How DUI Classes Affect Your Driving Record and License Reinstatement in Kentucky

In 2021, there were 17,264 DUI arrests in Kentucky. Getting a DUI has drastic consequences on your driving record that may complicate different aspects of your life. In Kentucky, you must attend DUI classes if you have received this charge. Altruism Counseling Services aims to help people understand what that means and how to reinstate their licenses. Today, we will discuss how DUI classes affect your driving record. 

DUI classes are a requirement for anyone who has received a DUI (driving under the influence) in the state of Kentucky. Depending on the number of offenses within 10 years determines how long those classes need to last. A first-time offense will result in a 6-month suspension of your license and 90 days at an alcohol use disorder program to attend classes — the second or higher offense results in attending classes and treatment for a year. These classes cannot be taken online and must occur at a regulated, licensed, and monitored facility by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. 

In Kentucky, a first-time DUI offense can remain on your driving record for up to 10 years. First-time offenses and misdemeanor traffic offenses are the only ones that can be expunged from your record after you have completed all requirements. Having 3 or more DUIs in 5 years is a felony, which is not eligible for expungement. Once the court has erased it, it will not be on any background check or criminal history. 

As mentioned above, DUI classes are required after receiving a DUI in Kentucky. If you have been violation-free for 90-120 consecutive days, depending on your offense, you may qualify for different requirements. The is the second option for your possible restrictions. 

KIIP includes an ignition interlock license that restricts an individual to a vehicle or motorcycle with a functioning ignition interlock device installed. This device is connected to the vehicle’s ignition. It prevents the driver from being able to start and operate it if the device measures their breath alcohol concentration as higher than 0.02. Complying with the program will reduce your license suspension period. Failure to comply will result in the consecutive days starting over. Reasons that will result in a violation of compliance include:

• Not paying the required fees
• Not taking a random breath alcohol test unless the digital image review shows the driver was not in the vehicle when they missed the test
• Not passing a random test unless another test is taken in 10 minutes and that reading is lower than 0.02, and the digital image confirms the same person took both tests
• Concealing, hiding, or altering the identity of the person providing the breath sample
• Tampering with the ignition interlock device to make it defective
• Not appearing at the ignition interlock device provider for required repair, calibration, monitoring, replacement, inspection, and maintenance of the device

Following the above requirements will grant you less of a suspension period than if you were to accept the standard penalties associated with a DUI. Below is a chart that shows the differences between the standard penalties for a DUI in Kentucky and those associated with KIIP. 

If your license gets suspended following a DUI, you will obtain a letter detailing what is mandated and the fees you must pay to get reinstated. Attending and completing DUI classes is one of the requirements for getting your license reinstated. If your license has been suspended for less than 1 year, eye and written tests are not required. If it has been longer than a year, these tests must be passed alongside the completion of your DUI classes before your license is reinstated. You may also be required to pay a $40 reinstatement fee and any other additional fees, depending on the circumstances of your DUI.

In Kentucky, if your license has been suspended due to a DUI, the court may grant you a probationary driver’s license, known as a hardship license. This allows you to continue going to work and school, attend DUI classes, obtain medical care, and attend court-ordered counseling while your license is suspended. Keep in mind these licenses are not available right away. Hardship licenses can be petitioned after 30 days for the first offense, 12 months for the second offense, and 24 months after the third offense. Subsequent offenses are not eligible for hardship license consideration. 

This will only be considered by the court if you have completed the appropriate time and have proof of motor vehicle insurance and written, sworn statements from the following people:

• Your employer detailing your job, hours, and necessity to use a motor vehicle for both working hours and travel to and from
• If in school, from your school, that outlines your class schedule, courses being taken, and the necessity of being able to drive to and from school. This cannot include noneducational activities such as sports, extracurricular, fraternal, or social
• Your doctor outlined your hours of treatment and the necessity to travel to and from with a motor vehicle
• The director of a treatment program outlining the hours you will participate in the program, the nature of the program, and the necessity of being able to travel to and from

In addition to these statements, it is required to provide the court with any court order relating to treatment, your participation in driver improvement programs, and other terms and conditions of the court and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Keep in mind that the court will not issue a hardship license to someone who has refused to take an alcohol concentration test offered by law enforcement. 

Even after you have completed your DUI class, you might still have concerns when it comes to managing an alcohol use disorder. This is where alcohol use disorder treatment helps you continue your process of developing a healthier life. DUI classes provide the first step toward recovery for many people. Still, additional support may be necessary once you have completed your required days. 

During treatment, you will be provided with the necessary tools based on the altruistic philosophies of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)’s 12-step program that will make it easier to leave alcohol behind. If you are no longer drinking alcohol, you will not get further DUIs, which will prevent more suspensions from occurring.  

If you have recently received a DUI, know that you are required to attend court-mandated DUI classes in the state of Kentucky. Attending these classes in a compassionate facility that genuinely cares about you and your recovery journey will make a significant difference in getting your license back and preventing further suspensions from happening.  

Altruism Counseling Services is located in Lexington and provides a Kentucky-certified DUI program. We accept Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial insurance for those looking for those options. We also accept cash payments if you don’t have insurance. Give us a call at 859-310-6505 to find yourself again.