Greenville DWI Attorney

Limited Driving Privileges & DUI in North Carolina

Limited driving privileges are sometimes an option for a person whose license has been revoked due to a DWI citation, a DWI conviction or because of a refused breath or blood test. A limited driving privilege allows a person to drive only within a certain time frame (usually between 6am and 8pm Monday through Friday) and to specific destinations (to and from work, school, the doctor or the grocery store). Having your driver’s license revoked can cause a great deal of hassle and can be very damaging to your employment and education.

By consulting a DWI attorney, we may be able to obtain an Order from a Judge which allows you to drive for work and school.  There are differences between applying for limited driving privileges pretrial or post conviction, as well as for DWI convictions where the defendant’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was .15% or above, and a capable and experienced attorney will be able to prepare and file the proper papers and get your limited privilege for you.

Pretrial vs. Post Conviction Limited Driving Privileges

Upon receiving a DWI citation, your license will be revoked for 30 days. You have the option to apply for a pretrial limited driving privilege to overcome the last 20 days of your revocation. Upon receiving a first DWI conviction, your license will be revoked for 1 year. If you are sentenced at one of the three lowest levels, you should generally be eligible for a limited driving privilege following conviction.  In order to obtain a limited driving privilege, there are several criteria you must meet, some of which include:

• No prior DWI convictions within the last 7 years
• You were convicted of a Level 3, 4 or 5 offense
• You completed substance abuse assessment and filed with the court
• No pending DWI cases or charges

If you were convicted of DWI where your blood alcohol concentration was .15% or above, you will be required to wait an additional period before you can have a limited driving privilege. If you were convicted of DWI where your blood alcohol concentration was .16% or above, you  will be required to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle before you are permitted to drive.  In order to start the car, you have to activate the device with a breath sample to prove you have not consumed any alcohol. For more information on ignition interlock devices, click here.

Interested in getting limited driving privileges in North Carolina? Contact Greenville DWI lawyer Tim Burch today!