Driving has become a critical part of our daily lives, especially for those who live in areas not served by public transportation. However, as we have all undoubtedly heard before, driving is a privilege, not a right. Your driver’s license can be suspended or revoked for certain traffic or criminal offenses. It might even be possible for your license to be revoked permanently.
Driver’s licenses can be taken away in a couple of different ways. One of the most common methods is to suspend a license. Once the suspension is over, the license is often reinstated relatively easily. A revoked license, however, is harder to get back. Once your revocation period expires, you must reapply for your license and be approved to drive again. Your application could be denied, leaving you without a license permanently.
Call our Salt Lake City criminal defense attorneys immediately if you believe your driver’s license might be in jeopardy. We can work t help you keep your license or reinstate it if it has already been suspended or revoked. Call Overson & Bugden at (801) 758-2287 for a free legal consultation.
Driver’s License Suspensions and Revocations in Utah
As said before, a driver’s license suspension is not the same thing as a revocation. While both prevent a person from driving for a specific period of time, they differ in what happens after the suspension or revocation period ends.
When a license is suspended, the defendant’s license will be invalid for a certain length of time. The duration of your suspension will depend on the reason for the suspension. Minor traffic offenses could cause your license to be suspended for a few months. More serious offenses may lead to your license being suspended for a year or more. However, once the suspension period ends, the defendant can have their license reinstated rather quickly.
A revocation is similar to a suspension in that it renders your license invalid for a pre-determined time. As with a suspension, the duration of a revocation depends on the underlying offense. However, once the revocation period ends, you cannot reinstate your license. Instead, you must apply for a new license, which means going through all the necessary testing involved in getting a license. Your application is not guaranteed, and if you are deemed too dangerous to be back on the roads, you could be denied.
Can I Lose my Utah Driver’s License Permanently?
When facing the possibility of losing their license, defendants often ask when they will get it back. For the most part, people who have their license suspended eventually have the license reinstated. Even after a revocation, a defendant may reapply for a license and be issued a new one. However, for drivers whose licenses were revoked, you must be approved to get a new license. It is possible that you are not approved for a new driver’s license.
There are numerous offenses, minor and severe, that might cause you to lose your license. There is a lengthy list of offenses under Utah Code § 53-3-220 that require mandatory suspensions or revocations. The offenses under this statute come with license revocations unless a suspension is provided for in a different statute.
The criteria for getting your license back after a revocation can be found under Utah Code § 53-3-225. In general, a person may not apply for a new license until one year after their license was revoked. However, certain offenses may see your license revoked for even longer. Drivers who are at least 16 years old may have their licenses revoked for a maximum of 5 years.
The law specifically states that a new license might not be approved after the revocation period has ended if the driver is deemed unsafe to drive. If you are denied, you could lose your license indefinitely. Call our South Jordan criminal defense attorneys for help getting your license back.
How Do I Get My Driver’s License Reinstated in Utah?
Getting your driver’s license reinstated, if possible, depends on how you lost the license in the first place. For suspension, the license is often reinstated at the end of the suspension period. Drivers do not need to apply for a new license. Instead, their old license becomes active again. The reinstatement might not happen automatically, and you might have to contact the Driver’s License Division of the Utah Department of Public Safety.
After a revocation, you must apply for a new license like a first-time driver would. Once approved, you must complete all the necessary driving courses and requirements needed to earn a license. This is a more time-consuming process than reinstating a license after a suspension and is not always guaranteed.
Suspensions and revocations can be challenged. Perhaps you believe the underlying charges that caused your license to be suspended or revoked are bogus. The issue of your license status is often a civil matter separate from a criminal trial. We can fight the license suspension or revocation on both fronts, though, and fight your charges while also challenging the suspension or revocation. Contact our Ogden criminal defense attorneys for help.
Can I Get a License in Another State After Losing my Utah License?
If another state issued your license, but you were charged with a violation in Utah, your case is a bit trickier. Utah does not have the power to suspend or revoke a license it did not issue. Likewise, another state cannot suspend or revoke a Utah driver’s license. However, under the Driver’s License Compact, most states will uphold any charges imposed by another state and assess penalties against your license.
This likely means that if you are charged with an offense in Utah that would ordinarily suspend or revoke a Utah license, your home state will be notified and issue the same or a similar penalty. This also means that when your home state suspends your license, you cannot move to a new state and be issued a new driver’s license. The suspension or revocation initiated by your home state must be completed before you can get a new license in any state. Our Murray criminal defense attorneys can help you get your license back.
Call Our Utah Driver’s License Defense Attorneys
Contact our Layton criminal defense lawyers if you recently lost your license or are charged with offenses that could cost you your license. We can challenge a suspension or revocation and hopefully help you keep your license. Call Overson & Bugden at (801) 758-2287 for a free case review.
