You Can Request A Restricted License If You Are Convicted of DUI in Virginia.
For serious driving-related offenses, it’s possible you could get your license suspended for a period of time or revoked altogether. These violations include offenses like driving under the influence (DUI) or reckless driving. Especially if it’s your first offense, you may still have some options as far as continuing to legally drive on a suspended license.
In Virginia, you can apply for a restricted license if your license has been suspended due to a conviction. It often depends on why your license was taken away, but it’s possible you could still have limited driving privileges in some cases.
A Restricted License
To avoid losing your job in the wake of a DUI conviction and license suspension, you still need transportation to and from work. You also have other obligations to meet, especially if you’re a student, have doctor’s appointments, or are sentenced to community service. A restricted license gives you limited driving privileges like driving to work, school, court-ordered activities, or medical appointments.
If you want to obtain a restricted license, you have to prove the need to drive. That includes proving that you need to drive to maintain employment, pick your kids up from school, attend treatment, get ongoing medical care, or complete other essential tasks.
Not all driving privileges will be restored, and these restricted licenses come with plenty of conditions that tell you when, where, and how you’re allowed to drive. You may even be restricted to a particular route, like avoiding highways or only being allowed to drive while the sun is up.
Applying for a Restricted License
In Virginia, your eligibility depends on why your license was suspended, your driving record before it was suspended, and the type of license you had before it was revoked. It’s also possible that Virginia will require you to complete a hard loss suspension before applying for a restricted license, which means you will not be able to drive at all for a set length of time.
In Virginia, your restricted application will usually be submitted at the time of your conviction. The Judge will review your application to make sure that it complies with the law and will often warn you about the consequences of driving outside of your approved restrictions.
If your license has been suspended for a DUI, you may also have to install an ignition interlock device to qualify for the restricted license.
Violating Your Restrictions
If you get caught violating the restrictions of your restricted license, you will more than likely have that revoked and face additional criminal charges. Most of the time, there aren’t any second chances, so you won’t be able to apply for another restricted license after you lose it.
If your driver’s license has been suspended, you can potentially get a restricted license for traveling when you need to. The application process varies by state and the restrictions placed on your restricted license will depend on why your license was suspended. If you need advice, consult with an attorney for the best course of action when applying for a restricted license.
Call the Johnson Law Firm to speak with an Experienced DUI Attorney
Put the expertise of Standardized Field Sobriety Tests of the Johnson Law Firm to work for you. Attorney James Johnson is qualified as an Instructor of SFSTs for law enforcement and police academies.
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