What Happens to Your CDL if You Get a DUI?

Truckers depend on having their CDL (commercial driver’s license) in order to make a living, feed their families, and have somewhere to go every day to work and get paid.

What happens to your CDL if you get a DUI? Unfortunately, you get your CDL suspended for one year for first time offenders. If it’s your second or third offense, your CDL is revoked for a minimum of ten years. That’s no joke.

A suspension means your CDL will be automatically returned to you after the year is up, whereas a revocation means it’s taken away completely and the only way you’ll get another is to re-apply for one like you did the first time.

Are these tough rules? Yes. But they’re intended to make sure professional drivers stay clean to the point where they’re never intoxicated while driving on the road. In order to reduce the number of drunk truckers and the associated horrific accidents that can kill innocent people, these rules definitely discourage men and women from drinking-and-driving.

FYI: in most states a BAC higher than .04 is grounds for a DUI charge when operating a commercial vehicle (as opposed to .08 for non-commercial drivers). Also, if asked to do a BAC test, do it– refusing to means automatically forfeiting your CDL for one year in most states.

Did you know that your CDL can be suspended for 90 days if you were driving your own personal vehicle while intoxicated? In other words, anyone with a CDL better think twice before having a couple more beers whether they’re driving a big rig or their own car or truck.