Can You Get a CDL With a DUI? What You Need to Know

Can you get a commercial driver’s license (CDL) with a DUI? Find out here from the top-rated DWI defense team at the Missouri DWI & Criminal Law Center.

Can You Get a CDL With a DUI?

If you are considering driving for a living, you have probably researched the requirements for doing so, but do you know whether you can get a CDL with a DUI? A DUI or DWI conviction can have significant consequences in your life, immediately and long-term. Whether your conviction is a felony or a misdemeanor, driving while intoxicated remains on your driving and criminal records. The ongoing repercussions of a DUI affect those with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) more than other drivers.

For most drivers, the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for a DWI is 0.08 according to § 577.010.2, RSMo 2015. The legal limit for CDL drivers is 0.04. Drivers refusing to submit to a BAC test receive the same repercussions as if they were driving under the influence. If your BAC is 0.04% or higher, your CDL will likely be disqualified.

CDL drivers often require the assistance of a DWI lawyers in KC Mo to regain their CDL license and return to driving a commercial motor vehicle. The Missouri DWI & Criminal Law Center has the legal prowess to advocate for you and represent you in court as you navigate these highly complex issues.

Can You Get Your CDL With a DUI?

If you aspire to make some money professionally driving a vehicle like a bus driver or an over-the-road truck driver, you may wonder if you can get your CDL with a DUI? Having issues on your driving record, including a DWI, doesn’t impede you from getting a CDL; it may make it difficult to obtain a job as a professional truck driver. Attending a trucking school will be looked upon favorably when applying for a job.

Although most drivers can get a first offense DWI expunged after ten years for a clean record, it permanently remains on your record if you have a CDL when you receive a DUI.

Fighting DUI Charges for CDL Holders

Missouri law firms are adept at fighting DUI charges for CDL holders to reduce the consequences. Penalties become more intense after the first offense. They can include community service, fines, jail time, probation, and even the suspension of the driver’s license, depending on the blood alcohol concentration and the number of prior DUI arrests.

You will likely receive the following penalties upon conviction if you are a CDL holder charged with a first-time DWI in Missouri.

• CDL disqualified for one year
• Motor vehicle driver’s license suspended for 30 days
• Jail time of up to six months
• Fines of up to $500
• Two points on your Missouri Driver Record
• Increased insurance rates

Upon conviction, a CDL holder who is charged with subsequent alcohol-related driving offenses in Missouri will face the following penalties:

• CDL could be disqualified for life
• Motor vehicle driver’s license suspended for 60-90 days
• Jail time of up to one year
• Fines up to $1000
• Two points on your Missouri Driver Record
• Increased insurance rates

Depending on the case, you might be able to reapply after ten years of your conviction. A Missouri law office can advise you on your rights and responsibilities.

How to Protect Your CDL After a DUI

The right law firm can show you how to protect your CDL after a DUI. The ideal method is to fight the DWI charges. There are several ways that these charges can be discredited or dismissed, such as:

• Challenge the blood or urine samples
• Challenge the field sobriety test
• Challenge the legality of the traffic stop

You can also have the charges reduced, which reduces the chance of having your license disqualified or revoked. Trusted Lawyers in Kansas City provide information and advice as they develop your DUI defense strategy.

Does Getting a DUI Affect My Commercial Driver’s License?

When a law enforcement officer determines that you are driving with a blood alcohol concentration over the legal limit in your personal vehicle, you may ask, “Does getting a DUI conviction jeopardize my CDL license?” If you have a CDL, you may be required to pass a background check for a job.

How Can a DUI Impact My Commercial Driver’s License?

Even if you are charged with a DUI while driving your personal vehicle, having a DUI charge will impact your CDL license. Since this will remain on your driving record and your criminal record, it will show up on any background check required for a job.

The following violations may lead to a CDL disqualification for between one and ten years:

• Having a BAC of .04% or higher
• Refusing to submit to a BAC test
• Driving under the influence of a controlled substance
• Using a commercial motor vehicle to commit a felony
• Driving commercial vehicles with a suspended, revoked, canceled, or disqualified driver’s CDL
• Causing a fatality through the criminal or negligent operation of a commercial vehicle such as motor vehicle manslaughter

If this is the second offense, you may lose your right to drive commercially for the rest of your life. Also, certain offenses can result in a lifetime disqualification of a CDL license even after a first conviction. For example, using a commercial vehicle for committing “severe forms of trafficking in persons” or illegal distribution of drugs are some of these offenses.

It is in your interest to retain a local attorney’s services to have previous DWIs expunged or current charges reduced.