What Are the Penalties and Legal Options for a DUI in Missouri?

Driving under influence (DUI) is a serious offense in Missouri & those who are convicted face severe penalties & legal options. Learn more here.

What Are the Penalties and Legal Options for a DUI in Missouri?

Driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious offense in Missouri, and those who are convicted of it face a range of penalties. The state of Missouri has strict laws regarding DUI, and the consequences for violating them can be severe. Drivers who exceed 0.08% BAC or more will have their driving privileges suspended for 30 days and then have Restricted Driving Privileges for 60 days. Those who refuse to take a breathalyzer test and are convicted of DUI will lose their licenses for a year.

Your driving privilege is suspended or revoked based on your previous five-year driving record. If you are convicted or suspended within the past five years for an alcohol or drug-related traffic offense, your driving privilege is revoked for one year. If not, a 90-day suspension is imposed.At the time of arrest, the officer seizes the driver's license and issues a temporary permit. After the expiration of the temporary permit, the driver's license is normally suspended for 30 days if the driver has not had prior suspensions or convictions for DWI within the past five years.

Suspension is followed by a 60-day restricted license. A driver could also be eligible to obtain a restricted license with the installation of an ignition interlock device instead of suspension.The State of Missouri Automatically Suspends or Revokes Driving Privileges for Individuals Convicted of DWI. A first-time DWI offense will cause your license to be suspended for 90 days. Fortunately, you may be eligible to apply for an immediate restricted driving privilege where you can drive during this 90-day period with the installation of an ignition interlock device (IID).The proceedings would begin with the arresting officer, who sends to the Department of Revenue a report, a Notice of Suspension or Revocation, a Missouri Lawsuit and Summons, a court order if used, and your driver's license if confiscated.

The Department of Revenue will then impose a license suspension using the information the officer submits and your driving record.If you have lost your license due to having received a DWI in Missouri, there are some steps necessary to reinstate it. According to the Missouri Department of Revenue, two separate sections of Missouri law “govern arrest and suspension or revocation of driving privilege”. In addition, for purposes of counting past alcohol-related driving offenses or DWI, the prosecution may consider an out-of-state DUI to determine whether to seek improvements in sentencing or charges based on previous convictions.The lawyers at The Missouri DWI %26 Criminal Law Center have handled legal representation for countless individuals in cases of DWI, DUI for drugs or drugs, and traffic violations. For a first-time offender, the driver's license suspension is likely to be 90 days, but for minors with prior DUI arrests.To avoid an automatic license suspension, the driver or the driver's attorney must request a hearing with the Department of Revenue to challenge the suspension.

Your lawyer is familiar with the courts, the procedures of the Department of Revenue and the deadlines involved in the administrative license suspension process.Driving with an excess of BAC will result in an automatic suspension of your driver's license for 90 days; this administrative suspension period will last one year if you refuse to have a blood or breath test to measure BAC and also includes treatment for substance abuse.If you are arrested for a DWI offense in Missouri, you will face administrative proceedings through which the Department of Revenue will suspend your license. For example, first-time minor DWI offenders may have their license suspended for up to 90 days, while repeat offenders could face longer suspensions or revocations. A third or subsequent offense, if you are under 21 years of age, will result in the suspension of your license for an entire year.For Missouri residents, this means that if they commit an out-of-state DUI offense, Missouri will treat their DUI convictions as if they were convictions of MO. This means that a driver can also face DUI charges for being under the influence of drugs, including for legal prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Unlike Kansas, Missouri uses the term “drunk driving” instead of DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol). If you are arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in a state other than the state in which you live, that arrest could very well follow you back to your home state. Officers will closely monitor drivers in the area for signs of poisoning, such as speeding, reckless driving, or wide turns.

Abel Banter
Abel Banter

Infuriatingly humble internet specialist. Hipster-friendly pop culture scholar. General twitter nerd. Extreme travel practitioner. Total food enthusiast. Hardcore social media aficionado.

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