If you fail or refuse an alcohol test, two tracks start: the court handles the criminal case, and the DMV revokes your license administratively (ALR). The ALR begins almost immediately.
Know the rule
Administrative License Revocation (ALR) lets law enforcement immediately confiscate your license for failing an alcohol test or refusing a chemical test for alcohol or drugs.
Handbook p. 28 ↗The temporary license expires this long after it's issued (by the officer, or by the DMV by mail)
Handbook p. 28 ↗ALR revocation periods
| Situation | ALR period |
|---|---|
| First offense, failed alcohol test | 180 days |
| Subsequent offense, failed alcohol test | 1 year |
| Refused a chemical test | 1 year |
Know the rule
You may request a hearing to contest the ALR. If you do, you can't get an Ignition Interlock Permit or Sobriety Program Permit until a court orders it as part of the DUI sentence.
Handbook p. 28 ↗Know the rule
If you waive the hearing, you may serve all or part of the ALR driving with an Ignition Interlock Permit in a vehicle equipped with an interlock device.
Handbook p. 29 ↗Underage (20 and younger) .02% drinking and driving
| Conviction | Court impounds | On driving record |
|---|---|---|
| Driving at .02% | 30 days | 90 days, then deleted |
| Underage refusal | 90 days | 120 days, then deleted |
Know the rule
At the end of impoundment the court returns the license. An underage driver convicted of driving during the impoundment has the license revoked by the court for six months.
Handbook p. 28 ↗Know the rule
Court-ordered impoundment for serious violations: any driver convicted of driving during the impoundment has the license revoked for one year.
Handbook p. 28 ↗Know the rule
Court-ordered revocation lasts as long as the court specifies. Proof of financial responsibility (usually Form SR-22) is required for three years from the end of the original revocation.
Handbook p. 28 ↗Put it into practice
A 19-year-old is convicted of driving at .03 BAC. The court impounds her license for 30 days, and the conviction stays on her record for 90 days. If she drives during those 30 days, the court revokes her license for six months.