The CO licensing action explained
After a DUI arrest in Colorado, the Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles (dmv.colorado.gov) opens its own case against your driving privilege. It is administrative, it moves faster than the criminal case, and it is decided regardless of what the court later does with the charge.
The request for an administrative hearing is due within 7 days of arrest. Miss it and the suspension usually takes effect automatically.
Hearing requests, suspension notices, reinstatement fees and interlock paperwork.
Deadlines, forms and how the hearing is conducted.
How the CO agency runs the licence case
- A failed or refused chemical test triggers the Express Consent revocation process under C.R.S. § 42-4-1301.1.
- The hearing request is due within 7 days of the Notice of Revocation.
- Revocation can include a hard period before interlock-restricted reinstatement is allowed.
- Colorado commonly requires interlock use for a set period after reinstatement in per se and refusal cases.
- Reinstatement runs through the DMV's 'Reinstating After a DUI or Alcohol Offense' process.
Colorado licence facts
Colorado DUI law at a glance
Sourced from the Colorado code and state agency sites. Verify current text before relying on it.
- Offense name
- DUI (Colorado)
- Controlling statute
- Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301
- Implied consent
- Colo. Rev. Stat. § 42-4-1301.1
- Per se BAC limit
- 0.08 (0.04 CDL, 0.02 or lower under 21)
- Licence hearing deadline
- 7 days after arrest
- Prior-offense lookback
- 5 years
- First-offense fine
- $600–$1,000
- First-offense jail exposure
- up to 1 year
- Licence suspension
- 9 months
- Ignition interlock
- Required on a first offense in most cases
- Trial court
- the County Court
- High-risk filing
- SR-22 for 3 years
A first offense is a misdemeanor; interlock is normally required to reinstate.
Getting the licence back
- Serve the full suspension or hard-suspension period the agency sets.
- Complete any ordered assessment, education or treatment programme.
- Install an approved ignition interlock device — Colorado requires one in most first-offense cases.
- Colorado requires a SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility for 3 years before a licence is reinstated after a DUI conviction.
- Pay the reinstatement fee and any licence-issuance fee in full.
Fees and processing times change; confirm the current amounts on dmv.colorado.gov before you travel to an office.
Colorado ZIP codes covered
These Colorado ZIP-code pages carry the local court, filing and licensing detail for the area, and each one links back to this resource page.
Counties and cities using these Colorado resources
Counties
Other Colorado official resources
Frequently asked questions
- How long do I have to challenge a Colorado licence suspension?
- The administrative hearing request is due within 7 days of arrest. Confirm the current deadline and filing method with the CO licensing agency at dmv.colorado.gov before relying on it.
- How long is a first-offense suspension in Colorado?
- A first DUI offense generally carries a 9 months suspension in Colorado. Reinstatement conditions, fees and any interlock requirement are set by the licensing agency.