Losing your driving privileges is a cumbersome penalty that you can face for various infractions in Illinois. People often refer to a driver’s license suspension and a driver’s license revocation as if they are the same thing. Both have the same result of making it illegal for you to drive unless you receive a Restricted Driving Permit. However, a driver’s license revocation is more severe and will make it more difficult for you to regain your driving privileges. You will need the help of an experienced license reinstatement lawyer in order to get your license back.
What Is the Difference Between Suspension and Revocation?
When your driver’s license is suspended, you still possess it but it is temporarily inactive. You could have a definite suspension, in which your license is suspended for a set amount of time, or an indefinite suspension, in which reinstatement of your license is dependent upon meeting conditions such as paying fines. Once the conditions for ending the suspension have been met, you will automatically be eligible for reinstatement of your license.
When your driver’s license is revoked, it has been terminated so that it no longer exists. To regain your driving privileges, you will need to apply for a new driver’s license after a set waiting period. The Illinois Secretary of State’s office must grant permission for you to reinstate your license, which it will determine at a hearing. In order to receive permission, you may need to show that you will not be a danger to yourself or others if you are allowed to drive.
What Causes Your License to Be Revoked?
Illinois can suspend your license for a variety of reasons, some of which are not criminal. It may be suspended for committing too many traffic violations, not paying your traffic tickets, or not paying child support. The state uses a license revocation for more serious offenses – most commonly a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A first-time DUI conviction will result in a revocation with a one-year waiting period until you can apply for reinstatement.
Contact a Crystal Lake, Illinois, Criminal Defense Lawyer
You should not treat a reinstatement hearing for a revoked driver’s license as a formality before you regain your driving privileges. There is no guarantee that your license will be reinstated. A McHenry County criminal defense attorney at Botto Gilbert Lancaster, PC, has helped numerous clients regain their driver’s licenses after revocations. To schedule a free consultation, call 815-338-3838.
Source:
https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/BAIID/reinstate.html