Losing your license after having been convicted of driving under the influence can cause a significant impact on your life. Getting to work, school or all of the other important places you need to be can become a nightmare having to wait on public transportation or rely on others to drive you. Depending on the nature of your conviction, these challenges can last for several years. Yet is there a way to earn back your driving privileges (even if it is only on a limited basis)?
Florida does indeed offer hardship licenses to people in your situation. Such a license can be attained only after you have waited 12 months from the date of your original suspension. To qualify following a DUI conviction, you then must also complete an approved DUI prevention course. You may also be required to present letters of recommendation from certain people recommending you to be able to operate a vehicle on a restricted basis. These people may include:
- Community business leaders
- Law enforcement officials
- Officers of the court
Upon receiving your request, the court will then determine what sort of restricted license you should be given. Florida recognizes two types of hardship licenses: Those restricted to business purposes only, and those for employment purposes only.
At first glance, those two types may seem to cover the same things. However, Section 322.271(c)1 of Florida’s Motor Vehicle Code says that a license given for business purposes only allows for any driving related to work, as well as for educational purposes, or to go to church services of the doctor’s office. Employment purpose only hardship license only allow you to drive to fulfill work obligations.