Losing your license can be a huge burden that prohibits you from using your car. If you are at risk of having your license suspended as a result of a traffic offense, or if your license has already been suspended and you have questions about reinstatement, you need an attorney.
At the Law Offices of Glenn & West, LLC, our suspended license attorneys in Nokomis & Litchfield, IL can help. Call today for a consultation to learn more about your options.
Driving on a Suspended License in Illinois
A license may be suspended or revoked for various reasons, including a conviction of three or more traffic offenses within 12 months, causing an accident that results in injury or death, driving under the influence of alcohol, being under 21 and pleading guilty to illegal consumption of alcohol, or more.
If you are caught driving on a suspended license, you can face additional serious penalties, including a $2,500 fine and up to a year in jail. If driving is absolutely necessary, you should consider your options for securing a hardship license rather than risking being charged with driving on a suspended license.
It is very important to try to get the license suspension lifted before accepting a guilty plea to driving while your license is suspended or revoked. This is because, in most counties, you can receive a plea offer that does not result in an extension of the suspension or revocation.
Suspension Due to a DUI in Illinois
In most DUI cases, your license will be suspended 45 days after the arrest if you take a breathalyzer and blow over the legal limit (6-month license suspension) or you refuse to take the breathalyzer (12-month license suspension). This type of license suspension is called the Statutory Summary Suspension (SSS).
If you are a first-time DUI offender, you should be able to receive a BAIID device in your vehicle to allow you to drive. Starting on that process as soon as possible is key. Even if the suspension ends up being lifted for some reason, it is best to get a jump on that process so there is as little lag time between losing your license and getting the device installed in your vehicle as possible.
If you do not have an Illinois license, your driving privileges in Illinois can still be suspended. At the time of being ticketed for a DUI, you will be assigned an Illinois driver’s license number for the suspension to attach to. Most of the time, for people with a Missouri license, your license will not actually be suspended based on the Statutory Summary Suspension anywhere else other than Illinois, meaning your license to drive in Missouri will remain valid. But, if you receive a conviction on your DUI, that can still suspend or revoke your Missouri license.
At the end of the Statutory Summary Suspension, you still have to pay a reinstatement fee, the cost of which depends on whether it is your first or subsequent DUI. If you are caught driving while your license is suspended or revoked due to a prior DUI, the first offense has a penalty of 10 days in jail or 240 hours of community service. If it is your second offense, it can be charged as a felony.
Will a Plea to a DUI Suspend or Revoke my License?
Not necessarily. For a first-time DUI offender who receives court supervision, the DUI plea itself does not result in a suspension of your Illinois license. This can vary depending on the state your license is out of. If you receive a conviction for the DUI and it is your first conviction, you will likely receive a one-year license revocation. If you have a prior DUI conviction and are going to receive another one, your license may be revoked for three years or more.
Get Legal Help Today
If you have questions about Illinois’ law related to driving with a suspended license, why licenses are suspended, and what you may be able to do to be able to driving during a suspension, the Law Offices of Glenn & West, LLC can help. Our suspended license attorneys in Nokomis & Litchfield, IL have experience working on cases like yours and can get started on your case immediately.
