The MO licensing action explained
After a DWI arrest in Missouri, the Missouri Department of Revenue (dor.mo.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 15 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 MO agency runs the licence case
- The department issues a Notice of Suspension or Revocation of Driving Privilege, Form 2385, after a qualifying arrest.
- An administrative hearing to review the suspension is requested using that same form.
- An immediate 90-day interlock-restricted driving privilege may also be requested on Form 2385.
- The department sets out a three-step reinstatement process with a chart of forms and fees.
- An ignition interlock device may be required, depending on driving history, before reinstatement.
Missouri licence facts
Missouri DWI law at a glance
Sourced from the Missouri code and state agency sites. Verify current text before relying on it.
- Offense name
- DWI (Missouri)
- Controlling statute
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 577.010
- Implied consent
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 577.020
- Per se BAC limit
- 0.08 (0.04 CDL, 0.02 or lower under 21)
- Licence hearing deadline
- 15 days after arrest
- Prior-offense lookback
- 5 years
- First-offense fine
- up to $1,000
- First-offense jail exposure
- up to 6 months
- Licence suspension
- 3 months
- Trial court
- the Circuit Court
- High-risk filing
- SR-22 for 3 years
A first offense is a class B misdemeanor with up to six months jail.
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.
- Missouri requires a SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility for 3 years before a licence is reinstated after a DWI conviction.
- Pay the reinstatement fee and any licence-issuance fee in full.
Fees and processing times change; confirm the current amounts on dor.mo.gov before you travel to an office.
Missouri ZIP codes covered
These Missouri 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 Missouri resources
Counties
Other Missouri official resources
Frequently asked questions
- How long do I have to challenge a Missouri licence suspension?
- The administrative hearing request is due within 15 days of arrest. Confirm the current deadline and filing method with the MO licensing agency at dor.mo.gov before relying on it.
- How long is a first-offense suspension in Missouri?
- A first DWI offense generally carries a 3 months suspension in Missouri. Reinstatement conditions, fees and any interlock requirement are set by the licensing agency.