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Can You Drive after Being Arrested for DUI in South Carolina?

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There is no general prohibition against driving immediately after being arrested for DUI. The only restriction would be if you refused a breathalyzer, or tested greater than a 0.15 blood alcohol content (BAC). If you did, it is called an implied consent violation, and your license will usually be immediately suspended by the police.

If you have an implied consent violation, you can have your driving privileges restored by requesting a hearing with the office of motor vehicles within thirty days of your arrest. Our office can assist you with that process, usually filing your hearing request the same or next day after we are hired. Typically you will be allowed to drive unrestricted within a week of that hearing request being submitted.

Other than an implied consent suspension, there is also a suspension for those who are convicted of DUI. You will be convicted in the event that you either plead guilty, no contest or are found guilty after a trial. The suspension for a DUI 1st conviction is six months, although you may qualify for what is called a route restricted license, allowing you to go to and from home and work during the suspension period.