Illinois Driver’s License Reinstatement Attorney

Driver’s License Reinstatement

The revocation of your license is a possible penalty following a DUI conviction. In Illinois, there are stringent procedures that you must follow if you want a partial or full return of your driving privileges. In order to have your driving privileges reinstated after they were revoked due to a DUI conviction, you will need to have a clean driving record, go through an alcohol and drug evaluation, and complete an alcohol and drug remedial education program. Even if an evaluation does not result in a recommendation that you go through treatment, you will still be required to complete remedial education. You will also need to go through a hearing. The hearing is informal for a first offense. You will need to show proof of financial responsibility, pass a license exam, and pay fees. However, people with multiple offenses need to attend a formal rather than an informal hearing.

A restricted driving permit is a partial restoration of your driving privileges. People convicted of reckless homicide or an aggravated DUI that proximately caused someone’s death cannot obtain a restricted driving permit for 24 months after being released from incarceration. Drivers under 21 who have a DUI conviction are not eligible for a restricted driving permit for a year after the effective revocation date. If you want to qualify for a restricted driving permit, you will need to show that you are facing an undue hardship and that you are eligible for it.

Out-of-State Clearance of Revocation

Sometimes people live outside Illinois and do not need an Illinois driver’s license, but they have an unresolved revocation of their license due to a DUI conviction. This can hinder their ability to obtain a driver’s license in the new state. If you are in this situation or another situation in which you need your Illinois revocation cleared, you may want to file for an out-of-state clearance of revocation. To obtain this clearance, you will need to submit an out-of-state petition. A formal hearing will be held.

It is wise to retain an experienced Springfield driver’s license reinstatement lawyer to help you obtain the clearance. You cannot apply for an out-of-state reinstatement of your Illinois driving privileges if the record shows that you are not eligible for reinstatement in Illinois, or you are under a lifetime revocation.

You may ask for a termination of revocation if you have already served 10 years under the last or most recent revocation, you completed an out-of-state application to apply for termination of the revocation, you filed an out-of-state financial responsibility insurance waiver and can pay the reinstatement fee, and you completed all alcohol requirements. If you move back to Illinois, however, the lifetime revocation would again be imposed, and you would need to apply for a lifetime restricted driving permit.

DUI

Drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs is also known as DUI. It is punished harshly in Illinois and carries serious consequences that may include incarceration, fines, and the suspension or revocation of your driver’s license. In Illinois, you can be convicted of DUI if you drive or are in actual physical control of a vehicle when you have a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or more. You can also be convicted if you drive under the influence to a degree that renders you incapable of safely driving, or if you have any amount of a controlled substance in your bodily fluids. Administrative penalties related to your license will usually be imposed, but if you are convicted of DUI, you will also face criminal penalties, and these may affect your license as well.

Someone who is not convicted of DUI will lose their driver’s license if they refuse to submit to a blood alcohol concentration test. They can lose it for three years for refusing a second time.

If you are convicted of DUI in Illinois, you may be sentenced to up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine for a first offense. However, you may be able to apply to install an ignition interlock device so that you can drive to work and other necessary locations. Our firm has substantial experience defending drivers charged with DUI, and we have successfully challenged breath tests as well as other evidence.

Traffic Tickets

In addition to serving as a Springfield driver’s license reinstatement attorney, Ted Harvatin helps drivers try to keep traffic violations off their driving records. There are three categories of traffic violations: felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions. You should not take a traffic ticket lightly, even if it is for a lower-level offense. You may need to miss work, lose your driving privileges, and incur fines and increased insurance premiums if you accept a ticket. Generally, a traffic violation that involves causing injuries to someone else or destroying property would be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, with felonies being especially serious.

At Harvatin Law Offices, we have successfully handled many different matters pursued under the Illinois Vehicle Code, including license fraud, driving on a suspended or revoked license, zero tolerance license fraud, speeding tickets, following too closely, failure to stop, failure to signal, and safety belt law violations. We also represent clients charged with failure to appear violations.

Consult an Experienced Driver’s License Reinstatement Lawyer in Springfield

We understand that entrusting an attorney with legal matters that have high stakes can be stressful and frustrating. We aim to remove as much anxiety as possible from the process. Mr. Harvatin and our professional staff work hard to make prospective and current clients feel at ease. To learn more about our services, call us at 217.525.0520 or complete our online form.