How do you get your license back?

Police sometimes have the right to take your license away. Even if they say it is permanent or that you have to wait a long time, there could be other options.

Your first task should be to find out what type of action the state is taking against your driving privileges. After that, you can take a look at your options for getting your license back early.

The two penalties

To get your driving privileges back, one of the most important concerns is how the state took them away. The North Carolina Department of Transportation explains that there are two types of license penalties:

• Suspension: Basically putting a license on pause — until you get a decision in a DWI case, for example.
• Revocation: This would cancel your license, typically requiring you to apply for a new one.

Reasons behind the penalties

The reason for suspensions and revocations is simple: To stop you from driving. Usually, this is because the state presumes, based on accusations you face or convictions you have had in the past, that you could be a danger to yourself or others while operating a vehicle.

Essentially, taking your license away does not say much about you personally. It is simply an automatic safeguard procedure.

Options for getting your license back

You might be able to get your license back sooner than you expect. This often happens in an administrative hearing, or else by defending successfully against a ticket or DUI charge. Your options vary based on your situation, especially your driving history and the severity of the accusations in question.