Administrative and court actions — Missouri Permit Test

There are two kinds of action against an impaired driver: administrative actions and court convicted actions, and they carry different penalties.

Two separate processes run at once. Winning one does not end the other.

There are administrative actions and court convicted actions, which carry different penalties.

A second administrative alcohol offense within a five-year period brings a one-year license revocation.

The five-year window is what turns two separate mistakes into a pattern the state acts on.

2nd Offense within a 5-year period - One-year license revocation

An ignition interlock device must be installed for reinstatement after a second administrative alcohol offense.

Getting the license back is conditional on the car itself checking you before it will start.

Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installation required for reinstatement.

A first DWI or BAC conviction can mean up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

Six months and five hundred dollars is the floor of the court's range, not the ceiling.

1st Offense - Spend up to six months in jail. Pay up to a $500 fine.

A second DWI or BAC conviction can mean up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

Each conviction roughly doubles what the last one cost.

2nd Offense - Spend up to one year in jail. Pay up to a $1,000 fine.

A third DWI or BAC conviction can mean up to four years in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.

The third one stops being a misdemeanor in every practical sense.

3rd Offense - Spend up to four years in jail. Pay up to a $5,000 fine.

A fifth DWI or BAC conviction can mean between five and 15 years in jail.

It is the only band with a minimum as well as a maximum.

5th Offense Spend between five and 15 years in jail.

A first DWI or BAC conviction brings a 90 day suspension, and you may be eligible for a 90-day or 60-day Restricted Driving Privilege.

Ninety days is the first bite. The restricted privilege is what lets some people keep getting to work.

1st Offense 90 day suspension

A second DWI or BAC conviction brings a one-year license revocation.

A revocation is not a pause. The license stops existing and has to be applied for again.

2nd Offense - One-year license revocation.

A third or subsequent DWI or BAC conviction brings a ten-year license denial.

Ten years is the longest denial in the chart, and it is where the sequence ends.

3rd Offense - Ten-year license denial.

If a judge finds you guilty of DWI or of a BAC of .08% or more, you will not be able to legally drive after the ticket is sent to the Department.

The court and the Department act in sequence. The second one is what takes the license.

you will not be able to legally drive after the ticket is sent to the Department

What two kinds of action may be taken against an impaired driver?

Administrative actions and court convicted actions. Two separate processes run at once. Winning one does not end the other. Missouri Driver Guide, p.67: “There are administrative actions and court convicted actions, which carry different penalties.”