If you've been convicted of a DUI, your license has been revoked which can make going to work or school extremely difficult. The length of time you will have to wait before you can reinstate your license will depend on whether or not you've had any DUI's before. In some cases, even if you cannot reinstate your license, you may be able to apply for a hardship license.

General Reinstatement Requirements

Whether you are reinstating a full or hardship license, you will be required to:

• Take the required exam
• Pay the administrative fee
• Pay the revocation reinstatement and license fees
• Provide proof of bodily injury liability insurance in the form of an FR-44 (in the amount of 100,000 per person, 300,000 per occurance and 50,000 property damage)
• Continuously maintain the FR-44 Certificate of Liability Insurance for a period of 3 years from the date of license reinstatement

Reinstatement

1st DUI

If this is your first conviction, your license will be revoked for a period of 180 days to 1 year from the conviction date. However, if you caused a serious injury, the revocation period is at least 3 years. Regardless of whether you apply for a hardship license or if you wait until the revocation period ends, you will need to provide proof that you have enrolled or completed DUI school and show certification of liability insurance in the form of an FR-44 that must be maintained for 3 years.

2nd DUI

If this is your second conviction NOT within 5 years, your license will be revoked for 180 days to 1 year and you will not be allowed to reinstate your license early for hardship. In this case, you will be required to allow the full revocation period to pass before you can reinstate your license.

If this is your second conviction within 5 years from the previous one, your license will be revoked for at least 5 years. However, after one year, you will be eligible to apply for a hardship license as long as you have completed DUI school along with any treatment programs. If you were referred to a treatment program, you must have a favorable recommendation from the Special Supervision Services program in order to be eligible for a hardship license. For the remainder of the revocation period, you must remain in the Special Supervision Services Program. For the remainder of the revocation period, you must remain in the Special Supervision Services Program.

3rd DUI

A third offense that occurs NOT within 10 years from the last conviction will result in your license being revoked for 180 days to a year, unless the last two convictions fall within 5 years of the other (in this case, a 5 year revocation would apply).

If this is your third offense within 10 years of a second conviction, your license will be revoked for 10 years. Before you can apply for a hardship license, you must serve 2 years of the revocation period. After this period, you may apply for a hardship license once you have completed DUI school along with any treatment programs. If you were referred to a treatment program, you must have a favorable recommendation from the Special Supervision Services program in order to be eligible for a hardship license. For the remainder of the revocation period, you must remain in the Special Supervision Services Program.

4th DUI

In the event that this is a 4th DUI or a subsequent DUI conviction, you will be required to serve 5 years of the revocation period before you can apply for a hardship license. Before you can apply for a hardship license you must have completed DUI school along with any treatment programs that were referred to you. If you were referred to a treatment program, you must have a favorable recommendation from the Special Supervision Services program in order to be eligible for a hardship license. For the remainder of the revocation period, you must remain in the Special Supervision Services Program.

Sources:

FLHSMV. Driving Under the Influence (DUI). http://www.flhsmv.gov/ddl/dlfaqson2a.html