How long a license is at risk after a New York DWI

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) charges can carry an assortment of different penalties. The courts can put someone in jail or put them on probation. The courts typically demand that those convicted of DWI offenses pay fines and cover court costs.

It is also standard practice to impose licensing penalties after a DWI conviction. The state revokes or suspends the driving privileges of individuals who have pleaded guilty or been convicted of impaired driving offenses. People who lose their licenses must find alternative forms of transportation, risk becoming unable to perform their jobs and deal with many other practical complications.

For many people used to living independently, a driver’s license revocation is one of the most challenging penalties the courts can impose. How long might a motorist lose their license after a DWI conviction?

Licensing penalties can last more than a year

The courts need to follow sentencing rules when imposing penalties for DWI offenses and other crimes. Driver’s license revocations need to align with state law, just like fines or sentences of incarceration do.

Factors including the nature of the DWI offense and the record of the driver accused influence the duration of the license revocation. In standard DWI cases, drivers facing first-time charges typically lose their driver’s licenses for at least six months. A second DWI conviction within ten years of the first is a felony offense. For those with prior DWI convictions, the minimum license revocation period increases to one year.

Those accused of an aggravated DWI offense face harsher penalties. The minimum revocation period for a first offense is one year, and second offenses lead to 18-month revocations. There are also penalties for refusing chemical testing. The state can revoke a driver’s license for at least one year for a first breath test refusal and 18 months for those who have a prior DWI or chemical test refusal on their record.

Motorists hoping to avoid the career setbacks, frustrations and expenses generated by long-term license revocations may need to look into their options for fighting their DWI charges. Avoiding a conviction is the surest way to bypass the potential penalties the courts can impose for a DWI offense.