Drivers License Restoration Hearings

Drivers License Suspension or Revocation

Get Your Drivers License Back

If your license has been suspended or revoked, but the license suspension or license revocation period has ended, you may think that you can simply go in and you will automatically have your license reinstated. Unfortunately, there are specific steps you must take prior to your driver’s license restoration hearing to get your license back, regardless of whether you lost your drivers license because of multiple DUI charges or other offenses. If those steps have not been taken before your restoration hearing, you are likely to lose your license for another year.

Our Mission

At the Schwartz Law Group, we know how to handle driver’s license hearings and you will have a lawyer who will carefully review your situation. We can help you get your license back and we have the experience to make the hard judgement calls that can save you from another year’s suspension.

Call us at (248) 266-8720 or send us an e-mail to discuss getting your license back with the help of an experienced attorney.

Driving privileges are taken away in Michigan when a person has obtained:

Two or more offenses* for driving under the influence/impaired (DUI or DWI) within seven years
Three or more offenses* for DUI or DWI within 10 years
Vehicular or Negligent homicide
Operating while impaired or intoxicated (OWI) causing death or injury

*Any combination of OWI (drugs or alcohol-based), High BAC, impaired driving, and 1 offense for zero tolerance can be counted.

You’ll need to go through the Secretary of State’s Office of Hearings and Administrative Oversight, formerly known as the Administrative Hearings Section (AHS). Your case will go before a “hearing officer”.

Prior to that, you’ll need to:

Get a substance use evaluation through a state-licensed substance abuse counselor. This is done to ensure that any substance abuse issues are resolved to help prove that you’re not at risk of drinking and driving again.
Do a 10-panel drug screening that shows you haven’t consumed any alcohol or used an illicit substances recently. This will help prove that you are not at risk of being a repeat offender and that you’re sober.
Get a Documentation of Sobriety which requires you to submit four to eight notarized letters from those closest to you (friends, family, coworkers…etc.) who can attest to your sobriety. The actual number of letters will depend on your hearing officer. Key information must be included in those letters like the person’s relation to you, the length of time you’ve known each other, and the last time this person witnessed you drinking alcohol or using controlled substances.
Attain evidence of support like a notarized letter from a sponsor through an organization like Alcoholics Anonymous. This helps prove that you are getting the help you need to stay clean and sober.

We recommend contacting us about your license restoration hearing so we can properly walk you through the steps and ensure you get the legal support you need.

Before requesting a driver’s license restoration hearing, we recommend meeting with us to go over the steps you’ll need to take before that hearing can take place.

We can help you fill out the forms you’ll need to submit for the request for a hearing, put all the pieces together, and send it to the Secretary of State. Please note that if any of the steps are missing, the Secretary of State will not schedule your hearing. Once submitted, it can take two to three months for the hearing to held and you’ll receive notice of the hearing around three weeks prior to your scheduled appearance.

It’s beneficial to have legal representation with you at your hearing because every Secretary of State office runs the hearings differently and an experienced attorney will know how to navigate through each office.