Top Ten Tips
Easing The Consequences Of A DUI
Top Ten Tips > Easing the Consequences of a DUI
2. Driver license
Timing is Critical.
Be sure you are eligible for your license to be returned on the first possible day. Once someone is suspended, it is typically best to sign up immediately for DUI program classes ("DDP"). In Sonoma County, the DDP is located in the South West corner of Coddingtown Shopping Center in Santa Rosa (see Google map below). Click here for a Sonoma DDP Map/Enrollment Information handed out at the time of sentencing in Santa Rosa superior court. You can find more information about the Santa Rosa drinking driver DUI Program by clicking here for the Sonoma DUI Program Website. Detailed information and more tips about the Sonoma County DDP can be found above in Tip #4.
Click here for Napa DDP information, or here for Marin DDP information, or here for Mendocino DDP information.
Who is Eligible for the Restricted "Work" License.
If you had a valid California license prior to this incident, and you are age 21 or older, and you have never been arrested for a DUI or suspended by DMV before, and there is no allegation that you refused to give a breath or blood sample at the time of this Sonoma County arrest (or other aggravating factors), then typically you may obtain a California restricted "work" license in a misdemeanor Sonoma County DUI case after the first 30 days of the DMV suspension when: (1) Santa Rosa DUI Program has confirmed with DMV in Sacramento that you are already enrolled in Sonoma County DUI classes at the Santa Rosa DUI program (they transmit a Form DL 107 to DMV electronically after you enroll), and (2) your insurance company (or you) files an SR22 Insurance Form with the Santa Rosa DMV (see Tip #3 "Insurance" above).
Client comment: "After I was arrested for a DUI, the police officer told me that if I go to AA meetings prior to my first court date, then when I go to court, I can show them that I'm going to AA and they're more likely to give me a restricted license."
Jake's answer to this client: Great example of cops giving wrong legal advice; your case is a first DUI with no test refusal or other aggravating factors, so you have a right to a restricted license by following the proper DMV procedures; it has nothing to do with AA meetings or the court!
Sonoma, Napa, and Marin Counties each have only one DDP. Mendocino has two. Usually DDP's have a waiting list to enroll, so if you wait too long, then your required suspension period will be unnecessarily longer than the mandatory 30 days. Related, Sonoma County courts typically require that you sign up within 21 days of a DUI conviction or else usually you must go back to court be re-referred by the judge. If you fail to convert your suspended license to a restricted "work" license, and as a result you are arrested for driving on a suspended license due to a DUI, the penalty risks are severe and expensive, including a 10-day jail sentence and loss of work license or hardship privileges. Talk to your Santa Rosa lawyer about the best time to enroll and then don't delay.
You can find additional detailed discussion about getting your license back by clicking on Ten Tips For Getting Your Driver License Back on this site.
What is the Restricted "Work" License.
A DMV suspension of driving privileges due to a DUI may result from a court conviction or from the DMV's separate administrative proceedings. To see detailed descriptions of these suspensions, click on Ten Tips For Getting Your Driver License Back on this site. Typically, suspension periods last from four months to three years or more depending on the circumstances. 
In most cases the suspension time can be shortened after a mandatory period off the road by obtaining limited driving privileges (called a "restricted license") which lasts for the balance of the longest of any pending suspension periods. This special license is "restricted" to the hours necessary for driving to and from the person's place of employment, driving during the course of employment, and driving to and from activities required in the driving-under-the-influence program.
Getting the Restricted License.
Understand that the Santa Rosa DMV does not automatically send the restricted license to you and your Sonoma attorney cannot get it for you; rather you must accomplish the tasks described above and then go to the Santa Rosa or Petaluma DMV satellite office and pay a fee to obtain the restricted license.
The license issued to you at Santa Rosa DMV will be a new 8-1/2 x 11 temporary license. Usually your new regular plastic picture license (which will look like the one you had before except the restrictions are printed on the reverse) will be mailed to you from Sacramento following satisfaction of the above tasks and payment of the fee at a local DMV field office. The Santa Rosa DMV is located at 2570, Corby Avenue, and the Petaluma DMV is located at 715 South Point Blvd.
Santa Rosa DMV Field Office:
Petaluma DMV Field Office:
You can find early contact information on this site for Sonoma, Napa, Marin and Mendocino, and other counties by clicking on Resources and then under "DUI compliance" click on one of the drinking driver DUI Program links. Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Mendocino and all the state-licensed drinking driver programs are listed.
Be Sure DMV Has Your Correct Mailing Address.
If DMV has an old mailing address (for example, outside of Sonoma County) then you might not receive critical notices in Sonoma County providing a time-sensitive right to a hearing (sometimes only 10 days), or giving you a date for the start of a suspension, or sending you a new temporary or permanent license, which are usually sent to you at your address on record at DMV. Note that copies of many (but not all) hearing-related notices are sent to your Sonoma attorney so that you can get copies from him/her.
Because the Vehicle Code requires you to provide a change of address to DMV within 10 days of obtaining a new address, you are not permitted to complain if DMV sends important documents to an old address on its records. In order to allow your Sonoma County lawyer to react quickly and challenge notices of wrong or unfair decisions or planned actions against you, you must ensure that DMV has your correct address unless there is a compelling reason not give official notice. If you wish, you may visit the Santa Rosa or Petaluma satellite DMV office to submit a Sonoma County change of address, or click here to Update Your Address Online.
The Under Age 21 Critical Need Restricted Driver License.
If you are under age 21 and lost your license due to a first DUI or zero tolerance case, then you may wish to consider asking your attorney about applying for a critical need license to drive if you believe you can adequately show the DMV that public transportation in your area is not sufficient to accomplish your transport to and from work or school or you are the primary driver for transporting a family member to medical appointments.
Although Sonoma County has adequate public transportation in many locations such as Santa Rosa, Petaluma and the 101 corridor, many other outlying areas such as West County may be better qualified remote locations, particularly if multiple tasks must be accomplished in a single day, such as work and school. Click here for Sonoma County Transit Schedules to determine if alternatives exist for you. If not, then print out nearby routes and schedules to attach to your application so that the DMV can readily see the lack of alternatives in your given situation.
Using A Lawyer May Save Unnecessary Delay. It is often extremely helpful to ask a local Sonoma County lawyer to provide and review this application so that eligible minors may minimize the possibility of denial of application. A Santa Rosa lawyer will be sure that the entire application is completed, including all required signatures from parents, school officials, employers and/or doctors. We review applications to ensure there is adequate supporting information which we know the DMV Sacramento office looks for, such as Sonoma County bus schedules, supplemental explanations, and additional documentation of any kind which may support the application.
Improve Your Chances Of Being Approved. This is the type of advice Santa Rosa DUI lawyers should provide: make no mistake; the DMV only grants under-21 restricted licenses for truly critical needs. So for example, getting a job in the town of Sonoma, and/or enrolling in a class or two at the Santa Rosa Junior College or a trade school in Napa, would typically increase chances of getting a limited license to accomplish such transportation.
Click here to browse local college classes at Sonoma State University, and Santa Rosa Junior College, and Empire College. You may also wish to consider applying for a building trades apprenticeship. Click here for comprehensive list of available California Apprenticeship Programs, or here for the Building Trades Apprenticeship Website, including contact information. Some apprenticeship programs are available in Santa Rosa and surrounding Sonoma and Napa County, such as cement masons, electricians, operating engineers, plumbers & refer mechanics, and sound & communication. Another viable option may be Santa Rosa's Redwood Empire Beauty College. Quantity and quality of school and employment transportation hardships or conflicts increase the chances of being approved, particularly when coupled with inadequate or completely impractical family/public transportation alternatives in Sonoma County.
Application Form. You can fill out the critical need application online (see link below), print it to complete with supporting materials, and send to a Sonoma County lawyer for comments, reprint if necessary, and obtain signatures and mail to Sacramento with your additional documentation. The form usually takes several weeks for you to prepare and complete, plus review time for your attorney, and at least a week or two for the DMV to consider, so it is important to start this process as soon after you determine the one-year DMV suspension is likely.
Note that all minors who might otherwise be eligible for this restricted license must serve the initial 30 days of any pending suspension; this is the perfect time to complete and mail the DMV application. Click here for the under age 21 form: DMV DS694 Application For Critical Need License. Click here for more information and tips on this site for a successful application process: Ten Tips for Getting Your License Back and then click on "Minors."