How to Get Your Driver's License Back After a Michigan DUI Conviction

 

Have you been convicted of a Michigan DUI? If so, you know that your driver’s license will be suspended for a period of time, and you may have questions about how to get it reinstated. Also, if you are a repeat offender, your metal license plate will be taken at the time of arrest, even if it is not your own vehicle. A temporary paper license plate will be issued, but a new metal license plate won’t be issued until after your case is resolved in court. If you are convicted, you will also have a registration denial, which means that you cannot buy, lease, or otherwise obtain a car. If you would like to transfer your vehicle’s registration to another person, you will need a court order. The registration denial is in effect until you are eligible for another driver’s license.

 

Getting Your Driver’s License Back

 

A general reinstatement costs $125, and reinstatement for a drug crime costs $250.

 

For habitual alcohol offenders, which means you have had 2 or more DUI convictions in 7 years or 3 or more DUI convictions in 10 years, you must apply for a hearing before the Driver Assessment and Appeal Division. You must also complete a substance abuse evaluation before the hearing will be scheduled. To request a hearing, contact:

Driver Assessment and Appeal Division
P.O. Box 30196
Lansing, MI 48909-7696
Fax: (517) 335-2190
 

You may also be required to get a breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID) for any vehicle you plan to operate. You cannot drive until you get the device installed and present proof of installation to a local Secretary of State branch office.

 

Hardship Driver’s License Requirements

 

You may be eligible for a restricted license before your suspensions period is over if you meet certain requirements. These are issued on a case-by-case basis.

 

The Sobriety Court is a three-year pilot program running from January 2011 until January 2014 which allows certain individuals to obtain a restricted driver’s license after admittance into a Sobriety Court and installing an ignition interlock device on your car. You can learn more about Sobriety Court here.

 

Ignition Interlock Device Requirements

 

If you are ordered to have an ignition interlock device installed on your car, you must pay for the cost of installing and maintaining it. There is a list of authorized manufacturers and providers on the Michigan Department of State website. The device works by requiring you to pass a breathalyzer test before it allows the engine to start. It will also ask for more breath samples periodically as you drive. If you fail one of these tests, an alarm will sound until you pull over and turn off the car. Also, the device will record any failed tests which can be used against you when it comes time to get your driving privileges fully reinstated. After 3 start-up failures, 1 rolling retest failure, or if the device detects tampering, you will need to take the vehicle to a service center immediately, or it will go into “lock-out” mode which means the car cannot be operated.

 

More Information about Getting Your Driver’s License Back

 

Each case is slightly different, so you may still have questions about the requirements that are needed for your specific situation. You can learn more about getting your driver’s license back on the Michigan Secretary of State website, call 1-800-767-6424, or mail:

Michigan Department of State
Administrative Hearings Section
P.O. Box 30196
Lansing, MI 48909-7696
 

Also, it can be valuable to talk to a Michigan DUI attorney who can offer advice specific to your case in an effort to get your driver’s license reinstated as quickly as possible. In certain cases, such as multiple DUIs and cases involving a fatality, it can be harder to get your driving privileges back.