After your third DUI offense, not within 10 years of your second conviction, your license will be suspended between 180 days and 1 year. If one of the previous convictions has been within the last 5 years, your license will be suspended for 5 years, and you will not be eligible for a hardship license. A third DUI in 10 years will result in a 10-year revocation, and you must serve 2 years of the suspension before you can apply for a hardship license.
If you lost your license after being arrested or charged with a DUI in Florida, you may be able to get your license back with the help of a DUI defense lawyer in Miami.
Contacting a DUI Defense Lawyer in Miami
If you are facing a DUI in Floridaand wish to get your license back, your legal team is your best defense. The defense team you choose to represent you in court, defend your rights, and relentlessly pursue your case could be the difference between jail time and getting on with your life. Contact a DUI defense lawyer in Miami at Falk & Ross for a no-cost evaluation of your case – 1-877-663-5110.