Will I Still Be Able to Drive After My Wisconsin OWI Charge?

 Posted on September 03, 2020 in OWI

Nobody ever plans to get pulled over and arrested for drinking and driving, but it happens more often than you may think. There were nearly 29,000 people arrested for operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in Wisconsin in 2015, according to the Department of Transportation (DoT). If you are arrested for OWI, chances are you will also be convicted as the DoT also stated that the drivers in 93 percent of the OWI cases that were charged were found guilty. If you are convicted of even a first-time OWI offense in Wisconsin, you could have your driver’s license suspended or revoked for six to nine months, making your life more difficult. Fortunately, you may be able to apply for an occupational license, which would alleviate some of the hardship.

Obtaining an Occupational License

The first question that is often on a person’s mind after being charged with OWI is, “Am I still able to drive?” The answer to that question usually depends on the circumstances surrounding the case. In Wisconsin, an occupational license can be requested to allow you to drive to and from work or school. To be eligible for an occupational license, you must have had a valid license prior to its suspension or revocation. You will not be eligible for an occupational license if you have two or more revocation or suspension cases from separate incidents in a one-year period or if you have not served all mandatory waiting periods before applying for the occupational license.

Using Your Occupational License

It is important to note that an occupational license is not like a regular license; you cannot just drive wherever you want whenever you want. When you apply for your occupational license, you will have to specifically state which hours you are planning to use your vehicle and what you are using your vehicle for, as there are restrictions for both.

• Hours: You are only permitted to drive a total of 60 hours for the entire week. This can be split up throughout the entire seven days however you see fit. However, you cannot drive more than 12 hours in a day, whether or not those are consecutive hours.

• Locations: There are also restrictions on the places that you can drive to and from while you have your occupational license. You are permitted to drive to places such as school, work, home, grocery store, pharmacy, gas station, church, doctor appointments, and other essential places. You cannot drive to and from certain places or events with an occupational license, including visiting family or friends, attending a social or sporting event, going to the gym, volunteering, and similar activities. You should also be aware that you will need to specify the counties in which you will need to drive and any other states to which you will need to travel, if applicable. 

Contact a Brookfield OWI Defense Attorney Today

If you have been charged with an OWI, you should speak to a Waukesha County OWI defense lawyer as soon as possible. At Bucher, Wolff & Sonderhouse, LLP, our team has the experience you need to defend you against drunk driving charges. As a former Brookfield police detective for 10 years, Attorney Peter Wolff understands both sides of the process and can use that knowledge to use advantage. Our firm offers free initial consultations, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To get started discussing your case, call our office today at 262-232-6699.

Sources:

https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/safety/education/drunk-drv/owi-penchrt.pdf

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/education/drunk-drv/ddarrests.aspx

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/license-drvs/susp-or-rvkd/occ-license.aspx