The MS licensing action explained
After a DUI arrest in Mississippi, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau (dps.ms.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 10 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 MS agency runs the licence case
- The Commissioner of Public Safety reviews the arresting officer's report and issues the notice of suspension under Miss. Code Ann. § 63-11-23.
- A temporary permit may be issued while the suspension proceeding is resolved.
- Miss. Code Ann. § 63-11-31 establishes the interlock-restricted licence and the Interlock Device Fund for indigent offenders.
- The Driver Service Bureau publishes reinstatement requirements in its driver services FAQ.
Mississippi licence facts
Mississippi DUI law at a glance
Sourced from the Mississippi code and state agency sites. Verify current text before relying on it.
- Offense name
- DUI (Mississippi)
- Controlling statute
- Miss. Code Ann. § 63-11-30
- Implied consent
- Miss. Code Ann. § 63-11-5
- Per se BAC limit
- 0.08 (0.04 CDL, 0.02 or lower under 21)
- Licence hearing deadline
- 10 days after arrest
- Prior-offense lookback
- 5 years
- First-offense fine
- $250–$1,000
- First-offense jail exposure
- up to 48 days
- Licence suspension
- 4 months
- Ignition interlock
- Not automatic on a first offense
- Trial court
- the Justice Court or Municipal Court
- High-risk filing
- SR-22 for 3 years
A first offense carries a fine, up to 48 hours jail, and a suspension that interlock can shorten.
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 ignition interlock device if the court or agency orders one.
- Mississippi 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 dps.ms.gov before you travel to an office.
Mississippi ZIP codes covered
These Mississippi 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 Mississippi resources
Counties
Other Mississippi official resources
Frequently asked questions
- How long do I have to challenge a Mississippi licence suspension?
- The administrative hearing request is due within 10 days of arrest. Confirm the current deadline and filing method with the MS licensing agency at dps.ms.gov before relying on it.
- How long is a first-offense suspension in Mississippi?
- A first DUI offense generally carries a 4 months suspension in Mississippi. Reinstatement conditions, fees and any interlock requirement are set by the licensing agency.