One of the immediate consequences of driving under the influence in Kentucky is the loss of your driver’s license. The suspension often occurs right away, but the court may also impose a suspension.
KY.gov explains how long you lose your driver’s license for depends on the details of your situation. Whether you have had a previous DUI plays a large role, but there are special circumstances of which you should be aware.
Commercial driver’s license suspension
If you have a CDL, you will lose your license for one year at the minimum if you get a DUI. To get your license back, you will have to go through the whole testing process again as if you were securing a new license.
Charges within 10 years
Other license suspension periods depend on whether this is your first offense or if you have had multiple offenses in the past ten years. The suspension gets longer the more times you have had DUI charges in the 10-year timespan.
For a first offense, you will have at least a six-month suspension. That increases to 18 months if it is your second time and 36 months for a third offense. If this is the fourth time you have a DUI conviction, then you lose your license for 60 months.
Another situation
Another situation in which you can face a license suspension is refusing to take a BAC test. When you get a license, you agree to take such a test, so refusal is seen as a violation. The court will suspend your license for the amount of time you would receive with a conviction for the charge. For example, if this is your first offense, then the court will issue a suspension of six months.
License suspension is only one portion of the punishment and consequences of a DUI. You will also face fines and could end up in jail or prison.