Having your driver’s license suspended can be a major inconvenience. You may not be able to drive to and from work, for instance, possibly putting your job at risk. It is also a significant loss of freedom and independence. In Arizona, you can reinstate a suspended driver’s license once you fulfill the requirements of the suspension. Follow these steps if you’re ready for reinstatement.
Reasons for a Suspension
The suspension of a driver’s license means that the license is not legally valid, and the driver must refrain from operating a motor vehicle for a specific amount of time, such as 90 days or 1 year. Driver’s license suspension is an administrative action by the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) in Arizona, which can come in addition to a criminal sentence from the courts for committing a crime.
Many different crimes and infractions in Arizona can result in the suspension or revocation of a driver’s license, including:
- Being convicted of driving under the influence (DUI)
- Refusing to take a Breathalyzer test during a DUI stop
- Failing to appear for a court date
- Committing a hit-and-run
- Engaging in reckless or aggressive driving
- Committing a felony while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle
- Receiving multiple moving violations in a short period
- Using a fake driver’s license
- Violating Arizona’s insurance laws
- Causing a car accident that results in serious bodily injuries or death
The length of the driver’s license suspension will depend on the type and severity of the alleged crime or infraction. A suspension can last several months or even years. Driver’s license revocation, on the other hand, means the MVD has taken away the driving privilege indefinitely.
How Can I Get My Suspended Driver’s License Reinstated?
If you get your driver’s license suspended in Arizona, there are steps you must take to have it reinstated. Until you achieve official reinstatement, it is against the law to operate a motor vehicle. To reinstate a suspension, take the following steps:
- Satisfy all court requirements, as well as any requirements made by the MVD or the Arizona Department of Transportation. These requirements may include paying a fine, spending time in jail and taking a mandatory driver safety course.
- Once you are eligible for reinstatement, submit the driver’s license reinstatement form to your local MVD and pay the reinstatement fee ($10) and application fee ($10 to $25, depending on your age).
- Show proof of financial responsibility by submitting your SR-22 insurance form. This is a special type of high-risk insurance that you may have to purchase before the MVD will reinstate your driver’s license.
Unless you receive special permission from the MVD to drive your car to necessary locations such as work, school, and drug and alcohol counseling (called a hardship license), you cannot drive until you have reinstated your license. Driving on a suspended license can result in additional fines and penalties, such as a longer suspension time or driver’s license revocation.
How Can an Attorney Help?
It may be possible to fight a driver’s license suspension if you do not believe it is warranted. A Surprise DUI defense lawyer can attend your hearing with you as your representative or on your behalf to argue your case. Your lawyer may be able to help you avoid a conviction for the alleged crime, including a DUI. This can protect you from all related penalties, including driver’s license suspension.
Your lawyer may be able to refute the evidence used by the prosecution or use a defense such as insufficient evidence to achieve an acquittal. If it is not possible to avoid the suspension of your license, your attorney may still be able to help you by applying for a hardship license or arguing to shorten your suspension period. A lawyer can also help you if your driver’s license has been revoked in Arizona. Discuss your case in more detail with an attorney today.