License deadline
Your DUI DMV hearing deadline is running. Ask in time.
You were arrested for DUI, and your license will be suspended unless you ask for a hearing in time. In some states that window is only 7 days from the arrest.
Answered 24/7 for a free review of your notice and a lawyer who requests your DMV hearing.
Your deadline, by state
Enter the date your state counts from, and the counter gives the last day to ask.
Show every state's rule
| State | Rule |
|---|---|
| Arizona | 30 days from the date printed on your notice. |
| California | 10 days from the day you got the notice. |
| Colorado | 7 days from the arrest. |
| Delaware | 15 days from the day you got the notice. |
| Florida | 10 days from the date printed on your notice. |
| Georgia | 30 days from the arrest. |
| Illinois | 90 days from the day you got the notice. |
| Kansas | 14 days from the day the officer's form was served. |
| Maine | 10 days from the day the suspension takes effect. |
| Massachusetts | 15 days from the refusal. |
| Michigan | 14 days from the day you got the notice. |
| Nevada | Request a hearing from the DMV Office of Administrative Hearings before you reinstate with an interlock. |
| New Jersey | Check the court date and any MVC notice. The notice prints the date that counts. |
| New York | Check your court papers and any DMV refusal-hearing notice. The notice prints the date that counts. |
| North Carolina | 10 days from the revocation order. |
| Ohio | 30 days from your first court date. |
| Pennsylvania | Read the appeal date on any PennDOT suspension notice. Your criminal court date does not replace those instructions. |
| Texas | 15 days from the day you got the notice. |
| Utah | 10 days from the arrest. |
| Virginia | A first-arrest administrative suspension lasts 7 days. You may ask the general district court to review it during that suspension. |
| Washington | 7 days from the arrest. |
In the other 29 states, the notice the officer gave you prints the deadline.
NHTSA reports that 39 states set a minimum suspension of at least 90 days for this kind of case (NHTSA). So losing the hearing usually means three months or more without a full license. Ask for the hearing even if you plan to plead.
How to ask for the DUI DMV hearing
The first step is the call. A DUI lawyer for your state files the request with the agency named on your notice, the right way and on time.
Each agency has its own route. Texas takes requests online and by mail (Texas DPS). California runs them through a local Driver Safety Office within 10 days (California DMV). Georgia's form asks for $150 with the request.
What happens at the hearing
A hearing officer, not a judge, decides a short list of questions. Was the stop lawful? Was there reason to arrest? Did the test show .08 or more, or did you refuse? In Texas it may take 30 to 60 days to get a date.
Florida lets you choose a formal or an informal review (Florida statute 322.2615). A formal review lets you or your lawyer question witnesses.
If you miss the deadline
Miss the window and the suspension starts on its own, with no hearing.
In Washington, for one, that means 90 days to 2 years, beginning 30 days after the arrest (Washington DOL).
You also lose the chance to see the officer's evidence early. That early look often shapes the court case.
Questions people ask
How long is a license suspended for a DUI?
It depends on the state and on whether you took the test. California sets 4 months for a first offense at .08 or more, Florida 6 months, and Washington 90 days to 2 years. A refusal is usually longer.
Can I drive before the DMV hearing?
Often, yes. California lets you drive for 30 days on the paper order, and Florida gives a 10-day temporary permit. Read the notice the officer gave you; it says how long it works as a license.
What if I win the DMV hearing but lose in court?
The two cases are separate. A win at the hearing stops the administrative suspension, but a conviction in court can bring its own license loss.
Do I need a lawyer for the DMV hearing?
A DUI lawyer files the request on time, asks for the officer's records and questions the officer at the hearing. Call now and a professional goes through your notice for free.
Read next: What happens after a DUI arrest · Refusing the breath test · BAC calculator
What to do now
Your DUI DMV hearing decides whether your license is suspended, and it moves before your court date. Miss the deadline and the suspension starts on its own, usually for three months or more. Call now for a free case review, and a lawyer can ask for the hearing and the officer's records.
Call to save my hearing (877) 317-9931
Answered 24/7 for a free review of your notice and a lawyer who requests your DMV hearing.
Send your case details
Send your state, your arrest date, and the date printed on your notice. Those dates let the person reviewing your case start on your deadline the moment the call begins.