You get pulled over by the police, they give you a breath test, and then they arrest you for driving under the influence. You know that this could result in time behind bars and financial fines. But you’re worried that things are going to go far beyond that and you’re going to lose your driver’s license entirely.
After all, this can make the DWI much more expensive. You could have trouble even getting to work and lose a lot of wages, or you could lose your job entirely if it’s dependent on having a driver’s license. Are the authorities going to take your license away for DWI charges in Texas?
If you are an adult
If you are 21 years old or older, you will have to serve a license suspension if you are convicted on DWI charges. There is an upper limit to what the court can rule, and they can’t make of this suspension be longer than two years. Many people get less than this, so you could get 90 days or something of this nature, but you should be warned that it could be as long as 24 months. It’s clear that this could have a drastic impact on your life.
If you are a minor
If you are under 21 years old, then you fall under the zero tolerance law is in the state, which state that minors who are not allowed to drink alcohol are subject to different penalties and regulations. In this case, it means that you will have a license suspension of one year. This is true if you have only been convicted for a single time. If you have subsequent convictions, then the license suspension will be increased to 18 months, or a year and a half.
Paying the fees
No matter which category you fall into, you will also have to pay a $100 fee to get your license back. This is called a reinstatement fee. If you do not pay the fee, then you will not regain your license even if you’ve served the suspension that has been handed down. This is just one of many fees that can come along with a DWI.
What are your options?
You can see how important it is to understand all of your criminal defense options if you are facing DWI charges. Always remember that an arrest doesn’t guarantee a conviction.