Colorado Suspended Driver’s License and Revoked Licenses
In Colorado, the Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) enforces all Colorado driver’s license suspensions and revocations.
Your Colorado driver’s license may be temporarily suspended or revoked entirely for a variety of reasons. The most common calls for forfeiture are the following:
- Conviction of Driving Under the Influence
- Refusing breathalyzer
- Refusing blood work
- Conviction of hit and run or leaving the scene
- Habitual traffic offender
- Unpaid traffic tickets
- Outstanding warrants
- Unpaid court ordered child support
- No proof of auto insurance
Colorado revised statutes 42-2-125 and 42-2-126 determine what traffic and criminal charges are subject to mandatory or administrative revocation. The mandatory revocation statute addresses all of the violations and penalties except alcohol and drug related violations. The administrative revocation statute addresses blood alcohol content, refusal and consequences of DUI and DUID. Understanding the complex implications requires a knowledgeable, experience DMV hearing attorney.
Philip M. Smith
Denver Criminal Defense Attorney
303-333-8900
It is unlawful to drive on a suspended or revoked license. A restricted license, also known as a red license, may be issued when one’s adult driver’s license is suspended for getting too many points. In Colorado, twelve traffic violation points in a year or 18 in 18 months will trigger the license suspension. Upon receiving notice from DMV by first class mail, one must request a hearing. Many people forget to update their address with DMV when they move. This causes the suspension to go into effect without the driver knowing about it. To ensure you receive the hearing notice you must update your address information immediately. To get a red license, the driver must convince the Hearing Officer that they are not a threat to the public and that there is a real need for being able to drive. The license restrictions usually limit driving to work, school, grocery store, doctors, and the necessities of life.
As inconvenient as it is to lose your license, the inconvenience of spending jail time and fines is greater. It is a misdemeanor to drive while driver under suspension or driving under revoked. Driving under revocation may be charged as a habitual offender and will face stronger penalties and fines.