SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, ALAMEDA COUNTY
SELF HELP SERVICES
General Information on Suspended Drivers License
WHAT IS A SUSPENDED DRIVERS LICENSE?
Under certain conditions, the California Department of Motor Vehicles can suspend or revoke your
driver's license. This means either the DMV or the court has decided that you are NOT allowed to
operate a motor vehicle until the suspension or revocation is lifted and your license is reinstated.
WHY WOULD YOUR LICENSE BE SUSPENDED?
Here are the main reasons your CA driver’s license could be suspended:
1. No Insurance
If you're not insured and get in an accident, your driver's license will be suspended for four years.
After one year, it may be returned if you provide proof of insurance to the DMV, and maintain it
for the next three years.
2. Failure to Report an accident
3. Driving under the influence (DUI) conviction
California has some of the toughest DUI laws in the country, and your license will be suspended
for six months upon your first conviction. You may petition for a restricted license in some cases
(not many). A second and third may lose you your license for two to four years.
4. Underage drinking
You'll lose your driver's license for one year or until you turn 18, whichever is later.
5. Failure or refusal of a drug or alcohol test
California's implied consent laws mean that if you refuse a blood, breath, or urine test to avoid
getting a DUI, your license will be suspended or revoked even if you're innocent.
6. Excessive points on driving record
If you have too many points, the California DMV will put you on driving probation for one year,
including a license suspension for six months, or revoke your driver's license altogether.
7. Vandalism
Your driver's license will be suspended for one year. If you're too young to drive, your right to
apply for a driver's license will be delayed by one year.
8. Failure to appear in court for traffic ticket
If you neither show up nor pay the fine on time, the court will report your failure to appear to the
California DMV, and your license may be suspended.
9. Failure to pay Child Support. Family Code §17520.
HOW CAN I GET MY LICENSE BACK?
The steps you take to get your license back depend on the reason(s) it was suspended. The following are
common reasons and examples of what you might need to do.
If you were convicted of drinking under the influence (DUI):
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1. Complete a Mandatory Suspension Period: On the first conviction the court will suspend your
driving privilege for six months and require you to complete a DUI program before you can be
reinstated. If your Blood Alcohol Level (BAC) was .15% or higher and you already had a record
of violations for other reasons OR you refused to submit to a chemical test, the court may order
you to complete a nine-month or longer program. If your BAC was .20% or higher and the court
refers you to an enhanced DUI treatment program, your license will be suspended for 10 months.
