One of the most common issues after being convicted of a DWI in Virginia is getting a restricted license so you can drive to work, to school, to a doctor’s appointment, etc. The problem is, it can take a little while to get the restricted license in order, so one common question clients have is: how long will it take?
In most courts which I practice in, if you get convicted of DWI, to get a restricted license you have to do a couple things. First of all, you have to be sure all your fines and costs are paid. For a DUI conviction, you’re probably going to owe anywhere from $500 or more to the court, so you need that money available as soon as possible to pay your fines and costs. The next thing is, you have to surrender your current license to the court. And finally, you have to get the proper documents filed with the court to get them to issue a restricted license, assuming the judge has marked you as eligible for one.
With most of the courts I practice in, if you’re prepared to pay your fines and costs on the day of court and turn in your Virginia license, we can apply for a restricted license immediately (assuming your case is one where you’re eligible).
The courts differ about how long it takes to get that license issued, and it typically takes anywhere from one to three business days to get the license prepared. That’s the time for the clerks to review your paperwork, prepare the form, and have you come in to sign it, since you have to pick it up in person.
The one difference in this procedure is the Fredericksburg court where they only accept restricted license applications on Mondays and Wednesdays. However, they normally prepare them while you wait. But the problem can be that if you have court on Thursday, and you’re convicted of DWI, you will not get a restricted license in Fredericksburg until the following Monday. It can be a several-day wait if your case is on a Thursday.
As you can see, it can take, as little as a few hours in some cases when the clerks are not as busy. But I’d say on average it takes a couple business days to get your restricted license. However, be sure to note that this is assuming that you have your paperwork in order along with your fines and costs payment on the day of court. A delay in payment or a delay to gather the appropriate paperwork would delay getting your license. You don’t have to apply for it immediately, so if money is a problem, you can wait. However, you can’t drive until you get the restricted license in order.
Photo by: *Kicki*