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Steps to Getting a Hardship License

Posted on Jan 29, 2014 in DUI/DWI

The penalties for a drunk driving conviction in Louisiana can be pretty serious, but for many people, one of the biggest concerns isn’t the fine or even spending a night or two in jail. Instead many people contact a New Orleans DUI law firm worried about whether their license is going to be suspended. Our video on License Suspension aims to answer the key questions that people charged with drunk driving have about what will happen to their driver’s license. As we explain in our video, a drunk driving arrest is going to result in an automatic suspension of your license, although you’ll get a 30-day temporary driving permit. You’ll have 15 days to request an administrative hearing to try to keep your license and if you don’t (or you don’t succeed at the hearing) you’ll have a 90-day suspension for a first time drunk driving offense. Ninety days is bad enough, but for those who refused a blood alcohol test or who had a prior offense on their record, the suspension can last as long as a year or two. This is way too long for most people to make do without a license, so you need to talk to a New Orleans DUI attorney about how you can get a hardship license. Steps to Take to Get a Hardship License Our License Suspension video discusses each of the different steps that you need to take to get a hardship license when your driver’s license is suspended due to drunk driving. The steps that you’ll need to go through include:

1. Get SR22 insurance from your insurer (and get proof of coverage).  This is high-risk auto insurance and it is expensive. However, you need to have proof that you have an insurance policy that covers you even with the drunk driving arrest.
2. File your SR22 Form with the LA OMV.
3. Have an ignition interlock device installed on your car. This device tests your blood alcohol content (BAC) before you start your car and also does rolling re-tests as you drive. The purpose is to make sure you are not driving while you are above the legal limit.
4. Request the hardship license from a Louisiana reinstatement office or get a court order for a hardship license. You’ll need to show that you need the hardship license in order to get to work, school or other necessary locations. You cannot drive anywhere else except for these locations, and you need to make a compelling argument for why you need your car to get somewhere. A New Orleans DUI attorney can help make a compelling case for a hardship license.
5. Pay the required fee for the hardship license

Getting a hardship license is usually possible if you meet the requirements and take these steps, but there is no guarantee that a hardship license will be available in every case. It’s always best to have your specific situation evaluated by a New Orleans DUI attorney at Bloom Legal when you are trying to get permission to drive your vehicle despite a license suspended due to DWI.