The TX licensing action explained
After a DWI arrest in Texas, the Texas Department of Public Safety (dps.texas.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 TX agency runs the licence case
- The Administrative License Revocation programme suspends driving privileges for a test refusal or failure after a DWI arrest.
- The hearing request must be filed within 15 days of the notice of suspension to contest it before SOAH.
- SOAH, an independent agency, conducts that hearing separately from the criminal case.
- DPS charges reinstatement fees for departmental suspensions, including DWI-related actions.
- Interlock requirements apply as a condition of an occupational or restricted licence after certain suspensions.
Texas licence facts
Texas DWI law at a glance
Sourced from the Texas code and state agency sites. Verify current text before relying on it.
- Offense name
- DWI (Texas)
- Controlling statute
- Tex. Penal Code § 49.04
- Implied consent
- Tex. Transp. Code § 724.011
- Per se BAC limit
- 0.08 (0.04 CDL, 0.02 or lower under 21)
- Licence hearing deadline
- 15 days after arrest
- First-offense fine
- up to $2,000
- First-offense jail exposure
- up to 6 months
- Licence suspension
- 1 year
- Ignition interlock
- Not automatic on a first offense
- Trial court
- the County Court at Law
- High-risk filing
- SR-22 for 2 years
A first offense is a class B misdemeanor, with a higher minimum jail term at 0.15 BAC.
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.
- Texas requires a SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility for 2 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 dps.texas.gov before you travel to an office.
Texas ZIP codes covered
These Texas 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 Texas resources
Counties
Other Texas official resources
Frequently asked questions
- How long do I have to challenge a Texas licence suspension?
- The administrative hearing request is due within 15 days of arrest. Confirm the current deadline and filing method with the TX licensing agency at dps.texas.gov before relying on it.
- How long is a first-offense suspension in Texas?
- A first DWI offense generally carries a 1 year suspension in Texas. Reinstatement conditions, fees and any interlock requirement are set by the licensing agency.