A conviction resulting from a DUI can heavily burden your life. Without your driving privileges, getting to work can be a challenge, not to mention the problems you face with transporting your kids to school if you are a parent. The good news is that California law does provide for a hardship license for people who qualify. To receive the limited driving privileges offered by a hardship license, California law supplies a number of criteria that one must meet.
Per FindLaw, California may grant you a hardship license if the DUI you were convicted of was your only offense in the last ten years. This applies to any offense related to a DUI. You also must have been at least 21 years old at the time you were arrested. Younger applicants will not be considered eligible. Breathalyzer results are also a factor. If you were driving a noncommercial vehicle, your BAC level must be 0.08 percent or higher. However, the BAC level must be 0.04 percent or higher if you happened to be driving a commercial vehicle.
California may also require certain time, financial and educational requirements for you to meet before giving you a hardship license. These include waiting for thirty days after your driving privileges have been suspended, paying a reinstatement fee of $125, and enrolling in a DUI First Offender program. To show that you are enrolled in the offender program, you may also need to ask the provider of the program to send a Proof of Enrollment certificate to the DMV.
Even if a DUI has upended your life, the good news is that if this is a first time DUI, you have an opportunity to reclaim some driving privileges that can help you continue your livelihood by driving to your place of employment. Also, with a hardship license, you can be more confident that you can drive to handle emergencies with your children or medical emergencies that may involve you and your family.
Because issues involving DUIs can differ greatly, this article should not be read as legal advice. It is written to inform readers about California law firm regarding DUI and hardship licenses.
