DUI Restricted Permits & Licenses

The MVD does not permit drivers licensed in another state to drive while subject to an Arizona suspension or revocation. Although this practice is probably in violation of the U.S. Constitution, it is currently the practice in Arizona.

Restricted Licenses, Permits and Special Ignition Interlock Restricted Licenses For DUIs

This is a list of restricted Driving Permits:

A. Admin Per Se Suspension with No Serious Injuries and No DUI suspensions within the past 7 years, and no serious injury.

This suspension is for 90 days. Two Types of Restricted Licenses are available:

• Special Ignition Interlock Restricted License¹

To obtain this license the driver must:

1. Complete Substance Abuse Screening
2. Install an Ignition Interlock Device.

With this license the driver may drive the vehicle with the interlock anywhere and for an any purpose.

• Restricted Permit²

1. Complete Substance Abuse Screening.

The permitted driving is:³

1. Between the person’s place of employment and residence during specified periods of time while at employment.
2. Between the person’s place of residence, the person’s place of employment and the person’s secondary or postsecondary school according to the person’s employment or educational schedule.
3. Between the person’s place of residence and a screening, education or treatment facility for scheduled appointments.
4. Between the person’s place of residence and the office of the person’s probation officer for scheduled appointments.
5. Between the person’s place of residence and the office of a physician or other health care professional.
6. Between the person’s place of residence and a certified ignition interlock device service facility.⁴

1. to travel between the person’s place of employment and residence and during specified periods of time while at employment,
2. to travel between the person’s place of residence and the person’s secondary or postsecondary school, according to the person’s employment or educational schedule,
3. to travel between the person’s place of residence and the office of the person’s probation officer for scheduled appointments
4. to travel between the person’s place of residence and a screening, education or treatment facility for scheduled appointments.⁵

B. First Implied Consent Suspension within the past 7 years.

The suspension is for 12 months, One type of Restricted License is available. With this license the driver may drive the vehicle with the interlock anywhere and for an any purpose.

• Special Ignition Interlock Restricted License ⁶

1. Complete Substance Abuse Screening
2. The posting of a SR-22 Certificate
3. Install a Certified ignition Interlock Device.

C. First Offense Regular⁷ or Extreme DUI Misdemeanor⁸conviction within the past 7 years.

In some cases there is no Admin Per Se⁹ or Implied Consent¹⁰ Suspensions. If that is true a Restricted Permit is available after the first 30 days of the suspension, assuming no serious injury¹¹, and requires:

1. Complete Substance Abuse Screening
2. The posting of a SR-22 Certificate of Insurance.

The permitted driving is:¹²

1. Between the person’s place of employment and residence during specified periods of time while at employment.
2. Between the person’s place of residence, the person’s place of employment and the person’s secondary or postsecondary school according to the person’s employment or educational schedule.
3. Between the person’s place of residence and a screening, education or treatment facility for scheduled appointments.
4. Between the person’s place of residence and the office of the person’s probation officer for scheduled appointments.
5. Between the person’s place of residence and the office of a physician or other health care professional.
6. Between the person’s place of residence and a certified ignition interlock device service facility.¹³

D. First Offense Felony DUI with Child in the Vehicle.

Special Ignition Interlock Restricted License is available after the first 90 days of the suspension¹⁴ and requires:

1. Complete Substance Abuse Screening
2. The posting of a SR-22 Certificate
3. Install a Certified ignition Interlock Device.

With this license the driver may drive the vehicle with the interlock anywhere and for an any purpose.

E. Second Offense Regular  or Extreme DUI within the past 7 years.

Special Ignition Interlock Restricted License for a Regular ¹⁵ and an Extreme DUI ¹⁶is available after the first 90 days of the Admin Per Se suspension¹⁷ or  ¹⁸and the first 45 days of the Revocation and requires:

1. Complete Substance Abuse Screening
2. the posing of a SR-22 Certificate
3. Install a Certified ignition Interlock Device.

With this license the driver may drive the vehicle with the interlock anywhere and for an any purpose.

It is important to keep in mind that after the time period of the suspension or revocation ends, so does the Restricted Permit or License or Special Ignition Interlock Restricted License.  If as of the end of the time period for the suspension of revocation the driver has not fully reinstated their Arizona driver’s license or privilege to drive, they may not drive for any reason.  This rule applies to all Suspensions and Revocations.

F. Restricted License for Underaged Drinking and Driving.

A license of a driver convicted of Underage Drinking and Driving is subject to a mandatory 2-year suspension of their Arizona Driver’s License or Privilege to Drive.  The driver may be issued a Special Ignition Interlock Restricted License if the court orders the MVD to issue one.¹⁹   The issuance of the Special Ignition Interlock Restricted License requires:

1. The posting of a SR-22 Certificate
2. Install a Certified ignition Interlock Device.

The Special Ignition Interlock Restricted License shall restrict the driver’s privilege to drive between the person’s home, school and place of employment during specified periods of time according to the person’s school and employment schedule.

G. Restricted License for Driving On a Suspended License.

The mandatory license or privilege to drive suspension for drivers convicted of driving on a Suspended License has been eliminated as of August 3, 2018 and therefore no Restricted Permit or License will no longer be needed.²⁰

H. Restricted License After a Conviction for Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death or Serious Physical Injury.

5 years after a driver has completed their prison sentence for a conviction of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death or Serious Physical Injury ²¹ they may apply for a Restricted License if the following is true:

1. The person is not convicted of any offense involving the operation of a motor vehicle while the person’s driving privilege is revoked.
2.  The person has paid full restitution as ordered by the court.

The permitted driving is:

1. Between the person’s place of employment and residence during specified periods of time while at employment.
2.  Between the person’s place of residence, the person’s place of employment and the person’s secondary or postsecondary school according to the person’s employment or educational schedule.
3. Between the person’s place of residence and a screening, education or treatment facility for scheduled appointments.
4. Between the person’s place of residence and the office of the person’s probation officer for scheduled appointments.
5. Between the person’s place of residence and the office of a physician or other health care professional.
6. Between the person’s place of residence and a certified ignition interlock device service facility.²²

Suspension of Noncommercial Driver’s License for Nonpayment of Child Support.

Arizona  Noncommercial Driver’s Licenses and Privileges to Drive may be suspended  for nonpayment of child support²³

To be eligible for a Restricted License the driver must do all of the following:

1. Be employed for at least thirty hours per week.
2.  Have a place of employment or attend a school that is located more than one mile from the driver’s place of residence.
3. Show that the employment or educational endeavor can reasonably be expected to contribute to bringing the driver into compliance with the support order in a timely manner.
4. Enter into a payment plan with the department of economic security to pay the child support arrearage.  If the court finds that the driver is not in compliance with the agreement at any time, the driver is subject to license suspension pursuant to this section.

The permitted driving is:

1. Between the person’s place of employment and residence during specified periods of time while at employment.
2.  Between the person’s place of residence, the person’s place of employment and the person’s secondary or postsecondary school according to the person’s employment or educational schedule.
3.  Between the person’s place of residence and a screening, education or treatment facility for scheduled appointments.
4. Between the person’s place of residence and the office of a physician or other health care professional.
5. Between the person’s place of residence and a location designated for the purpose of parenting time.

Suspensions and Revocations for Which Restricted Licenses, Permits and Special Ignition Restricted Licenses Are Not Available.

Restricted Restricted Licenses, Permits and Special Ignition Interlock Restricted Licenses Are Not Available for the following Suspensions and Revocations.

1. All Aggravated DUIs except revocations imposed for an Aggravated DUI which a Child in the Vehicle is the only charge ²⁴
2. Revocations for 2 major misdemeanor offenses (Reckless Driving, DUI and Racing), where one of the offenses is not a DUI²⁵
3. Suspensions and Revocations for convictions imposed outside of Arizona for conduct which had it occurred in Arizona, would have resulted in a conviction within Arizona (for example out of state DUIs)²⁶
4. Revocations for Medical Disqualification²⁷
5. Points Suspensions²⁸
6. Suspensions for having committed or permitted an act involving an unlawful or fraudulent use of the license ²⁹
7. Suspensions for convictions for Driving Without an Interlock when the driver’s license otherwise requires an interlock³⁰
8. A homicide or aggravated assault resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle ³¹
9.  A felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used³²
10. Unlawful use of means of transportation³³
11. Theft of means of transportation³⁴
12. Drive by shooting³⁵
13. Perjury or the making of a false affidavit or statement under oath to the department under this chapter or under any other law relating to the ownership or operation of a motor vehicle³⁶
14. Theft of a Motor Vehicle³⁷
15. Improper use of a license³⁸
16. Second Implied Consent Suspension within 7 years.³⁹
17. Suspensions for No Insurance.⁴⁰

1. 28 A.R.S. § 1385.K
2. 28 A.R.S. § 1385.I
3. 28 A.R.S. § 144
4. 28 A.R.S. § 1402.A
5. 28 A.R.S. § 144
6. 28 A.R.S. § 1321.P
7. 28 A.R.S. § 1381
8. 28 A.R.S. § 1382
9. 28 A.R.S. § 1385
10. 28 A.R.S. § 1321.
11. 28 A.R.S. § 1387.E
12. 28 A.R.S. § 144
13. 28 A.R.S. § 1402.A
14. 28 A.R.S. § 1383.K
15. 28 A.R.S. § 1381.O
16. 28 AR.S. § 1382.H
17. 28 A.R.S. § 1385
18. 28 A.R.S. § 1387.D
19. 28 A.R.S. § 3322
20. 28 A.R.S. § 3473
21. 25 A.R.S. § 661
22. 28 A.R.S. § 3473.B
23. 25 A.R.S. § 518
24. 28 A.R.S. § 1383.K
25. 28 A.R.S. § 3304.A.9
26. 28 A.R.S. § 3303
27. 28 A.R.S. § 3306.A.5
28. 28 A.R.S. § 3306.A.6
29. 28 A.R.S. § 3306.A.6
30. 28 A.R.S. § 1464
31. 28 A.R.S. § 3304.A.1
32. 28 A.R.S. § 3304.A.2
33. 28 A.R.S. § 3304.A.4
34. 28 A.R.S. §3304.A.5
35. 28 A.R.S. § 3304.A.6
36. 28 A.R.S. § 3304.A.8
37. 28 A.R.S. § 3304.A.3
38. 28 A.R.S. § 3310
39. 28 A.R.S. § 1321.P
40. 28 A.R.S. § 4135

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