How does a DUI impact your Georgia driver’s license?

By Michael D. Barber, Georgia Lawyer specializing in DUI, Drug Charges & Criminal Defense

It doesn’t matter how you get your DUI, they all impact your Georgia driver’s license. You’ll end up needing, at a minimum, a letter to save your privileges to drive in the state of Georgia.

If you or someone you know has been charged with a DUI, it’s important to understand the ramifications that could ensue, particularly in relation to your Georgia driver’s license.

The Administrative License Suspension (ALS)

First we’ll be dealing with what is commonly referred to as the Administrative License Suspension or ALS.

When you’re arrested for a DUI in Georgia, the officer is required by law to take your license and issue what is called a 1205 form. Should you ignore this form from the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS), your license can get suspended, especially if you refuse to take the test that the officer requests. If it’s your first offense, you might face a suspension period of up to 12 months.

Even if you send in the 30-day letter, should you later be convicted in court of DUI, Georgia law imposes mandatory suspension periods based on the number of previous offenses.

For a first DUI conviction, your license can be suspended for up to 12 months, with a possible reinstatement after completing a DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Program and paying a reinstatement fee.
For second and subsequent offenses within five years, the suspension period becomes more severe, and the reinstatement requirements become more stringent.
It’s also important to note that, after multiple DUI convictions, the possibility of a permanent revocation of driving privileges becomes a reality.

A limited driving permit (LDP)

In certain circumstances, drivers may be eligible for a limited driving permit (LDP). This permit allows you to travel to work, school, alcohol or drug treatment programs, and for medical care or obtaining prescription medications.

The conditions for acquiring an LDP change based on the number of previous offenses and other specific factors.

An ignition interlock device (IID)

Furthermore, for repeat offenders, Georgia law may require the installation of an ignition interlock device (IID) on their vehicles. An IID requires a driver to blow into a breathalyzer before starting their vehicle. If the device detects alcohol, the vehicle will not start.

Impacts to your driving record, employment opportunities and more

A DUI conviction can also permanently affect your driving record. Unlike some states, Georgia does not allow DUI charges to be expunged or erased from your record. This can have far-reaching effects, including increased insurance rates and potential impacts on employment opportunities.

It’s also important to note that having a DUI conviction can influence future legal proceedings, such as child custody disputes or civil lawsuits related to drunk driving incidents.

It doesn’t matter where you find yourself in Georgia, police officers will take your license and issue the ALS 1205 form.

As a result of the Governor’s office of Highway Safety teaming up with various organizations, including the Georgia State Patrol Nighthawks, HEAT and TEAM division of local counties, the cops are cracking down on impaired driving.

Georgia driver’s license in trouble? Need help with your DUI in Georgia? Call us.

If you have been accused by the police of driving under the influence and your Georgia driver’s license is in trouble, then you need help from a trained DUI attorney. Should YOU find that you either don’t want to face the court alone or simply feel that you need help from an attorney, then give our office a call regarding your citations.

There are facts to every case where defenses can be raised for anyone charged with driving under the influence. Each situation is different from the other and requires an evaluation of all the information in order to properly mount a defense and an effective negotiation with the prosecutor’s office.

Remember that every DUI case is different. No two sets of facts are the same.

Application of both DUI case law and statutory DUI law to your situation would require examination of the case facts and proper application of this knowledge to create a well mounted defense for YOUR DUI arrest.

Our DUI lawyers in Atlanta, Lake City, DeKalb County, Gwinnett County, Cobb County, Walton County, Fulton County, Morgan County, City of Helen, Jackson County, Clayton County and Hall County are here to help you.