First Consequence of a Minnesota DWI: License Revocation
If the operator of a car is pulled over for drunk driving, their driver's license can be revoked immediately if they fail a blood alcohol test or refuse to submit to testing. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety will issue a seven-day temporary license before the revocation becomes effective.
In Minnesota, the period of license revocation is as follows:
- 90 days for a person with no qualified prior impaired driving incident within the past ten years and no other aggravating factor was present in the current incident;
- 180 days, if violator is under age 21;
- 180 days, if person has had a qualified prior impaired driving incident within ten years;
- Double the applicable period above, if the person was arrested with an alcohol concentration of .20 or more or while having a child under age 16 in the vehicle;
- 365 days, if the person refused to submit to the chemical test of blood, breath, or urine; and
- Cancelled and denied indefinitely as inimical to public safety, pending treatment and rehabilitation for a third or more impaired driving violation within a ten-year period.
Once the relevant timeline has passed, the accused may reapply for their driver's license. A new license will be issued if the driver passes a written test and pays a substantial reinstatement fee. In the meantime, some driver's can apply for a limited license that allows them to drive to and from their place of employment.
