The PA licensing action explained
After a DUI arrest in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing (dmv.pa.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.
Hearing requests, suspension notices, reinstatement fees and interlock paperwork.
Deadlines, forms and how the hearing is conducted.
How the PA agency runs the licence case
- PennDOT imposes DUI suspensions under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3804 and § 1547 after a conviction or a test refusal.
- Interlock is required for certain suspensions and restorations under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3805, through the Ignition Interlock Limited License programme.
- Restoration fees are paid through PennDOT's online restoration fee service.
- A Restoration Requirements Letter sets out exactly what must be satisfied before privileges are restored.
Pennsylvania licence facts
Pennsylvania DUI law at a glance
Sourced from the Pennsylvania code and state agency sites. Verify current text before relying on it.
- Offense name
- DUI (Pennsylvania)
- Controlling statute
- 75 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3802
- Implied consent
- 75 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 1547
- Per se BAC limit
- 0.08 (0.04 CDL, 0.02 or lower under 21)
- Prior-offense lookback
- 10 years
- First-offense fine
- $300–$5,000
- First-offense jail exposure
- up to 6 months
- Licence suspension
- 1 year
- Ignition interlock
- Not automatic on a first offense
- Trial court
- the Court of Common Pleas
A first general-impairment DUI may qualify for the ARD program instead of a conviction.
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.
- File any proof of financial responsibility your insurer and the agency require.
- Pay the reinstatement fee and any licence-issuance fee in full.
Fees and processing times change; confirm the current amounts on dmv.pa.gov before you travel to an office.
Pennsylvania ZIP codes covered
These Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania resources
Counties
Other Pennsylvania official resources
Frequently asked questions
- How long is a first-offense suspension in Pennsylvania?
- A first DUI offense generally carries a 1 year suspension in Pennsylvania. Reinstatement conditions, fees and any interlock requirement are set by the licensing agency.