Illinois Driving in DUI cases: IL DUI license suspensions

IMPLIED CONSENT - any person who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon the public highways of the state of Illinois is deemed to have given his/her consent to a chemical test(s) of blood, breath, or urine for the purpose of detecting the presence of alcohol, drugs, or intoxicating compounds upon a lawful arrest for DUI. Which test or tests that are requested will be in the discretion of the officer. A urine test may be given even after a sample of breath or blood has been obtained.

IMPLIED CONSENT WARNINGS - a person arrested for an Illinois DUI who is requested to provide a breath, blood, or urine sample must be informed that a refusal to submit to chemical testing will result in a statutory suspension of the person's driver's license for a period of 12 - 36 months. The person must also be warned that a chemical test result that reveals a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher, or a test result that reveals any amount of prohibited drugs will also result in a statutory license suspension of 6 - 12 months. Persons under the age of 21 must be told that any blood alcohol content over .00 will result in a statutory license suspension for 2 years.

DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENSION HEARING - Upon a chemical test refusal or "failure" (BAC over .08, or .00 for minors under 21), the police officer will notify the Secretary of State that your license should be suspended. On the 46th day following your arrest, your license suspension will automatically go into effect unless you request a hearing within 10 days of your arrest date to contest the suspension. If a hearing is requested, the State must provide you with a hearing within 30 days of your request. At the hearing, the judge will determine whether there were proper grounds for you suspension. Issues such as whether there was a valid request for a chemical test, whether there were reasonable grounds for your arrest, and whether a refusal actually occurred will be addressed. If the judge finds the suspension was invalid, your driving privileges will be fully restored. If the suspension is upheld, you may ask the court to grant a Judicial Driving Permit that allows you to drive in limited circumstances, such as to work and school. An Ignition Interlock Device will likely be required in order for a permit to be issued.

**NOTE - Statutory license suspensions for chemical test refusals or "failures" are in addition to, and seperate from, any license suspension or revocation that may be imposed as a result of a criminal conviction arising from the same DUI incident.

Illinois DUI License Suspension Statute

(625 ILCS 5/11‑501.1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11‑501.1)
Sec. 11‑501.1. Suspension of drivers license; statutory summary alcohol, other drug or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds related suspension; implied consent.
(a) Any person who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon the public highways of this State shall be deemed to have given consent, subject to the provisions of Section 11‑501.2, to a chemical test or tests of blood, breath, or urine for the purpose of determining the content of alcohol, other drug or drugs, or intoxicating compound or compounds or any combination thereof in the person's blood if arrested, as evidenced by the issuance of a Uniform Traffic Ticket, for any offense as defined in Section 11‑501 or a similar provision of a local ordinance, or if arrested for violating Section 11‑401. The test or tests shall be administered at the direction of the arresting officer. The law enforcement agency employing the officer shall designate which of the aforesaid tests shall be administered. A urine test may be administered even after a blood or breath test or both has been administered. For purposes of this Section, an Illinois law enforcement officer of this State who is investigating the person for any offense defined in Section 11‑501 may travel into an adjoining state, where the person has been transported for medical care, to complete an investigation and to request that the person submit to the test or tests set forth in this Section. The requirements of this Section that the person be arrested are inapplicable, but the officer shall issue the person a Uniform Traffic Ticket for an offense as defined in Section 11‑501 or a similar provision of a local ordinance prior to requesting that the person submit to the test or tests. The issuance of the Uniform Traffic Ticket shall not constitute an arrest, but shall be for the purpose of notifying the person that he or she is subject to the provisions of this Section and of the officer's belief of the existence of probable cause to arrest. Upon returning to this State, the officer shall file the Uniform Traffic Ticket with the Circuit Clerk of the county where the offense was committed, and shall seek the issuance of an arrest warrant or a summons for the person.
(b) Any person who is dead, unconscious, or who is otherwise in a condition rendering the person incapable of refusal, shall be deemed not to have withdrawn the consent provided by paragraph (a) of this Section and the test or tests may be administered, subject to the provisions of Section 11‑501.2.
(c) A person requested to submit to a test as provided above shall be warned by the law enforcement officer requesting the test that a refusal to submit to the test will result in the statutory summary suspension of the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle, as provided in Section 6‑208.1 of this Code, and will also result in the disqualification of the person's privilege to operate a commercial motor vehicle, as provided in Section 6‑514 of this Code, if the person is a CDL holder. The person shall also be warned by the law enforcement officer that if the person submits to the test or tests provided in paragraph (a) of this Section and the alcohol concentration in the person's blood or breath is 0.08 or greater, or any amount of a drug, substance, or compound resulting from the unlawful use or consumption of cannabis as covered by the Cannabis Control Act, a controlled substance listed in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, an intoxicating compound listed in the Use of Intoxicating Compounds Act, or methamphetamine as listed in the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act is detected in the person's blood or urine, a statutory summary suspension of the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle, as provided in Sections 6‑208.1 and 11‑501.1 of this Code, and a disqualification of the person's privilege to operate a commercial motor vehicle, as provided in Section 6‑514 of this Code, if the person is a CDL holder, will be imposed.
A person who is under the age of 21 at the time the person is requested to submit to a test as provided above shall, in addition to the warnings provided for in this Section, be further warned by the law enforcement officer requesting the test that if the person submits to the test or tests provided in paragraph (a) of this Section and the alcohol concentration in the person's blood or breath is greater than 0.00 and less than 0.08, a suspension of the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle, as provided under Sections 6‑208.2 and 11‑501.8 of this Code, will be imposed. The results of this test shall be admissible in a civil or criminal action or proceeding arising from an arrest for an offense as defined in Section 11‑501 of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance or pursuant to Section 11‑501.4 in prosecutions for reckless homicide brought under the Criminal Code of 1961. These test results, however, shall be admissible only in actions or proceedings directly related to the incident upon which the test request was made.
(d) If the person refuses testing or submits to a test that discloses an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more, or any amount of a drug, substance, or intoxicating compound in the person's breath, blood, or urine resulting from the unlawful use or consumption of cannabis listed in the Cannabis Control Act, a controlled substance listed in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, an intoxicating compound listed in the Use of Intoxicating Compounds Act, or methamphetamine as listed in the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act, the law enforcement officer shall immediately submit a sworn report to the circuit court of venue and the Secretary of State, certifying that the test or tests was or were requested under paragraph (a) and the person refused to submit to a test, or tests, or submitted to testing that disclosed an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more.
(e) Upon receipt of the sworn report of a law enforcement officer submitted under paragraph (d), the Secretary of State shall enter the statutory summary suspension and disqualification for the periods specified in Sections 6‑208.1 and 6‑514, respectively, and effective as provided in paragraph (g).
If the person is a first offender as defined in Section 11‑500 of this Code, and is not convicted of a violation of Section 11‑501 of this Code or a similar provision of a local ordinance, then reports received by the Secretary of State under this Section shall, except during the actual time the Statutory Summary Suspension is in effect, be privileged information and for use only by the courts, police officers, prosecuting authorities or the Secretary of State. However, beginning January 1, 2008, if the person is a CDL holder, the statutory summary suspension shall also be made available to the driver licensing administrator of any other state, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the affected driver or motor carrier or prospective motor carrier upon request. Reports received by the Secretary of State under this Section shall also be made available to the parent or guardian of a person under the age of 18 years that holds an instruction permit or a graduated driver's license, regardless of whether the statutory summary suspension is in effect.
(f) The law enforcement officer submitting the sworn report under paragraph (d) shall serve immediate notice of the statutory summary suspension on the person and the suspension and disqualification shall be effective as provided in paragraph (g). In cases where the blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or greater or any amount of a drug, substance, or compound resulting from the unlawful use or consumption of cannabis as covered by the Cannabis Control Act, a controlled substance listed in the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, an intoxicating compound listed in the Use of Intoxicating Compounds Act, or methamphetamine as listed in the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act is established by a subsequent analysis of blood or urine collected at the time of arrest, the arresting officer or arresting agency shall give notice as provided in this Section or by deposit in the United States mail of the notice in an envelope with postage prepaid and addressed to the person at his address as shown on the Uniform Traffic Ticket and the statutory summary suspension and disqualification shall begin as provided in paragraph (g). The officer shall confiscate any Illinois driver's license or permit on the person at the time of arrest. If the person has a valid driver's license or permit, the officer shall issue the person a receipt, in a form prescribed by the Secretary of State, that will allow that person to drive during the periods provided for in paragraph (g). The officer shall immediately forward the driver's license or permit to the circuit court of venue along with the sworn report provided for in paragraph (d).
(g) The statutory summary suspension and disqualification referred to in this Section shall take effect on the 46th day following the date the notice of the statutory summary suspension was given to the person.
(h) The following procedure shall apply whenever a person is arrested for any offense as defined in Section 11‑501 or a similar provision of a local ordinance:
Upon receipt of the sworn report from the law enforcement officer, the Secretary of State shall confirm the statutory summary suspension by mailing a notice of the effective date of the suspension to the person and the court of venue. The Secretary of State shall also mail notice of the effective date of the disqualification to the person. However, should the sworn report be defective by not containing sufficient information or be completed in error, the confirmation of the statutory summary suspension shall not be mailed to the person or entered to the record; instead, the sworn report shall be forwarded to the court of venue with a copy returned to the issuing agency identifying any defect.
(Source: P.A. 94‑115, eff. 1‑1‑06; 95‑201, eff. 1‑1‑08; 95‑382, eff. 8‑23‑07; 95‑876, eff. 8‑21‑08.)