Driving while intoxicated by drugs or alcohol or DWI is a serious offense in St. Louis, Missouri, especially for someone with a commercial driver’s license or CDL. This is anyone who has obtained the credentials and licensing to drive commercial vehicles. Yet, you don’t have to be driving a commercial vehicle at the time of your DWI arrest to get your commercial driver’s license suspended. You can also lose your commercial driver’s license for violating out of service orders, using your vehicle to commit a felony, or accumulating enough points on your driving record. So, what do you do when this happens to you? Whether it was a single mistake or whether you have a serious problem with drugs or alcohol that requires treatment, you need to know how to go about getting your commercial driver’s license back and what your options are for intervention and treatment after a St. Louis, Missouri, DWI.
What Do I Need to Know About Losing A Commercial Driver’s License With A DWI In St. Louis, Missouri?
Getting your commercial driving license suspended or revoked because of a St. Louis, Missouri, DWI can really
If you are in need of DWI or DUI representation, contact Hollingshead and Dudley!
damage your career and your income, along with the legal consequences that come with getting a DWI at all. It is even worse if you are transporting hazardous materials at the time. It’s also important to understand that a commercial driver has a lower BAC limit, which is only .04% instead of the standard .08%, and you can lose your commercial driver’s license even if you are in a non-commercial vehicle. There are federal regulations and state regulations that will affect you in this situation. DWI is considered a major offense, as is refusing to take a BAC test, being guilty of a hit and run, or using your vehicle in a felony crime. You will lose your CDL for at least one year in such cases. If you are transporting hazardous materials at the time of the DWI, then you will lose your license for at least three years. If you get a second violation, then you can lose your CDL for the rest of your life.
Be aware that other things can also contribute to losing your CDL. If you get enough points on your driving record for speeding, reckless driving, erratic lane changes, following too closely, causing accidents, or driving a commercial vehicle without having your CDL on you, then you could end up losing your driving privileges for commercial and non-commercial vehicles. Getting eight points within 18 months will result in a thirty to a ninety-day suspension of your driving privileges. You can lose it for one year if you get 12 points in one year, 18 points in two years, or 24 points in three years.
What Do You Need To Do After A DWI Charge With A CDL In St. Louis, Missouri?
If you are a commercial vehicle driver who gets a St. Louis, Missouri, DWI, you have to start by contacting and informing your employer of the situation within thirty days. Once you are notified that your CDL has been suspended, revoked, canceled, or disqualified, you have to let your employer know by the next day. You can contest a disqualified CDL with an administrative hearing with the Missouri DOR, though this will not impact any court decisions. You can request this hearing within 15 days of getting notice of the suspension or the disqualification. You can appeal any suspensions that result from a court conviction by contacting the court which served the suspension within thirty days.
Of course, one of your number one goals, to save your career, livelihood, and what’s left of your reputation is going to be to get your St. Louis, Missouri, commercial driving license reinstated. There are multiple things that you may be able to do to achieve this goal. You may need to retake the commercial driving skills and knowledge tests (and pass them). You may need to file an SR22 insurance form and maintain that coverage for at least three years after the end of the suspension of your CDL. With a St. Louis, Missouri, DWI, you will also likely have to complete a program in Missouri’s Substance Abuse Traffic Offenders Program (SATOP). This will cost some money and will take some time, but it could be the very best thing for you, your future, your family, and your career. You will also have to pay any fees associated with your CDL reinstatement. You can learn more about the requirements of getting your CDL back by contacting your local Missouri Department of Motor Vehicles. You will then need to submit any payments and documents that are necessary to the DOR. You can do this in person or through the mail. To do it in person, you must go to the Driver License Bureau at the Truman State Office Building at 301 West High Street, Room 470 in Jefferson City, Missouri. To do it through the mail, send your documents and payments to Driver License Bureau at PO Box 200 in Jefferson City, Missouri, 65105.
You can also pay your reinstatement fees by calling the Missouri DMV (573-526-2407). When your CDL suspension involves a DWI, the fees are going to be at least $45, not counting any SATOP programs that may be required to get your license reinstated. There are also likely to be court fines and other legal fees to pay for a criminal conviction. These payments can be made by cash, by check, by money order, or by credit card (MasterCard, Discover, or American Express with convenience fee). If you pay by check or money order, then you must make it payable to the Missouri Department of Revenue.
You can get the best possible outcome and the least expense in these situations by contacting an St. Louis, Missouri, DWI attorney to help you with your case. Call the St. Louis, Missouri, DWI attorneys at Hollingshead & Dudley Trial Lawyers to learn more about your options.
