Your driver’s license may get suspended for many reasons in Arizona. A suspended license means you will not be allowed to operate your motor vehicle for a period of time. This could interfere with your job, responsibilities as a parent and many other aspects of life. It might be possible to challenge a suspended license and restore your driving privileges, depending on the circumstances. For assistance with an appeal hearing, contact an attorney at Corso Law Group.
Why Might Your License Get Suspended in Arizona?
There are administrative and criminal driver’s license suspensions. An administrative license suspension comes from the Arizona Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) to penalize a driver for moving violations or traffic infractions, while a criminal suspension comes from the criminal courts after a conviction as part of the defendant’s sentence.
Several offenses could lead to your driver’s license being suspended or revoked in Arizona, including:
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Refusing a breathalyzer test
- Unpaid traffic tickets or fines
- Accumulating too many points on your license
- Failing to appear in court
- Child support delinquency
- Certain criminal convictions
A driver’s license suspension could last 90 days, 180 days, one year or longer. During the suspension period, you legally cannot operate a motor vehicle. If you do and are caught driving on a suspended license, you could face serious penalties, such as a class 1 misdemeanor, probation, fines and surcharges, and even jail time.
What to Do if Your Driver’s License Gets Suspended
If your driver’s license gets suspended in Arizona, you can challenge it with assistance from a suspended license lawyer. Contact a lawyer right away, as you will have a limited amount of time in which to request an appeal hearing. Your lawyer will help you file an appeal to the Arizona License Appeal Board by submitting a written notice to the City Clerk. You generally must do this within 10 days of the suspension or revocation.
At this hearing, your attorney will present an argument as to why your driver’s license should not be suspended. This may involve challenging the underlying offense, such as filing for a dismissal of the case against you. Your lawyer can present witnesses and evidence at the hearing, if necessary, to strengthen your case and challenge the reason why your license is being suspended. A successful appeal could reinstate your driving privileges.
You may also benefit from an alternative to an appeal, such as seeking a restricted driver’s license. A restricted license can allow you to drive to certain approved locations during your license suspension, such as work, school, a hospital, substance abuse treatment or church. Your lawyer can help you understand whether you qualify for a restricted or hardship license after your driving privileges are suspended.
How to Reinstate a Suspended License
If you cannot successfully challenge your license suspension in Arizona, you can still reinstate your license once the suspension period has ended. This may require paying all outstanding fines and penalties and showing proof of SR-22 car insurance (a more expensive insurance policy for higher-risk individuals). You will also need to fill out the required application and pay the reinstatement fee.
For more information about how to challenge a license suspension in Arizona, contact us at (480) 471-4616 for a free consultation with an attorney.
