The only way you will not lose your license in Pennsylvania is when you are
convicted of a first offense DUI where the blood alcohol content is less than .10%,
and there is not an accident. If you are convicted of any other DUI in Pennsylvania,
your driving privileges in Pennsylvania will be suspended for 12 or 18 months
followed by an additional 12 months with an interlock restricted license. See our
resource page for more information on license suspensions.
If you are a minor and your blood alcohol content is over .02% you will face a
license suspension. A minor is someone under 21 for this area of law since the legal
drinking age is currently 21. Your driving privileges in Pennsylvania will be
suspended for 12 or 18 months followed by an additional 12 months with an
interlock restricted license. See our resource page for more information on
license suspensions.
Other factors can increase your license suspension for a DUI in Pennsylvania. These
include being involved in an accident, operating a commercial or school vehicle,
having controlled substances in your system, or refusing a chemical test just to
name a few factors.
If you have a Commercial Driver’s License you will face a one-year suspension of
your Commercial Driver’s License for any conviction of a DUI or any ARD placement
for a DUI. If you have any other major offenses against your CDL then you will face
a lifetime ban on your Commercial Driver’s License.
Pennsylvania no longer offers an Occupational Limited License for DUI offenses.
This license was sometimes referred to as a “bread and butter” license. Now
Pennsylvania offers the Ignition Interlock Limited License. This license allows you to
take all or part of your suspension time and serve it on an ignition interlock system.
Please see our resource page when this license is discussed in greater detail.
One final thing that you must be aware of is the 5-year loss of license if you are
found to be a habitual offender. You become a habitual offender if you have three
or more violations of major traffic offenses within 5 years. DUI is, of course, a major
offense. This 5-year loss of license is in addition to any loss of license you may have
received for your DUI conviction. If you are a habitual offender, you will be ineligible
for the ignition interlock limited license.