In America there is one penalty for certain crimes that no-one looks forward to and that is having your licence revoked or suspended.
It is interesting to note that many people think of these punishments as the same thing, when in fact they are quite different. We will discuss the differences between the two and then also look at how to get a suspended licence back.
The main difference between having your licence revoked and having it suspended is that one is generally a lot more serious than the other. When you have your licence suspended, it is a more temporary thing and you are free to apply for a new licence when your suspension has run its course. A revocation however is when you’re driving privileges is completely taken away from you and your licence is cancelled. A revocation tends to last longer than a suspension.
There are many reasons why your driving licence may be suspended, too many to mention here but we will look at some of the most notable ones. The obvious crimes that could result in your driving licence being suspended are things like DUI, homicide while driving, felony using a car, fraudulent use of licence, hit and run or fleeing from the scene of an accident and racing.
Some less obvious offences that could result in a licence suspension are owning unauthorised firearms, not keeping up with child support payments, failing to appear in court for even things unrelated to driving and possession or anything to do with the sale of marijuana.
While many of these offences could spark a licence revocation rather than a suspension, there are 3 main reasons why you may have your licence revoked.
If you have more than 2 convictions for any offence within 5 years, you would be classed as being a habitual violator and have your licence revoked for 5 years. If you are requested to have your driving skills and know-how re-examined with reasonable grounds and refuse, your licence could be revoked.And finally, if there is enough proof that you are too unfit or incompetent to drive due to alcohol, drugs, physical or mental problems or disease you could have your licence revoked.
So how do you go about getting your licence back once it has been suspended or revoked? Let’s look at the scenario that your licence was taken away due to a first or second DUI/DWI conviction. As part of the DUI conviction, there will be penalty terms of agreement that you can apply for your licence back when other terms and conditions have been met. It is always a good idea to check your sentencing records for when you can officially apply to get your licence back.
After you have completed your other sentences including: paying fines, community service and jail time, you should schedule a hearing with the judge. The judge, if he accepts and allows for your licence to be given back to you, will ask you to pay a restoration fee.
Once you have paid this in full, you will be given your licence back. There may be an additional maintenance fee that you will have to pay monthly for a year. If you miss a payment your licence will automatically be suspended. A fourth DUI conviction would see your licence being taken away from you permanently. You may be able to appeal against your licence being revoked if you feel you have justification to do so.
