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The Florida Statutes

The 1998 Florida Statutes

Title XXIII
MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter 322
Drivers' Licenses
View Entire Chapter

322.28  Period of suspension or revocation.--

(1)  Unless otherwise provided by this section, the department shall not suspend a license for a period of more than 1 year and, upon revoking a license, in any case except in a prosecution for the offense of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic beverages, chemical substances as set forth in s. 877.111, or controlled substances, shall not in any event grant a new license until the expiration of 1 year after such revocation.

(2)  In a prosecution for a violation of s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931, the following provisions apply:

(a)  Upon conviction of the driver, the court, along with imposing sentence, shall revoke the driver's license or driving privilege of the person so convicted, effective on the date of conviction, and shall prescribe the period of such revocation in accordance with the following provisions:

1.  Upon a first conviction for a violation of the provisions of s. 316.193, except a violation resulting in death, the driver's license or driving privilege shall be revoked for not less than 180 days or more than 1 year.

2.  Upon a second conviction within a period of 5 years from the date of a prior conviction for a violation of the provisions of s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931 or a combination of such sections, the driver's license or driving privilege shall be revoked for not less than 5 years.

3.  Upon a third conviction within a period of 10 years from the date of conviction of the first of three or more convictions for the violation of the provisions of s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931 or a combination of such sections, the driver's license or driving privilege shall be revoked for not less than 10 years.

For the purposes of this paragraph, a previous conviction outside this state for driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, driving with an unlawful blood-alcohol level, or any other alcohol-related or drug-related traffic offense similar to the offense of driving under the influence as proscribed by s. 316.193 will be considered a previous conviction for violation of s. 316.193, and a conviction for violation of former s. 316.028, former s. 316.1931, or former s. 860.01 is considered a conviction for violation of s. 316.193.

(b)  If the period of revocation was not specified by the court at the time of imposing sentence or within 30 days thereafter, and is not otherwise specified by law, the department shall forthwith revoke the driver's license or driving privilege for the maximum period applicable under paragraph (a) for a first conviction and for the minimum period applicable under paragraph (a) for any subsequent convictions. The driver may, within 30 days after such revocation by the department, petition the court for further hearing on the period of revocation, and the court may reopen the case and determine the period of revocation within the limits specified in paragraph (a).

(c)  The forfeiture of bail bond, not vacated within 20 days, in any prosecution for the offense of driving while under the influence of alcoholic beverages, chemical substances, or controlled substances to the extent of depriving the defendant of his or her normal faculties shall be deemed equivalent to a conviction for the purposes of this paragraph, and the department shall forthwith revoke the defendant's driver's license or driving privilege for the maximum period applicable under paragraph (a) for a first conviction and for the minimum period applicable under paragraph (a) for a second or subsequent conviction; however, if the defendant is later convicted of the charge, the period of revocation imposed by the department for such conviction shall not exceed the difference between the applicable maximum for a first conviction or minimum for a second or subsequent conviction and the revocation period under this subsection that has actually elapsed; upon conviction of such charge, the court may impose revocation for a period of time as specified in paragraph (a). This paragraph does not apply if an appropriate motion contesting the forfeiture is filed within the 20-day period.

(d)  When any driver's license or driving privilege has been revoked pursuant to the provisions of this section, the department shall not grant a new license, except upon reexamination of the licensee after the expiration of the period of revocation so prescribed. However, the court may, in its sound discretion, issue an order of reinstatement on a form furnished by the department which the person may take to any driver's license examining office for reinstatement by the department pursuant to s. 322.282.

(e)  The court shall permanently revoke the driver's license or driving privilege of a person who has been convicted four times for violation of s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931 or a combination of such sections. The court shall permanently revoke the driver's license or driving privilege of any person who has been convicted of DUI manslaughter in violation of s. 316.193. If the court has not permanently revoked such driver's license or driving privilege within 30 days after imposing sentence, the department shall permanently revoke the driver's license or driving privilege pursuant to this paragraph. No driver's license or driving privilege may be issued or granted to any such person. This paragraph applies only if at least one of the convictions for violation of s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931 was for a violation that occurred after July 1, 1982. For the purposes of this paragraph, a conviction for violation of former s. 316.028, former s. 316.1931, or former s. 860.01 is also considered a conviction for violation of s. 316.193. Also, a conviction of driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, driving with an unlawful blood-alcohol level, or any other similar alcohol-related or drug-related traffic offense outside this state is considered a conviction for the purposes of this paragraph.

(3)  The court shall permanently revoke the driver's license or driving privilege of a person who has been convicted of murder resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle. No driver's license or driving privilege may be issued or granted to any such person.

(4)  Upon the conviction of a person for a violation of s. 322.34, the license or driving privilege, if suspended, shall be suspended for 3 months in addition to the period of suspension previously imposed and, if revoked, the time after which a new license may be issued shall be delayed 3 months.

(5)  If, in any case arising under this section, a licensee, after having been given notice of suspension or revocation of his or her license in the manner provided in s. 322.251, fails to surrender to the department a license theretofore suspended or revoked, as required by s. 322.29, or fails otherwise to account for the license to the satisfaction of the department, the period of suspension of the license, or the period required to elapse after revocation before a new license may be issued, shall be extended until, and shall not expire until, a period has elapsed after the date of surrender of the license, or after the date of expiration of the license, whichever occurs first, which is identical in length with the original period of suspension or revocation.

(6)(a)  Upon a conviction for a violation of s. 316.193(3)(c)2., involving serious bodily injury, a conviction of manslaughter resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle, or a conviction of vehicular homicide, the court shall revoke the driver's license of the person convicted for a minimum period of 3 years. In the event that a conviction under s. 316.193(3)(c)2., involving serious bodily injury, is also a subsequent conviction as described under paragraph (2)(a), the court shall revoke the driver's license or driving privilege of the person convicted for the period applicable as provided in paragraph (2)(a) or paragraph (2)(e).

(b)  If the period of revocation was not specified by the court at the time of imposing sentence or within 30 days thereafter, the department shall revoke the driver's license for the minimum period applicable under paragraph (a) or, for a subsequent conviction, for the minimum period applicable under paragraph (2)(a) or paragraph (2)(e).

(7)  No administrative suspension of a driving privilege under s. 322.2615 shall be stayed upon a request for review of the departmental order that resulted in such suspension and, except as provided in former s. 322.261, no suspension or revocation of a driving privilege shall be stayed upon an appeal of the conviction or order that resulted therein.

(8)  In a prosecution for a violation of s. 316.172(1), and upon a showing of the department's records that the licensee has received a second conviction within a period of 5 years from the date of a prior conviction of s. 316.172(1), the department shall, upon direction of the court, suspend the driver's license of the person convicted for a period of not less than 90 days nor more than 6 months.

History.--s. 40, ch. 19551, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 4151(654); s. 40, ch. 20451, 1941; s. 2, ch. 59-95; ss. 24, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 5, ch. 72-175; s. 94, ch. 73-333; ss. 2, 3, ch. 74-248; s. 7, ch. 74-384; s. 1, ch. 75-113; s. 43, ch. 76-31; s. 3, ch. 76-153; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 20, ch. 80-290; s. 9, ch. 82-155; s. 4, ch. 82-403; s. 9, ch. 83-228; s. 10, ch. 84-359; s. 8, ch. 86-296; s. 4, ch. 87-167; s. 3, ch. 89-525; s. 31, ch. 91-221; s. 2, ch. 91-243; ss. 11, 24, ch. 91-255; s. 416, ch. 95-148; s. 8, ch. 96-330; s. 51, ch. 96-413; s. 12, ch. 96-414; s. 10, ch. 98-223.