Can Your License Be Suspended for DUI?

One of the most severe penalties associated with a DUI (driving under the influence) conviction is the suspension of your license. Such suspensions occur under a number of different circumstances.

First, anyone refusing chemical testing — Breathalyzer®, blood or urine testing — that tests for blood alcohol content receives a 12-month suspension of their driving privileges. All persons who hold a Pennsylvania driver’s license impliedly consent to chemical testing by state statute.

Those convicted two or three times of DUI infractions across a ten-year time period receive up to 18-month license suspensions. First-time offenders do not have their licenses suspended unless they registered a blood alcohol content level of .10 percent or more. That suspension period would be for 12 months.

Because transportation to and from one’s place of employment is essential, and because the loss of driving privileges could cause job loss and economic difficulty, a provision is made known as the Occupational Limited License (OLL). An OLL can also be granted if the individual needs to drive for medical treatment or study. The State Department of Transportation evaluates eligibility. Persons convicted of DUI, however, must still serve a minimum period of suspension before being eligible for an OLL. Certain serious traffic infractions (such as homicide by vehicle or fleeing a police officer) automatically make the individual ineligible for an OLL.