If your license has been denied, suspended or revoked for any reason in any state, you can face serious criminal consequences if you choose to get behind the wheel in Colorado.
Known as “driving under restraint” (DUR) in the Centennial State, the penalties associated with driving with a revoked or suspended license can be quite severe, including possible jail time and large fines. In addition, these penalties increase significantly if your driving privileges were initially taken away due to a drunk driving conviction.
So what are the penalties for DUR?
In Colorado, a DUR charge is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.
However, if you are caught behind the wheel while your driving privileges are restrained because of certain alcohol- or drug-related offenses — including driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while ability impaired (DWAI) — you are looking at much more severe penalties under Colorado law, including:
- First offense:
- Mandatory jail time of at least 30 days (and up to one year)
- Fine of at least $500 (and up to $1,000)
- Your license revocation, suspension and/or ineligibility will be extended by one year
- Second offense:
- Mandatory jail time of at least 90 days (and up to two years)
- Fine of at least $500 (and up to $3,000)
- If it is your second offense within five years, then you will not be eligible for a Colorado driver’s license for another four years following your second conviction
As you can see, the penalties for DUR are quite harsh in Colorado, particularly for repeat offenders. In fact, the maximum jail sentence for a second DUR offense (two years) is double the maximum jail sentence for a second DUI (one year).