Denver CDL DUI Lawyer

At Risk of Losing Your Commercial Driver's License After a DUI Arrest?

Driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) is a hard job that requires extensive skills and training. Due to the fact that commercial drivers operate large vehicles, such as 18-wheelers, that often carry hazardous materials, they are held to a higher standard than average passenger car drivers. Most states have extremely strict rules regarding blood alcohol content (BAC) in commercial drivers, and the penalties for DUI tend to be more severe.

Commercial drivers have more to lose than any other driver when facing a DUI charge in Colorado. Either an administrative or criminal conviction will result in the CDL being revoked for a minimum of one year. It does not matter if you were driving a personal vehicle when you were arrested. If you have a valid CDL and you are convicted criminally or administratively, you will lose your CDL privileges for a minimum of one year.

Penalties for Commercial Driver DUI

As a commercial driver, one of the worst punishments you could face for a DUI conviction is the loss of your commercial driver’s license. Any Colorado driver can lose their CDL temporarily or permanently, and the loss is dependent on whether the violation is a "major" or "serious" offense. DUI would be considered major. While the legal BAC for a passenger car driver is 0.08%, commercial drivers cannot have a BAC of 0.04% or higher.

If your BAC was .150% or higher or you refuse a chemical test and are convicted administratively at an express consent hearing, you will not be able to obtain a CDL until all interlock requirements are met and the device is no longer required as part of your driving privilege requirements. Therefore, you are looking at having your CDL privileges revoked for a minimum of 25 months (one month no driving plus two years on interlock).

A second offense will result in a lifetime disqualification of your CDL, but keep in mind that lifetime disqualification only applies if both offenses were after you obtained the CDL and both offenses also occurred after October 1, 2005. This is a result of the Motor Carrier Safety Information Act (MCSIA) going into effect. This act is what created the change to add personal vehicles to major offenses and took effect on October 1, 2005.

Let Orr Law Firm Help You Fight Your CDL DUI Charges

The loss of your CDL could cost you your livelihood. If you have been charged with DUI as a commercial driver, you need an experienced CDL DUI lawyer in Denver on your side. Our team at the Orr Law Firm is not afraid to fight tooth and nail for your rights, and we offer payment plans for people on a budget. Call now to learn more.