Carbondale, IL DUI Attorney Brian Roberts is experienced and knowledgable about the complexities you face if you have an out-of-state driver’s license and are arrested for an Illinois DUI. If you are arrested for an Illinois DUI, but have a driver’s license issued from another state you potentially face actions against your driver’s license from both states. You do not have to have an Illinois driver’s license in order for Illinois to suspend your privilege to drive within the State of Illinois. You will always, at the minimum face an Illinois License Suspension after an IL DUI arrest.
The U.S. Constitution generally requires each state to recognize the licenses issued by every other state. The constitution does not, however, require each state to recognize the license suspension from other states. There are a few states that refuse to recognize the license suspensions from other states. For instance, if you are from California, and are convicted for an Illinois DUI, Illinois will suspend your driving privileges in the State of Illinois, and report the suspension to California. California, however, will generally not suspend your California driver’s license. In that case, you are free to drive in California, but not in Illinois.
If you fall into one of those rare cases where your home state will not recognize an Illinois DUI license suspension, it is unclear whether your license is valid to drive in states other than California. Some states that recognize the Illinois DUI license suspension may convict you for driving while suspended, even though your California driver’s license is valid in the State of California.
If your home state does recognize the Illinois DUI license suspension, then your license will be suspended in both your home state and in Illinois. You will likely have to pay reinstatement fees in both states. You may even have to take alcohol awareness or other classes in both states. Some states will grant reciprocity and accept the alcohol awareness and victim impact courses completed in one state to satisfy the reinstatement requirements.
When you hire Illinois DUI Attorney Brian Roberts he will help you sort through the particular facts and circumstances of your IL DUI arrest, and how it will impact your license from another state. Regardless of how your home state treats an Illinois DUI license suspension, you will still have to fight to keep your Illinois driving privileges from being suspended in the first place. Contact IL DUI attorney Brian Roberts right now for a free, confidential consultation.