How to Obtain a Hardship License in Hillsborough County, FL After a DUI

Getting your license taken away is often a penalty for a DUI arrest, but what can you do if you need your driver’s license for work, school, or caregiver duties? If you are a 1st time DUI offender, Florida Statute sections 322.2615(1)(b)3. and 322.271(7) allow for your immediate application to obtain a hardship driving privilege, otherwise known as a hardship license in Hillsborough County. 

What is a Hardship License?

A Tampa hardship license may be a way to keep you on the road after a DUI while you await trial. But, a hardship license isn’t free reign to drive. A hardship license allows limited driving privileges.

There are two types of hardship license:

• Business Purposes Only – This type of license is for business purposes that are not limited to work. This includes your commute to and from work, driving to school, on the job driving, and driving for church or medical visits and other caregiver activities. For example, this type of hardship license would allow you to drive your children to the doctor, or take yourself to work.
• Employment Purposes Only – This type of hardship license is only valid for employment-related activities. This can be helpful for those who drive for a living or who are required to drive as part of their livelihood.

How to Obtain a Hardship License in Hillsborough County

If you want to benefit from the opportunity to get a hardship license in Tampa, we must act within the first ten days of your DUI arrest. Your failure to have an attorney timely assist you in filing the required documentation with the Florida DHSMV will cause you to waive your option to quickly secure a restricted driving privilege.

Once you’ve responded within the 10 days, you’ll need to appear for a DHSMV hearing. An attorney can help you prepare for this hearing, including determining if you are currently Real ID compliant and which type of hardship license you will need. The team at Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan can also counsel you in advance about the type and nature of questions the hearing officer may ask of you when determining whether to grant your reinstatement of driving privileges. Additionally, we can provide you with specific “real-life” examples of past DHSMV Reinstatement Review Hearings to enable a comparison with the facts of your own case.

For the most part, you only get one opportunity to state your case during the hardship license application process at the DHSMV. The denial of a hardship license caused by your inexperience or the volunteering of what you thought were innocent admissions, can be a costly mistake. Contact Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan today to get help obtaining your Hillsborough County hardship license after a DUI.

Request a FREE consultation today by giving us a call at (727) 578-0303, or submitting our consultation request form.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.