SR-22 Insurance After DWI In Louisiana
Having an SR22 license could be challenging and even a mysterious process for many. With our seasoned DWI attorneys at the Barkemeyer Law Firm, we will be able to guide you through the process of obtaining an SR22 license.
The SR-22 license is a supplemental insurance certificate to an insurance policy, and not the insurance policy itself. This certificate serves as proof that a driver whose license has been suspended, can undertake the financial responsibility of the insurance policy. Usually, this certificate is given by the insurance company, under the supervision of the Department of Motor Vehicles to drivers who are considered as a risk to the public or in traffic, probably as a result of a DUI conviction or a record of driving under the influence of alcohol or any other mind-altering substance.
A conviction of DWI often comes with a suspension of the driver’s license. By the laws of Louisiana, it is imperative for a driver whose license has been suspended, to apply for an SR-22 License. As long as you seem to be a threat to other road users you have to show your financial responsibility to afford the minimum car insurance. The state of Louisiana will then mandate you to fill out the form Department of Motor Vehicles, your license will be suspended and the SR22 license issued. After picking and filling out this form, you will be required to file it with the Louisiana Department for public safety.
The problem that many DUI defendants encounter is knowing how long they would maintain the SR22 license. The length of time actually varies, depending on the seriousness of the conviction, and very importantly, the attorney one has hired to handle his case. If you’re in Louisiana, feel free to Baton Rouge, a DWI lawyer with several years of experience in the field. He could put you through your SR 22 license problems.
How Long Do You Have to Carry an SR22 License?
The amount of time a person is required to carry the SR22 license varies across the various states in the US. The default period of time in Louisiana, as it is with many states is 3 years. During these 3 years of carrying the SR22 license, you will have to maintain continuous coverage of the SR22 insurance policy. Otherwise, if there are any lapses in or cancellation of the SR22 insurance policy, then, your car insurance company is bound to inform the Department of Motor Vehicles who would, in turn, seize the license of the driver.
The period of time which a person would carry the SR22 license is usually stipulated by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Although the standard time for carrying an SR22 license is 3 years, many other factors could make the period of carriage shorter or longer. Before we go into this, let us first consider the following factors leading to an SR22.
DUI Conviction
Naturally, a person who is a conviction for DUI will have all his driving privileges suspended and will have to pick an SR22 insurance certificate. If the offense is being committed by the offender for the first time, the court may give a 6-month sentence to the offender. This will mean that the offender’s driver’s license and registration will be suspended for those 6 months as part of the punishment. During this period, he will be expected to obtain an SR22 form from the insurance company to show that he is financially responsible to bear the minimum requirements of car insurance in his state. After which, the offender will be required to undertake a DUI program. The DUI convict will usually hold his SR22 license for as long as the DUI program last. It is until the DUI program has been successfully concluded that the SR22 license be revoked and the driver’s license reinstated.
The length of the DUI program varies from person to person, circumstances, and seriousness of the offense. Since the length of time a person carries the SR22 license is dependent on how long the DUI program lasts, it is also varied by factors affecting the DUI program. For instance, if a DUI convict or offender either refuses to undergo the prescribed chemical test, has his BAC levels over 0.15% or has repeatedly violated the law on DUI, such a person will have to attend 9 months of DUI treatment program or more, in addition to whatever conviction or sanction already netted out. Thus, an offender who finds himself in this category will have the SR22 license for at least 15 months after his DUI conviction.
The DUI treatment program could be as long as 10 months if the court orders it to be so. The court could make such an order if the offender’s BAC level is over 0.20%. This is the stage where the offender is required to install an ignition interlock device in his vehicle.
Furthermore, there is another variating factor to the length of the DUI treatment program and in effect, the length of time for possessing an SR22 license. If the offender refuses to take the chemical test at the time of arrest, or has violated the DUI law more than 2 times already, even if BAC level is just above 0.15%, he would have to undergo 1 year of DUI treatment, and a suspension of his licence for the same period of time.
A conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious offense which securing a defense will be almost impossible with the involvement of trained DUI attorneys. With the aid of our DUI attorney, Carl Barkemeyer, you could secure a good defense, depending on your case, which will lead to a lesser DUI treatment program. And in no time, you will find yourself having no use for the SR22 license and your driver’s license and all other driving privileges restored to you. Contact us if you need a DWI lawyer in Louisiana.
