Period of Suspension or Revocation.

Checkout our iOS App for a better way to browser and research.

(1) Unless otherwise provided by this section, the department shall not suspend a license for a period of more than 1 year and, upon revoking a license, in any case except in a prosecution for the offense of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic beverages, chemical substances as set forth in s. 877.111, or controlled substances, shall not in any event grant a new license until the expiration of 1 year after such revocation.

(2) In a prosecution for a violation of s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931, the following provisions apply:

(a) Upon conviction of the driver, the court, along with imposing sentence, shall revoke the driver license or driving privilege of the person so convicted, effective on the date of conviction, and shall prescribe the period of such revocation in accordance with the following provisions:

  1. 1. Upon a first conviction for a violation of the provisions of s. 316.193, except a violation resulting in death, the driver license or driving privilege shall be revoked for at least 180 days but not more than 1 year.

  2. 2. Upon a second conviction for an offense that occurs within a period of 5 years after the date of a prior conviction for a violation of the provisions of s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931 or a combination of such sections, the driver license or driving privilege shall be revoked for at least 5 years.

  3. 3. Upon a third conviction for an offense that occurs within a period of 10 years after the date of a prior conviction for the violation of the provisions of s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931 or a combination of such sections, the driver license or driving privilege shall be revoked for at least 10 years.

For the purposes of this paragraph, a previous conviction outside this state for driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, driving with an unlawful blood-alcohol level, or any other alcohol-related or drug-related traffic offense similar to the offense of driving under the influence as proscribed by s. 316.193 will be considered a previous conviction for violation of s. 316.193, and a conviction for violation of former s. 316.028, former s. 316.1931, or former s. 860.01 is considered a conviction for violation of s. 316.193.

(b) If the period of revocation was not specified by the court at the time of imposing sentence or within 30 days thereafter, and is not otherwise specified by law, the department shall forthwith revoke the driver license or driving privilege for the maximum period applicable under paragraph (a) for a first conviction and for the minimum period applicable under paragraph (a) for any subsequent convictions. The driver may, within 30 days after such revocation by the department, petition the court for further hearing on the period of revocation, and the court may reopen the case and determine the period of revocation within the limits specified in paragraph (a).

(c) The forfeiture of bail bond, not vacated within 20 days, in any prosecution for the offense of driving while under the influence of alcoholic beverages, chemical substances, or controlled substances to the extent of depriving the defendant of his or her normal faculties shall be deemed equivalent to a conviction for the purposes of this paragraph, and the department shall forthwith revoke the defendant’s driver license or driving privilege for the maximum period applicable under paragraph (a) for a first conviction and for the minimum period applicable under paragraph (a) for a second or subsequent conviction; however, if the defendant is later convicted of the charge, the period of revocation imposed by the department for such conviction shall not exceed the difference between the applicable maximum for a first conviction or minimum for a second or subsequent conviction and the revocation period under this subsection that has actually elapsed; upon conviction of such charge, the court may impose revocation for a period of time as specified in paragraph (a). This paragraph does not apply if an appropriate motion contesting the forfeiture is filed within the 20-day period.

(d) The court shall permanently revoke the driver license or driving privilege of a person who has been convicted four times for violation of s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931 or a combination of such sections. The court shall permanently revoke the driver license or driving privilege of any person who has been convicted of DUI manslaughter in violation of s. 316.193. If the court has not permanently revoked such driver license or driving privilege within 30 days after imposing sentence, the department shall permanently revoke the driver license or driving privilege pursuant to this paragraph. No driver license or driving privilege may be issued or granted to any such person. This paragraph applies only if at least one of the convictions for violation of s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931 was for a violation that occurred after July 1, 1982. For the purposes of this paragraph, a conviction for violation of former s. 316.028, former s. 316.1931, or former s. 860.01 is also considered a conviction for violation of s. 316.193. Also, a conviction of driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, driving with an unlawful blood-alcohol level, or any other similar alcohol-related or drug-related traffic offense outside this state is considered a conviction for the purposes of this paragraph.

(e) Convictions that occur on the same date resulting from separate offense dates shall be treated as separate convictions, and the offense that occurred earlier will be deemed a prior conviction for the purposes of this section.

(3) The court shall permanently revoke the driver license or driving privilege of a person who has been convicted of murder resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle. No driver license or driving privilege may be issued or granted to any such person.

(4)(a) Upon a conviction for a violation of s. 316.193(3)(c)2., involving serious bodily injury, a conviction of manslaughter resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle, or a conviction of vehicular homicide, the court shall revoke the driver license of the person convicted for a minimum period of 3 years. If a conviction under s. 316.193(3)(c)2., involving serious bodily injury, is also a subsequent conviction as described under paragraph (2)(a), the court shall revoke the driver license or driving privilege of the person convicted for the period applicable as provided in paragraph (2)(a) or paragraph (2)(d).

(b) Upon a conviction for a violation of s. 316.027(2)(a), (b), or (c) involving injury, serious bodily injury, or death, the court shall revoke the driver license of the person convicted for a minimum period of 3 years.

(c) If the period of revocation was not specified by the court at the time of imposing sentence or within 30 days thereafter, the department shall revoke the driver license for the minimum period applicable under paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) or, for a subsequent conviction, for the minimum period applicable under paragraph (2)(a) or paragraph (2)(d).

(5) A court may not stay the administrative suspension of a driving privilege under s. 322.2615 or s. 322.2616 during judicial review of the departmental order that resulted in such suspension, and a suspension or revocation of a driving privilege may not be stayed upon an appeal of the conviction or order that resulted in the suspension or revocation.

(6) In a prosecution for a violation of s. 316.172(1), and upon a showing of the department’s records that the licensee has received a second conviction within 5 years following the date of a prior conviction of s. 316.172(1), the department shall, upon direction of the court, suspend the driver license of the person convicted for a period of at least 90 days but not more than 6 months.

(7) Following a second or subsequent violation of s. 796.07(2)(f) which involves a motor vehicle and which results in any judicial disposition other than acquittal or dismissal, in addition to any other sentence imposed, the court shall revoke the person’s driver license or driving privilege, effective upon the date of the disposition, for a period of at least 1 year. A person sentenced under this subsection may request a hearing under s. 322.271.

(8) The court shall permanently revoke the commercial driver license of a person who is convicted of, or has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of whether adjudication is withheld, any felony involving human trafficking under state or federal law which involves the use of a commercial motor vehicle. If the court has not permanently revoked such driver license or driving privilege within 30 days after imposing a sentence, the department must permanently revoke the driver license or driving privilege pursuant to this section.

History.—s. 40, ch. 19551, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 4151(654); s. 40, ch. 20451, 1941; s. 2, ch. 59-95; ss. 24, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 5, ch. 72-175; s. 94, ch. 73-333; ss. 2, 3, ch. 74-248; s. 7, ch. 74-384; s. 1, ch. 75-113; s. 43, ch. 76-31; s. 3, ch. 76-153; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 20, ch. 80-290; s. 9, ch. 82-155; s. 4, ch. 82-403; s. 9, ch. 83-228; s. 10, ch. 84-359; s. 8, ch. 86-296; s. 4, ch. 87-167; s. 3, ch. 89-525; s. 31, ch. 91-221; s. 2, ch. 91-243; ss. 11, 24, ch. 91-255; s. 416, ch. 95-148; s. 8, ch. 96-330; s. 51, ch. 96-413; s. 12, ch. 96-414; s. 10, ch. 98-223; s. 45, ch. 99-248; s. 1, ch. 2001-189; s. 5, ch. 2002-297; s. 61, ch. 2013-160; s. 4, ch. 2014-225; s. 14, ch. 2021-187.


Download our app to see the most-to-date content.