Washington State DUI License Suspension

In Washington State, you could face two separate license suspensions if you are charged with driving under the influence (DUI). The first is an administrative license suspension, and is imposed by the Department of Licensing. The second suspension could be ordered as part of your sentence if you are convicted in criminal court.

After being arrested for DUI, you have only 20 days from the date of your arrest to request an administrative hearing with the Washington Department of Licensing—requesting this hearing is the only way to avoid an automatic driver’s license suspension. This will be necessary if you refused to take the breath test, or you tested over the legal limit.

To fight for your driving privileges, you must request a hearing within this 20-day timeframe. If you fail to request a hearing within this time, your license will be revoked or suspended on the 60th day after your DUI arrest. You will also have to pay a reinstatement fee to get your license back after the suspension period is over, and will need to obtain SR-22 insurance coverage for the next three years. Even if you are never convicted of DUI, or your charges are dropped, your license will still be suspended or revoked by the Department of Licensing.

During your arrest, the officer should have given you a form to request a hearing with the Department of Licensing. Submitting this form on time is crucial—even if you send it in one day late, your hearing request may be denied and you will automatically lose your driving privileges on the 60th day.

If you are facing a driver’s license suspension, you should contact an experienced DUI defense attorney. Department of Licensing cases are extremely hard to win, so it is worth hiring an attorney who will aggressively fight to keep you driving.

The skilled DUI attorneys at Callahan Law can help you during this difficult time. Having a driver’s license is important for many reasons, and they will work diligently on your defense so that you can maximize the likelihood of keeping your license to drive.

For more information on Washington DUI license suspension, contact Callahan Law today to speak with an experienced DUI attorney.