Minimum License Suspension for 1st DWI Offense in Popular States

Almost every state in the union has made it an offense to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or above. The minimum license suspension time for the 1st DWI offense in the popular states varies.

License Suspension Common in Most States

License suspension, which refers to the loss of driving privileges for a certain amount of time, is a common penalty for DWI in many states. This is called administrative license suspension, which means that the driver’s license can be suspended while they are only charged with DWI and yet have not been convicted. The procedures involved in the administrative license suspension are separate from the criminal court procedures. However, the arrangement of this kind works very well in most of the states.

Minimum Suspension Times for DWI First Offense

States that suspend license for 90 days are:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Connecticut
• Colorado
• Delaware
• Idaho
• Hawaii

• Illinois
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Nebraska

• Nevada
• New Mexico
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Texas
• Vermont
• Washington
• Wyoming

States with Longer Duration of Minimum License Suspensions
States that suspend license for 180 days are:

• Arkansas
• Florida
• Indiana
• Iowa
• New Hampshire
• Oklahoma
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin

The remaining states either suspend the license for a shorter span of time or they do not suspend those licenses administratively.

Administrative License Revocation and Administrative Suspension

Since the majority of the states perform these administrative suspensions, there are states that use the term revocation instead. DWI lawyers call it Administrative License Revocation (ALR) or Administrative License Suspension (ALS). Basically it’s the same administrative process because the legal ramifications are same in the majority of the states all over the country.

Burden of Presenting Proofs with Administrative Suspension Hearings

Those who have been placed on administrative suspension need to remember that the proof must be provided at any hearing. This makes it easier for an individual to get their license restored at the administration hearing, which takes place before any criminal trial.

Legal Representation after the Administrative License Suspension

Seeking proper legal representation is vital while looking for a license’s restoration lost due to the administrative license suspension. So if you face DWI charges you should hire a DWI defense lawyer immediately after it.