Driving under the influence (DUI) is a criminal and civil offense in most places in the world, and it can affect your permanent driving record. If the courts have ever convicted you of a DUI, you probably spent some time in prison or paid a fine. The authorities most likely also suspended your driver’s license. However, those are not the only consequences that come with being convicted of a DUI offense.
Typically, if you are guilty of a DUI offense, it reflects on your criminal and driving record. In this article, we explore, in detail, what it means to have a DUI on your driving record and what you can do about it.
What Is the Impact of a DUI on Your Record?
The impact of a DUI being on one’s criminal record is quite different from when it’s on one’s driving record. The consequences of having a DUI charge on your criminal record are usually more severe than having it on your driving record. Of course, most times, these two go together, and you will have the charge on both records.
Impact of a DUI on Your Criminal Record
A significant impact of a DUI offense on your criminal record is that it could affect your job prospects. Many employers make a background check of the individuals they want to hire before hiring takes place. This means that if the authorities convicted you of a DUI offense, your would-be employer could be privy to that information.
This record (or the lack of it) would probably be a determining factor on whether or not you get the job. If you have a DUI on your criminal record that’s affecting your job prospects, contact experienced Boise DUI attorneys to find out how you can delete it.
Impact of a DUI on Your Driving Record
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or the Department of Transportation handles the civil side of DUIs, not the courts. As such, the ruling and consequences for a DUI on your driving record are quite different.
Most times, a DUI on your driving record attracts a higher insurance premium. Your insurance company looks at your driving record for up to about 5-10 years. Using this information, they decide whether you are a high-risk client and charge you accordingly. If you committed a DUI offense 5 to 10 years ago, insurance companies would likely charge you whatever the going rate is for premiums.
One might also lose job opportunities as a result of a civil DUI charge. Although this case is not as severe as having a DUI on your criminal record, you could also still lose job opportunities when you have DUI on your driving record.
This is the case when you have jobs like being a delivery guy, driving a truck, etc. A DUI on your driving record would mean that there might be a recurrence of the issue. Many places of employment usually do not want to take that risk. Whatever the case, contact a DUI lawyer in Boise.
How Long Does a DUI Stay on Your Driving Record?
Contrary to popular opinion, even if the courts do not convict you of a DUI charge, it can still appear on your driving record. Sometimes, a DUI offender can clear their charge from the criminal records. This could occur because of compliance with conditions of a deferred judgment. In this case, a DUI will still appear on the offender’s driving record for the standard period.
Unlike in the case of a criminal record, a DUI stays on your driving record for about ten years. During this period, the DMV, police, and other law enforcement agencies will access your records. Most background checks do not include one’s driving record, so this might not have a glaring impact on your job except in rare cases. This means that if you clear your charge, your future employers cannot use it against you.
Can I Clear My Driving Record of a DUI?
While you can clear your criminal record of a DUI, you cannot remove it from your driving record until the stipulated time. After a period, usually a minimum of 10 years, you can have your DUI charge expunged. Other driver license-related consequences such as a suspension of your license or restricted driving typically last for about one to six months.
Get Help From a Boise DUI Attorney
A reputable Boise DUI lawyer will walk you through the process of clearing a DUI charge from your criminal records. In contrast, you can mostly only expunge the charge from your driving record after the stipulated time by state law. However, a Trilogy Law Group attorney in Boise can provide you with options to navigate your peculiar experience.