Charged With a DUI in Tampa?
Help Is Here.

How long you lose your license after a DUI depends on the severity of the offense and frequency of other offenses.

First offense DUIs have fewer consequences than a third or fourth conviction. Drivers may also lose their license for a longer period of time if they caused an accident, injured another person, or caused the death of another person.

First Conviction — Without bodily injury

• Minimum 180 days revocation
• Maximum one year

First Conviction — With bodily injury

• Minimum three years revocation

Second Conviction — Within five years of first conviction

• Minimum five years revocation
• Can apply for hardship after one year

Second Conviction — More than five years after first conviction

• Minimum 180 days revocation
• Maximum one year revocation

Third Conviction — Within ten years of second conviction

• Minimum ten years revocation
• Can apply for hardship after two years

Third Conviction — More than ten years after second conviction

• Minimum 180 days revocation
• Maximum one year revocation

Fourth Conviction — Regardless of dates of previous convictions

• Mandatory permanent revocation
• Can apply for hardship after five years
• Revocation period begins the date of release, if incarcerated

DUI manslaughter 

• Mandatory permanent revocation
• Can apply for hardship after five years, if no prior DUI convictions

Manslaughter, DUI serious bodily injury, or vehicular homicide

• Minimum three years revocation

Learn more about license suspensions after a DUI. 

If you are arrested for a DUI in Florida, your license is immediately suspended. 

You have ten days to fight the immediate suspension. 

For this reason, it is important to talk to a DUI attorney as soon as you are charged. An experienced DUI attorney can take the steps to fight your license suspension as soon as possible.

Yes, you have ten days after your DUI arrest to challenge a driver’s license suspension and request a hearing.

Depending on your situation, you may be able to help you get your driving rights back or fight the charges against you.

Learn more about restoring your driving rights after a DUI in Tampa. 

If you have been convicted of a DUI, you may be able to apply for a hardship license.

A hardship license is a driver’s license that gives you limited access to driving privileges. For example, it may permit you to drive to work, school, or other essential predetermined locations (such as a doctor’s office, grocery store, church, etc.).

In order to receive a hardship license, you must:

• Be eligible based on your offense or offenses. The timelines listed above explain when drivers are eligible for a hardship license based on their offense or offenses. In some cases, hardship licenses are not available due to the severity of the offense or the frequency of offenses.
• Enroll in DUI school. You may be required to show proof that you are enrolled in a state-approved DUI school or have completed a program. (Click here for a list of licensed DUI programs in Florida.)
• Fill out the Florida hardship license application. Complete the proper paperwork and file it along with a filing fee.
• Pay additional fees. You will be responsible for a $130 administration fee, $45 reinstatement fee, and potentially any other fees set by the court or DMV.

Learn more about getting a hardship license. 

If your license is suspended for a year, you won’t immediately regain driving privileges one year from the day the license was suspended. There are actions you need to take to be eligible to get your license back. Once those actions are complete, you can then apply to get your driving privileges back.

• Serve the suspension period. You must wait for the full period of the license suspension to pass before you can get your license back.
• Enroll in DUI school. You will be required to show proof that you are enrolled in a state-approved DUI school or have completed a program. You must complete the program or complete it within 90 days of getting your license back or your license will be revoked again. (Click here for a list of licensed DUI programs in Florida.)
• Provide proof of bodily injury liability insurance coverage. Per the FLHSMV, “For a DUI conviction that occurred after October 1, 2007 the customer must obtain form FR-44 providing bodily injury liability (BIL) insurance coverage in the amount of $100,00/$300,000 and property damage liability (PDL) insurance coverage in the amount of $50,000 or combined single limits of $350,000 per section 324.023 Florida Statute.”
• Pay additional fees. You will be responsible for a $130 administration fee, $45 reinstatement fee, and potentially any other fees set by the court or DMV.
• Install an ignition interlock device (in some cases). Some individuals convicted of a DUI may be required to install an ignition interlock device (IID) on their vehicle. An IID is a mechanism that attaches a breathalyzer to a vehicle’s ignition. For the vehicle to start, a person must blow into a mouthpiece. If alcohol is detected, the vehicle will not start. In some cases, individuals convicted of a DUI (often in the case of multiple DUIs) may need to have an IID installed. In those cases, the IID needs to be inspected by the DMV before the driver can get their license reinstated.
• Apply at the DMV. You must go to the DMV with all of the proper paperwork and apply to get your license reinstated.

It is important that you understand everything you need to do before applying to have your license reinstated. Failure to complete any of these steps can lead to a delay in getting your license back.

If you need to get an ignition interlock device (IID) or breathalyzer installed in your vehicle in Tampa, Florida, we recommend using Nationwide Interlock or Smart Start.

To find DUI programs in Florida, please visit the The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) website to find a complete list of programs in every county. 

To find DUI programs in Tampa, please contact DUI Counterattack Hillsborough, Inc. at 813-875-6201. It is located at 4711 North Hubert Avenue, Tampa, FL 33614.