On July 1, 2013, it became easier to get a Florida DUI hardship license sooner for most first time Florida DUI arrests. If you blow in the breathalyzer above a .08, your license will be suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles for 6 months. If you refuse to blow into the machine, the DMV will suspend your license for 1 year for a first offense, or 18 months if you have refused the test before. In either situation, the suspension starts 10 days after your arrest.
The 10 day grace period is to give the driver enough time to challenge the suspension if he chooses at a Formal Review Hearing. Under the laws modified July 1, 2o13, if a driver has no prior alcohol or drug related criminal history and waives his right to a Formal Review Hearing, he can immediately receive a hardship license upon showing proof that he is signed up for the DUI School. Signing up for the DUI School prior to resolving the criminal side of the DUI is not an admission of guilt.
Second time DUI arrests will still be ineligible for a hardship license for a period of one year.
If you have been arrested for a DUI, there are many things to think about. One issue is whether to opt for a quick hardship license or to request the Formal Review Hearing. there are valid reasons to choose either, depending on your circumstances and the facts of your case. But you only have 10 days to make that decision. Contact Us Today, and let us help by putting our experience to work for you.