DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer St. Peters, MO. If you’ve been arrested for DWI/DUI in St. Peters, MO, your ability to drive is at stake. The Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) will automatically suspend or revoke your license, but you have a limited window to challenge this action through an administrative hearing.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. You have only 15 days after your arrest to request this hearing. A Combs Waterkotte St. Peters, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer can fight for your right to drive and build a strategic defense for your case. Call (314) 900-HELP or reach out online for a free consultation with one of our expert St. Peters, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys before the deadline passes.
Legal Videos
DWI Stop Advice – Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
DWI/DUI Stop Advice and Tips. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage
Before we could shoot our behind-the-scenes video, there was… this. A quick glimpse at the setup, the laughs, and everything that didn’t quite make the final cut. While this is a fun video …
Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)
Missouri criminal defense and DWI attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
What Is the Process of Going to Court for a DWI?
What happens when you go to court for a DWI or DUI charge? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte outline what to expect when going to court for a DWI or DUI.
Long Term Consequences of a DWI
What are the long-term consequences of a DWI? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss the potential long-term consequences of a DWI or DUI conviction on your …
What to Do If You Are Pulled Over for DWI in Missouri
What actions should you take if you are pulled over for suspicion of a DWI in Missouri? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss how to handle the difficult situation of …
DWI Stop Advice – Always Have Your Paperwork Ready
DWI/DUI Stop Advice and Tips. Attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
(Making Of) DWI Behind the Scenes Video – Bonus Footage
Before we could shoot our behind-the-scenes video, there was… this. A quick glimpse at the setup, the laughs, and everything that didn’t quite make the final cut. While this is a fun video …
Behind the Scenes of a DWI/DUI Traffic Stop (Step-by-Step Walkthrough)
Missouri criminal defense and DWI attorneys Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte provide a real-time walkthrough of the proper actions to take—and crucial mistakes to avoid—during a DWI/DUI …
What Is the Process of Going to Court for a DWI?
What happens when you go to court for a DWI or DUI charge? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte outline what to expect when going to court for a DWI or DUI.
Long Term Consequences of a DWI
What are the long-term consequences of a DWI? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss the potential long-term consequences of a DWI or DUI conviction on your …
What to Do If You Are Pulled Over for DWI in Missouri
What actions should you take if you are pulled over for suspicion of a DWI in Missouri? Christopher Combs and Steven Waterkotte of Combs Waterkotte discuss how to handle the difficult situation of …
What is a DWI Administrative Hearing in St. Peters, MO and Across Missouri?
A DWI administrative hearing is a separate civil process from your criminal case in St. Peters, MO. This hearing determines whether the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) can legally suspend or revoke your driver’s license based on your arrest. If you fail to request a hearing, your license suspension will take effect automatically—without giving you a chance to challenge it.
At the hearing, the following key elements are evaluated:
- Did law enforcement have reasonable grounds to stop you?
- Were you driving a vehicle while intoxicated?
- Did you refuse a breath or blood test?
Winning the hearing can mean keeping your license and avoiding additional penalties. If the DOR determines that the three above questions are affirmatively answered and proven by a preponderance of evidence, your license will be suspended or revoked based on any prior offenses or test refusal.
License Suspension & Revocation Penalties in Missouri
If you’re facing a DWI administrative suspension, the penalties depend on your prior offenses in St. Peters, MO or elsewhere in Missouri:
- First DWI Offense: This results in a 90-day license suspension and you could be eligible for a Restricted Driving Privilege in St. Peters after 30 days.
- Second DWI Offense: Comes with a 1-year revocation, or 5-year license denial if the previous offense was within 5 years.
- Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test: Triggers a 1-year revocation under Missouri’s implied consent law and makes you ineligible for a hardship license for 90 days.
Since the burden of proof is minimal—just proving it’s more likely than not that you were intoxicated—navigating this hearing alone could jeopardize your license, job, and daily freedom in and around St. Peters, MO.
The Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing lawyers have over 40 years of experience, successfully handling 10,000+ cases like yours in St. Peters, MO and across Missouri. Contact us right away to fight for your driving privileges and get the legal defense you need in St. Peters, MO.
-
Protect Your License
![Image]()
Protect Your License
You have only 15 days to request an administrative hearing. Act quickly to protect your driver’s licenses.
Reach Out Now
-
Know Your Next Steps
![Image]()
Know Your Next Steps
Wondering what happens after your DWI/DUI arrest? The experienced Combs Waterkotte attorneys have the answers.
Stay Informed
-
Get Started Now
![Image]()
Ready to Talk to an Expert?
Contact the skilled Combs Waterkotte DWI/DUI lawyers now at (314) 900-HELP to get started on your defense.
Get Started
How to Get a Limited Driving Privilege (Hardship License) in St. Peters, MO
If you licenses has been suspended, revoked, or denied, you might qualify for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in St. Peters, MO. To be eligible, you’ll likely need to file an SR-22 insurance form and install an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) on your vehicle. After 30 days from your 15-day administrative hearing period, an LDP may allow you to drive under specific conditions, like:
- Attending Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program (SATOP) or other alcohol- or drug-treatment programs
- Seeking the required services of a certified IID provider
- A business, occupation, or employment
- Seeking medical treatment
- Attending school or other institution of higher education
- Any other circumstance the court finds would create an undue hardship
The LDP application process in Missouri can be complex, but working with an experienced St. Peters, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.
St. Charles County Resources
Below are quick links to important websites that may assist you with your legal matters in St. Charles County and Missouri.
Why You Need a St. Peters, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer
Having a skilled DWI administrative hearing attorney in St. Peters, MO can make the difference between keeping your license and facing a suspension. Our DWI/DUI defense lawyers know how to challenge procedural errors and legal flaws in your St. Peters, MO case, and if the DOR fails to prove even one of the above required elements, your suspension can be overturned.
For a suspension to proceed, you must have been under arrest at the time of the breathalyzer or blood test, and that arrest must have been based on probable cause that you were operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. (This is why the Combs Waterkotte St. Peters, MO DWI/DUI defense team suggests that you refuse these tests, along with any field sobriety test, as law enforcement only conducts these tests to establish probable cause.)
However, delays between the alleged driving and the first police encounter can weaken this argument, making it difficult to prove you were intoxicated while actually behind the wheel. Additionally, Missouri has strict regulations governing breath and blood testing procedures, including:
- Routine maintenance of testing devices every 35 days
- The operator collecting the sample be properly certified
- Use of state-approved testing machines
- Calibration and accuracy must meet legal standards
- Testing machine must function within state’s precise limits regarding temperature and accuracy
If any of these procedures were not followed, your BAC results may be inadmissible, which can significantly strengthen your case. Our St. Peters, MO legal team conducts thorough investigations into testing equipment, maintenance records, and law enforcement procedures to find potential grounds for dismissing or reducing your suspension.
Appealing the Decision of a St. Peters, MO DWI Administrative Hearing
A license suspension or revocation after a DWI administrative hearing is not necessarily final—you can appeal the DOR’s decision by filing an appeal in the St. Peters, MO circuit court within 15 days of the ruling. This appeal must be submitted in the circuit court of the county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be officially served with notice of the appeal. A St. Peters, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer from Combs Waterkotte can guide you through the process and represent you in court to get the best possible outcome.
Once it’s filed, the case moves to a de novo hearing, where the St. Peters, MO circuit court will conduct a fresh review of the evidence without relying on or deferring to the DOR’s previous decision. And, unlike in an administrative hearing, circuit court appeals often allow live witness testimony providing our St. Peters, MO DWI/DUI attorneys to present a stronger defense.
Keep in mind that filing an appeal does not automatically stop your suspension or revocation. Your license penalty could take effect before the court hears your case, meaning you may be unable to drive while waiting for a ruling. If the circuit court determines that the DOR lacked sufficient evidence to suspend your license, your driving privileges may be restored, but only after serving part of your suspension.
When you hire a Combs Waterkotte St. Peters, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer, you’re not just choosing a top-rated DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in and around St. Peters, MO – you’re safeguarding your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. In addition to experienced DWI administrative hearing lawyers, our legal team is available 24/7 and offers expertise in the following areas for residents in St. Peters and beyond:
Don’t Wait—Contact a St. Peters, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer Right Away to Keep Your Driving Privileges
A DWI/DUI arrest in St. Peters, MO doesn’t just mean criminal charges—it puts your driver’s license at immediate risk. You have only 15 days to request a DWI administrative hearing, or else your license suspension or revocation will go into effect immediately—with no option to appeal. Act fast to get a St. Peters, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer on your side to give yourself the best chance at keeping your driving privileges.
Call Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP or reach out online for a free, no-obligation case review. Our St. Peters, MO DWI defense team is ready to fight for you and build a strong case to protect your future.
