Driver's License Suspensions

A Pennsylvania DUI conviction carries harsh repercussions that can include fines, jail time, alcohol highway safety school, and a driver's license suspension. However, it may be possible to avoid some or all of these consequences by fighting your driving under the influence charge. A skilled Pennsylvania DUI attorney from Zachary B. Cooper, Attorney at Law, P.C. will build an aggressive drunk driving defense strategy designed to protect your driver's license, your rights, and your freedom.

How long your driver's license can be suspended after a Pennsylvania DUI conviction depends on how you are charged. Pennsylvania has a three-tiered DUI law based on the driver's blood alcohol content (BAC) and the number of prior driving under the influence convictions within the past 10 years. The three BAC tiers are:

  • General Impairment - .08 to .099 percent BAC
  • High BAC - .10 to .159 percent BAC
  • Highest BAC - .16 percent and greater BAC

A general-impairment Pennsylvania DUI charge with no prior driving under the influence convictions carries no automatic driver's license suspension. However, if you're convicted of a general-impairment Pennsylvania DUI charge and have one or more prior drunk driving convictions within the past 10 years, your driver's license can be suspended for 12 months.

If you're convicted of a high-BAC Pennsylvania DUI charge and have no prior convictions or one driving under the influence conviction within the past 10 years, your driver's license will be suspended for 12 months. If you have two or more prior convictions, a high-BAC Pennsylvania DUI conviction will bring an 18-month driver's license suspension.

A highest-BAC Pennsylvania DUI conviction with no prior convictions for driving under the influence within the past 10 years carries a 12-month driver's license suspension. If you have one or more prior driving under the influence conviction within the past 10 years and are convicted of a highest-BAC Pennsylvania DUI charge, your driver's license will be suspended for 18 months.

A Pennsylvania DUI arrest presents a direct threat to your driver's license, so it's critical to have an experienced defense attorney at your side. A skilled Pennsylvania DUI lawyer from Zachary B. Cooper, Attorney at Law, P.C. is ready to fight for your rights and your driver's license after a Pennsylvania DUI arrest. Please contact a knowledgeable PA DUI attorney today for a free consultation.