Let a Morristown DWI Law Firm Challenge Your License Suspension

If you have been charged with driving under the influence/driving while intoxicated (DUI/DWI) in New Jersey, you are facing numerous severe penalties. One of these penalties is the loss of your driving privileges. All DWI offenses carry driver’s license suspensions in New Jersey, with suspension terms ranging from three months to 20 years. Additionally, for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders, a second DUI/DWI conviction can result in permanent loss of the right to drive for a living. Contact a Morristown DWI law firm quickly to save your driving privileges.

New Jersey’s drunk driving laws are complex, and they impose different penalties under a broad range of different circumstances. If you are awaiting trial for a DWI charge, here are the potential driver’s license suspensions that are on the table:

DWI Driver’s License Suspensions in New Jersey

1. First-Time DUI/DWI with Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) below 0.10 Percent

For a first-time DUI/DWI charge with a BAC below 0.10 percent, the maximum driver’s license suspension is three months.

2. First-Time DUI/DWI with BAC of 0.10 Percent or Above

For a first-time DUI/DWI charge with a BAC of 0.10 percent or above, New Jersey law imposes a minimum driver’s license suspension of seven months, and your license can be suspended for a maximum of one year.

3. Second-Time DUI/DWI Offense (Regardless of BAC)

If you have one prior DUI conviction that is less than 10 years old, you are being charged as a multiple-time offender. In New Jersey, a second-time DUI carries a two-year driver’s license suspension.

4. Third or Subsequent DUI/DWI Offense (Regardless of BAC)

For a third offense if your second offense is less than 10 years old or for a fourth or subsequent offense, New Jersey law imposes a 10-year driver’s license suspension. Similar to a second offense, this is the case regardless of your BAC at the time of your arrest.

5. Enhanced Driver’s License Suspensions for DWI Offenses in School Zones

New Jersey law imposes enhanced penalties for DUI/DWI offenses in school zones. For a first-time offense, regardless of your BAC, you can lose your license for one to two years. For a third or subsequent offense (regardless of BAC), you can lose your license for 20 years.

6. Driver’s License Suspensions for Minors Charged with DWI

New Jersey law also imposes special penalties for drivers under the age of 17. For minors, drivers license suspensions run until their 17th birthday and then for the full term of suspension listed above.

7. Alcotest Refusals

If you refused to submit to a breath test during your DUI/DWI traffic stop, you can be charged with a “DUI/DWI refusal” in addition to being charged with DUI/DWI. A first-time breathalyzer refusal carries a seven to 12-month driver’s license suspension, a second-time refusal carries a two-year driver’s license suspension, and a third or subsequent refusal carries a suspension of 10 years. These suspensions increase for DUI/DWI refusals in school zones.

8. Suspension and Revocation of CDLs

If you hold a commercial driver’s license, a first-time DUI/DWI can result in a one-year suspension of your CDL. If you are being charged with a second offense within 10 years, your CDL could be revoked permanently.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Morristown DWI Law Firm

If you are facing a DUI/DWI charge in Morristown, it is important that you speak with an experienced DWI defense lawyer as soon as possible. To speak directly with Morristown defense attorney Scott A. Gorman about your case, call (201) 489-9199 or submit your case online now.