Suspension Procedure: Work With a Driver’s License Lawyer

When your driver’s license is suspended, you lose your driving privileges for a specified time period. A suspension can last anywhere from a few months to several years. During the term of a suspension, you are only eligible to apply for a Restricted Driving Permit. This is different from a license revocation, which prohibits you from driving indefinitely until you are granted full reinstatement of your driver’s license as a result of a Secretary of State hearing. With the help of a license reinstatement lawyer in Chicago, the process is much easier to navigate.

To have the best chance at regaining your driving privileges, you need an attorney who knows how to work with the Secretary of State. Johnson & Goldrich, P.C., is highly familiar with license reinstatements in Springfield, Chicago, and throughout the state of Illinois.

With over 25 years of experience representing clients in license reinstatement cases, you can count on us. We’re here to help you fight for your driving privileges regardless of the circumstances that led to your suspension.

How Does Your Driver’s License Get Suspended in Illinois?

The state may choose to suspend your license for many different reasons. Some reasons for license suspension include:

• Failure to appear in court for any traffic citation
• Illegal transportation of alcohol while under age 21
• Driving without mandatory insurance
• Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle
• Failure to pay court-ordered child support covering 90 days or more
• Refusing chemical testing when stopped by police
• Failing chemical testing when stopped by police

Some examples of situations that may lead to a suspended or revoked license for Illinois drivers include:

• Passing a school bus that’s picking up or dropping off kids
• Ignoring the signals at a railroad crossing and driving around them
• Going too fast in areas around schools
• If you’re under 21, transporting alcohol
• If you’re under 21, having a blood alcohol content (BAC) level greater than 0.00

What Is License Revocation vs Suspension in Illinois?

If your driving privileges are taken indefinitely, your license has been revoked. A revocation is different from a suspension in that there’s no exact date when you will get your license back. Usually, it takes a minimum of 1 year before you’re eligible to reapply.

Some reasons for license revocation can include:

• Convicted of a DUI (Driving Under the Influence)
• Auto theft
• Recklessly operating a vehicle that causes severe physical injury, lasting disability, or disfigurement to someone else
• Recklessly operating a vehicle that results in the death of another person
• Fleeing from law enforcement when instructed to stop

The Illinois Secretary of State will issue your suspension or revocation. To pursue full reinstatement, we encourage you to reach out to our skilled license revocation lawyers. Schedule a free case consultation at Johnson & Goldrich, P.C. today.

Restricted Driving Permit for Driving Relief

When your license is suspended, there is a clear end date to the suspension. When your license is revoked, you can only reapply for an Illinois driver’s license on or after the revocation end date. This date is your projected eligibility date.

Prior to that date or the end of a suspension, you may be eligible for a Restricted Driving Permit (RDP). If you wish to drive on an RDP, you will need to have a hearing with the Secretary of State. At that hearing, you will have the right to an attorney that can advocate on your behalf.

What Is a Statutory Summary Suspension?

In Illinois, if you refuse chemical testing or fail chemical testing when stopped by police, you will face a statutory summary suspension. This suspension is issued regardless of whether or not you receive a DUI conviction and can last between 6 months and 3 years. A statutory summary suspension begins on the 46th day from the notice of suspension.

You will face an automatic 6-month license suspension if you submit to and fail a chemical test for your first DUI arrest. This involves:

• Having a BAC level of .08 or higher
• Having a THC level of either 5 nanograms or more per milliliter of whole blood, or 10 nanograms or more per milliliter of other bodily substance

If you have a prior statutory summary suspension or revocation from Illinois, a suspension for refusing a chemical test from another state, or a DUI conviction in the last 5 years, you are a second offender. This results in a 3-year suspension for refusing chemical testing or a 1-year suspension for failing chemical testing.

If you’re a first-time DUI offender, you may be eligible for a Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP). An MDDP requires you to obtain a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) as a condition of driving relief.

Reinstatement Fees

The cost of reinstating your license can vary depending on the type of offense and number of offenses committed. You must always pay a reinstatement fee to reinstate your driving privileges after Illinois license suspension or revocation.

Contact Our Law Office

If you’re looking to reinstate your license, an attorney can help. Whether you need assistance acquiring driving relief or representation in driver’s license reinstatement hearings, you can rely on our law firm.

When you reach out to Johnson & Goldrich, P.C., we will work to help you earn back your license as quickly as possible. Pursuing reinstatement is a difficult process if you don’t have qualified legal representation. Hiring a driver’s license reinstatement lawyer ensures you don’t miss any steps.

If you’ve lost your license, contact our suspended license lawyers in Chicago. We will be happy to help you regain your driving privileges!