Restricted Driving Privileges after a Minnesota DWI Conviction

After your DWI conviction you will be forced to undergo a number of administrative Minnesota DWI penalties including the mandatory revocation of your driver's license. Before the period of revocation is complete you may be given the opportunity to apply for a limited or restricted license.

Applying for a Limited Driver's License after a Minnesota DWI Arrest

Individuals subject to a driver's license revocation because of a DWI conviction or because of refusal to comply with the implied consent laws in Minnesota may apply for a limited driver's license, also known as a work permit. This license will only be granted for individuals who need to drive to and from work or who need to drive to and from an applicable rehabilitation program. Individuals may also be granted a limited drivers license to enable them to address the nutritional, medical, and educational needs of their families or to get to school if they are postsecondary students.

Waiting Periods for a Minnesota Limited Driver's License

Minnesota state law does not allow an individual with a restricted driver's license to apply for a limited driver's license right away. There are strict, mandatory waiting periods, also known as hard revocation times, that must be observed before you can apply.

First time violators must wait at least 15 days after revocation. Anyone with a second or subsequent offense must wait at least 90 days to apply for a limited license unless he has refused to comply with the implied consent law, in which case he must wait at least 180 days. Anyone charged with a DWI that involved criminal vehicle homicide or manslaughter must wait a full year.

Anyone under the age of 18, or anyone who had a blood alcohol level of .20 or higher, must wait twice as long based on the violation time listed above. An additional 60 days will be added to the waiting period for anyone who was charged with using the vehicle to commit a crime, cause any injury, or to anyone who originally refused to reveal his identity to the police.

Applying for a Restricted Driver's License

The restricted driver's license, also known as a B-card, is usually issued to individuals who have had three or more DWI violations. You can apply for a B-card after successfully completing an appropriate treatment or rehabilitation program. The state of Minnesota will force you to sign a statement swearing you will never again consume alcohol before issuing this card.

DPS, or Department of Public Safety, rules stipulate that individuals who have undergone rehabilitation for the first time must abstain from alcohol for at least a year before applying for a B-card. Individuals undergoing rehabilitation for a second time must abstain for 3 years and those undergoing rehab for a third time (or more) must abstain for 6 years before applying for a B-card license.

Individuals who are found to have consumed alcohol after the issuance of a B-card license will have their licenses revoked. The license will, for the rest of the drivers life, include coding letting officers know that there is a strict "no alcohol" restriction Anyone who violates the terms can and will be charged with a gross misdemeanor.

Contact your Minnesota DWI lawyer for more information on how and when to apply for a limited or restricted license. Having even limited access to a vehicle prove helpful as you work towards total rehabilitation.