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VIDEO – Effects on a Drivers License of a First DUI Conviction in a Five Year Period in Georgia

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by Ryan Walsh and Scott Smith

We get questions all the time regarding what happens to your Georgia drivers license after a DUI conviction. The Georgia Department of Driver Services looks at Drivers License suspensions for DUI convictions in five year periods from the date the incident occurs.

The information provided in this video blog is for people that hold Georgia drivers licenses. If you do not hold a Georgia drivers license, you will not be eligible for a limited driving permit in Georgia and must serve the full period of suspension before you are eligible for a drivers license in Georgia.

If you have an out of state drivers license, it is important to consult with an attorney licensed to practice in the state you hold your drivers license about the consequences of a DUI on your out of state drivers license. Please remember, if you do not have a Georgia drivers license, you will not have the privilege to drive in Georgia during the suspension period.

If this is your first conviction for an arrest occurring in the past five years, the period of drivers license suspension is 120 days. You will be eligible for a limited driving permit for those 120 days if you have not had a conviction for an offense that suspends your Georgia drivers license in the past five years.

The limited driving permit costs $25 and is valid for one year, even though the period of suspension is only 120 days. To obtain a limited driving permit you must also have a First DUI Conviction Affidavit issued by the Court or a certified copy of your disposition.

A Limited Driving Permit means you can only use your car for the following:

  • Going to your place of employment or performing the normal duties of your job
  • Receiving medical treatment or obtaining prescription drugs
  • Attending college or school if you are regularly enrolled as a student
  • Attending Addiction or Abuse treatment for alcohol or drugs by organizations recognized by DDS
  • Court ordered driver education, driver implement, or alcohol and drug treatment programs
  • Attending court, reporting to a probation office or officer, or performing community service
  • And Transporting an unlicensed immediate family member for work, medical care, or prescriptions, or to school.

After the 120 day period you can reinstate your license if you pay the $210 reinstatement fee and submit an original certificate of completion of a DDS approved DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Program.

Our attorneys and staff are experts in the field of Georgia DUI. If you have a question in regards to your Georgia drivers license suspension or DUI arrest, please call us immediately at 404-581-0999.Addressing a DUI case early is the key to gathering the necessary evidence to present the best defenses in your case.

VIDEO – What Happens to Your Georgia Drivers License After You Are Arrested for DUI in Georgia

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You’ve been arrested for DUI in Georgia. The officer has read you Georgia’s Implied Consent Notice, requesting a blood or breath test. What do you do? What happens if you refuse to take the State’s test? Can you get a permit to drive to work or school? What happens to your drivers license after DUI arrest in Georgia?

Watch the video below and call us today at 404-581-0999 for a free consultation or to answer your questions.

What happens to your Georgia Driver’s License after DUI arrest in Georgia?

Hello, I’m attorney Scott Smith and today we’re talking about what happens to your Georgia Driver’s License after you’ve been arrested for DUI here in Georgia.

You’re arrested for DUI. You’re read from an orange card asking for a blood or breath test and then later the police officer takes your license from you. In its place he hands you a sheet of paper called a DDS 1205 form. I’ve got an example right here. It has some basic information on the top and on the bottom it says notice of license suspension and temporary driving permit.

Can the officer take my license from me? What is this sheet of paper? Why did I receive it?

That piece of paper is going to act as your temporary Georgia driver’s license. In Georgia, our law allows the police officer to take your license from you and return it to the Department of Driver Services, also known as DDS for suspension by simply being suspected of DUI. That piece of paper that the officer gives you in place of your license states your license will be suspended in thirty days if you do not request an appeal of the suspension within ten business days from the date of your arrest. In essence, you only have ten days to prevent an automatic suspension of your license. If you don’t appeal the pending suspension, your license gets suspended.

You may lose your ability to drive for one year. If you are arrested for DUI and you did not give the officer the test they requested, that means a one year suspension with no ability to get a work permit to drive for work. If you did give the requested sample, and the result was over the legal limit, you may be eligible for a work permit.

At our office of experienced Atlanta criminal defense attorneys, we can look at your case, let you know if you need to submit a request for appeal, help you make sure your appeal is submitted correctly so you do not lose your right to drive, and we’ll even give you a copy of the ten day letter which you can submit on your own to get the process started.

Don’t lose your ability to drive after a DUI arrest. Call us today at 404-581-0999. Thank you.