free case Consultation
(720) 740-3466
(720) 740-3466
If you are convicted of driving under the influence (DUI), you can face a variety of penalties, including jail time and fines. Another consequence of your conviction is the suspension of your driving privileges. The loss of your ability to drive can have a significant impact on your career and freedom. As frustrating as a Denver DUI driver’s license suspension can be, a dedicated DUI attorney from Petrash Law could advise you on your options.
In Denver, the length of a license suspension following a DUI conviction can range from nine months to three years, depending on the circumstances. These circumstances include the following.
Any past DUI convictions increase the length of a driver’s license suspension. A first DUI conviction means losing driving privileges for nine months. The suspension lasts a full year for a second offense, while third and subsequent convictions merit a two-year suspension.
Age is a factor if someone is under the age of 21 and faces charges of underage drinking and driving, as opposed to DUI charges. In this scenario, the person faces suspensions of three, six, or 12 months following their first, second, or third convictions, respectively.
People face longer suspensions if they refuse to provide a blood, breath, or urine sample after arrest. In fact, their refusal is enough to secure a suspended license even if they do not subsequently receive a DUI conviction. The first time someone refuses to submit to testing, they receive a one-year license suspension. That period increases to two years for a second refusal and three years for a third refusal.
It is important to note that this only applies to refusing formal testing after an arrest. You have the right to refuse field sobriety testing or portable breathalyzers without fear of losing your license.
Your license revocation is part of your sentence following a DUI conviction in Denver, and there is no way to shorten the suspension period. However, you can apply for a restricted license following a conviction. These licenses are interlock-restricted, meaning someone must breathe into a device that tests blood alcohol levels before the car will start.
Not everyone is entitled to a restricted license, and many drivers have to wait to apply. If someone refused to submit to a chemical test, the waiting period is two months, and that period extends to a year if they were younger than 21 at the time of refusal.
There is no question that having your driver’s license suspended is inconvenient, but there are ways to fight back. If the police arrested you for drinking and driving, it does not have to disrupt your life substantially, and there are steps you can take to minimize the duration of a Denver DUI driver’s license suspension. To learn more about your defense options, contact Petrash Law for a private consultation today.