Reinstated License: How Do You Recover It After a DUI?

What’s the process to get your license reinstated? People have their licenses suspended for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs in Spartanburg, South Carolina. If your driving permit was suspended, you aren’t alone. You need to begin the process to get your license reinstated. Since the procedure of re-activating a license has several legal dimensions, you should hire a knowledgeable Spartanburg DUI attorney.

Your lawyer is best positioned to place all your options on the table for license reinstatement. You need to know the proper steps to take at this critical time, and your lawyer will also leverage their experience to guide you in making the right choice.

There are steps that anyone with a suspended license must take to get it reinstated in South Carolina. Let’s see what they are.

How Do I Get My License Back After a DUI in South Carolina?

DUI violations are one of the popular reasons why your license could be suspended. If the police stop your vehicle on suspicion of DUI, they will likely ask you to take a BAC test. If you have a high BAC level (0.15% or more) or have drugs in your system, your license could get suspended.

There is also the possibility of license suspension due to refusing to take a BAC test. Therefore, you might want to cooperate with law enforcement officers in this regard. Refusing a test will harm rather than help your case. So here is how to get your license reinstated in South Carolina.

Appeals

If you feel that your license suspension was unfair, you can get your Spartanburg DUI lawyer to help you file an appeal. If you have a good case and an experienced attorney, you could get your suspension lifted, and avoid having to get it reinstated.

Licenses can be suspended undeservedly in South Carolina. BAC levels may not correspond to the punishment and the charge. Your lawyer could also pick holes in the procedures leading to your suspension.

Reducing the suspension period is another way to victory in a DUI appeal. If your lawyer can reduce your suspension period, you can get behind the wheel sooner.

Applying for License Reinstatement

If the appeals route isn’t the best path, you can apply for license reinstatement. The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) is responsible for reviewing and approving license reinstatement requests in the state.

To request reinstatement of your license, you must:

• Complete an Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program 
• Pay the license reinstatement fee of $100
• Pay any additional fines

Temporary Alcohol License

While your hearing is in progress, your lawyer can help you apply for a Temporary Alcohol License (TAL). The TAL will allow you to drive until the completion of your hearing. If your hearing doesn’t go in your favor, you will forfeit the TAL.

Depending on the nature of your DUI offense, you can apply for the $100 route-restricted license. This license will allow you to move through specific routes across Spartanburg.

How Long Do You Lose Your License for DUI in SC?

Depending on the type of conviction, history of convictions for DUI, and the outcome of a breathalyzer test, a suspended license can last from one month to six months or higher in South Carolina.

For a first offender who refuses to take the breathalyzer test, Implied Consent Suspension sets in, and the license is suspended immediately for six months without an option of a provisional license. In addition, the driver has to take the ADSAP class.

However, a lawyer can challenge this penalty by requesting a hearing within 30 days. The license can be suspended for nine months after the second offense, the third offense for 12 months, and a fourth offense for 15 months.

When a driver has a breathalyzer test of 0.15% or higher for the first time, the license is suspended immediately for a month, although your lawyer can request a hearing within 30 days. You must also install an ignition interlock device (IID) for six months.

For a second DUI offense, the suspension lasts for two months, and you must install and keep the IID for two years. A third offense attracts suspension for three months, the IID is held for three years, and for a fourth offense, the license suspension lasts for four months and IID for four years. While serving these suspensions, however, the driver cannot apply for a temporal license.

If, however, the test result is less than 0.15%, you get a six-month suspension, and you are eligible for a temporal license. Also, you can install an IID instead of serving the entire suspension.

How Long Does It Take to Reinstate My South Carolina Driver’s License?

How long it takes to get a license reinstatement in South Carolina is determined by your offense or suspension/revocation period. Therefore, before you apply for reinstatement, you must have served your suspension period and then fulfilled the requirements.

What Is the Difference Between Suspension and Revocation of License?

A suspension withdraws your driving privileges for a limited period, after which you can get them back. But a revocation is a cancellation of your current license, which means that you will have to make a new application after investigation to get a new one.

Can You Check to See if Your License Is Suspended in SC?

If you don’t know whether your license is suspended or not, log onto the South Carolina DMV’s website and input their information. By doing this, you can determine how many points there are on your license and the duration of the suspension. In addition, the DMV will send you a written notice about a suspension and the reason and information about the requirements for reinstatement.

How Long Does a DUI Stay on Your Record in South Carolina?

A DUI stays on your driver’s record for as long as the nature of your conviction determines. Conviction falls under two categories: administrative and criminal. A criminal conviction will remain permanently stuck on your record. However, an administrative conviction can stay on your record for up to ten years, except you get a reduced or dismissed DUI, or an acquittal, by a court (although by a fierce defense).

Hire an Experienced Spartanburg DUI Attorney From Bateman Law

If your license has been suspended for any DUI infringements, The Bateman Law Firm will help you get it reinstated. Our lawyers know what options are available for every situation. We will lay them out for you and guide you accordingly.

Do you want a hassle-free license reinstatement process? Then contact our Spartanburg criminal defense attorneys. We will protect your rights and get the best outcome.