Moon Insurance Managers, Inc.
Menu
Tel. (281) 484-8320

Texas insurance glossary

Administrative License Revocation

Administrative License Revocation is the civil DPS process that suspends a driver's license after a DWI arrest, run separately from the criminal case and on its own timetable.

Sources checked

It runs in parallel with the criminal case and is not decided by it. A refusal to give a specimen, or a specimen over the limit, starts an administrative suspension that can take effect whatever happens later in court.

The part that catches people is the clock. There is a short window after the arrest to request a hearing, and letting it pass is a decision even though it does not feel like one.

An ALR suspension is a financial responsibility matter as well as a licensing one: an SR-22 is normally required to get driving again, and an occupational driver license needs a filing of its own.

Sources: Texas DPS — Administrative License Revocation (ALR) program; Texas Transportation Code ch. 524 — Administrative Suspension; Texas Transportation Code ch. 724 — Implied Consent. Verified .

A definition, not legal advice and not a quote. Rules and figures change; confirm your own situation against the source named above, or with us, before you act on it. Last checked .

See also

  • DWI DWI is driving while intoxicated: the Texas offense of operating a motor vehicle in a public place while intoxicated, under Penal Code § 49.04.
  • DUI In Texas, DUI is a separate offense for a driver under 21: operating a motor vehicle in a public place with any detectable amount of alcohol in the system.
  • Implied consent Implied consent is the Texas rule that driving on a public road counts as agreeing to give a breath or blood specimen when lawfully arrested for an offence involving intoxication.
  • Suspended license A suspended license is a driving privilege the state has withdrawn for a stated period, which returns once the cause is cleared and the requirements are met.
  • SR-22 An SR-22 is a certificate a Texas insurer files with the Department of Public Safety to prove a driver carries at least the minimum liability coverage Chapter 601 requires.
  • Occupational driver license An occupational driver license is a restricted Texas license that lets a suspended driver operate a non-commercial vehicle for work, school or essential household duties.

Where this is handled

A definition does not file anything. When the suspension date is closer than the research, one independent agency on FM 1959 can transmit the SR-22 to the DPS and tell you what the state wants before you pay anyone anything.

Start my filing Back to the glossary