Driving under the influence of alcohol is a crime and a violation of the state’s driving laws. You may face jail time and fines once you go to court on the criminal charges.
However, before you ever have a conviction, you will likely lose your driving privileges. There are three scenarios when you will lose your license.
Refusal to take a breath test
If you refuse to take a breath test when an officer requests it after pulling you over for suspicion of drunk driving, you will receive an immediate license suspension. When getting your license and registering a vehicle in the state, you agree to take such tests when requested. By denying the request, you violate this oath. The officer will confiscate your license at the scene. You will not be able to drive for at least seven days.
Being under the age of 21
The legal drinking age in the state is 21 years old. If an officer stops you for drunk driving and you are not yet 21, you will face immediate suspension of your license for at least seven days if your blood alcohol level is 0.02 or more.
Being over the legal limit
In any situation, if your blood alcohol is over 0.08, which is the legal limit, you will lose your license for at least seven days.
Note that in any situation, if this is the second time you have had a suspicion of driving under the influence, your license suspension will be for at least 60 days. If it is the third or additional time, you lose your license until you go to court for your formal criminal charges.
