St. Louis, MO

DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer St. Louis, MO. If you have been arrested for DWI/DUI near St. Louis, MO, you’re facing more than just criminal charges—you’re also at risk of losing your driver’s license. The Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) initiates an automatic suspension or revocation of your license following a DWI arrest, but you have the right to challenge this action through an administrative hearing.

You have only 15 days following your arrest to request this hearing. Don’t wait—protect your license by contacting a St. Louis, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer at Combs Waterkotte now. Call (314) 900-HELP or reach out online to schedule a free, confidential consultation with one of our expert St. Louis, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys who can fight for your driving privileges and build a strong defense for your case in St. Louis, MO.

St. Louis, MO DWI Administrative Hearings: What You Need to Know

A DWI administrative hearing is not a criminal trial—it’s a civil proceeding that determines where your driver’s license will be suspended or revoked after a DWI arrest in St. Louis, MO. If you don’t request this hearing, your suspension takes effect automatically, and you lose the chance to contest it.

During the hearing, the following elements are examined:

• Did law enforcement have reasonable grounds to stop you?
• Were you driving a vehicle while intoxicated?
• Did you refuse a breath or blood test?

A successful hearing outcome could mean keeping your license and avoiding further penalties. However, if the DOR finds that all elements are met and supported by a preponderance of evidence, your license will be suspended or revoked, depending on prior offenses or test refusals.

Missouri License Suspension & Revocation Consequences

The outcome of an administrative hearing depends on your driving history in St. Louis and across Missouri:

• First DWI/DUI Offense: A 90-day suspension applies, but you might qualify for a Restricted Driving Privilege in St. Louis, MO after 30 days.
• Second DWI/DUI Offense: Comes with a 1-year revocation, or 5-year license denial if the previous offense was within 5 years.
• Refusing 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. Louis, MO.

With 40+ years of experience and 10,000+ cases successfully handled in St. Louis and across Missouri, the Combs Waterkotte DWI administrative hearing team is ready to fight for your rights. Reach out to a skilled DWI administrative hearing lawyer in St. Louis, MO today to discuss your case and protect your driving future.

How to Get a Limited Driving Privilege (Hardship License) in St. Louis, MO

If your driving privilege is suspended, revoked, or denied, you may be eligible for a Limited Driving Privilege (LDP) in St. Louis, MO. You will most likely need to have an SR-22 insurance form on file and an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installed on your vehicle. If granted after 30 days following your 15-day administrative hearing period, the LDP allows you to drive in specific situations, such as:

• 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. Louis, MO DWI attorney can help you regain your driving privileges as quickly as possible.

Why You Need a St. Louis, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer

Fighting a DWI license suspension in St. Louis, MO requires legal experience and technical knowledge—our St. Louis, MO DWI/DUI defense attorneys have both. The DOR must prove specific legal elements to suspend your license, and if they fail to do so, you can keep your driving privileges.

A valid suspension requires that you were under arrest at the time of a breathalyzer or blood test and that the arresting officer had probable cause to believe you were intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle. (This is why the Combs Waterkotte St. Louis, 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. Also, Missouri law mandates strict compliance with Department of Health and Senior Services regulations regarding breath and blood testing procedures. These regulations require that:

• Machines must be serviced every 35 days
• Proper certification of the testing officer
• The machine used must be approved under state regulations
• Strict calibration and accuracy standards
• The machine functions within precise limits regarding temperature and accuracy

If any of these requirements were not met, we can challenge the BAC results, which could lead to the dismissal of your suspension. Our team of St. Louis, MO DWI experts has a proven track record of helping clients throughout Missouri keep their licenses.

Appealing a Missouri DWI Administrative Hearing

If your license has been suspended or revoked, you have the right to challenge the DOR’s decision by filing an appeal in the St. Louis, MO circuit court within 15 days of the final ruling. This appeal must be submitted in the circuit court of the county where your arrest occurred, and the DOR must be officially notified of the appeal. Our St. Louis, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyers can handle the entire appeals process on your behalf to get the best possible outcome.

The appeal moves to a de novo hearing, where the St. Louis, MO circuit court reviews all evidence from scratch rather than relying on the DOR’s original decision. Unlike the initial administrative hearing, circuit court appeals allow live witness testimony, giving our St. Louis, MO DWI/DUI lawyers an opportunity to present a stronger, more detailed defense.

It is important to note though, that filing an appeal does not automatically pause your suspension or revocation. In fact, your penalty could go into effect before the appeal hearing occurs meaning you may not be able to drive until the St. Louis, MO circuit court rules on your case. If the court ultimately determines that there was insufficient evidence for the suspension or revocation, your driving privileges may be reinstated but this ruling would come only after a period of restricted or suspended driving.

If you choose a Combs Waterkotte St. Louis, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer, you aren’t just choosing a leading DWI administrative hearing lawyer lawyer in and around St. Louis, MO – you are protecting your license, your rights, your freedom, and your future. In addition to knowledgeable DWI administrative hearing attorneys, our legal team is available 24/7 and provides expertise in the following areas for St. Louis, MO residents:

• Violent Crime Lawyer
• Drug Crimes Lawyer
• Gun Crime Lawyer
• Child Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
• Homicide Lawyer
• Assault Lawyer
• Rape Defense Lawyer

Time is Running Out—Get a St. Louis, MO DWI Administrative Hearing Lawyer on Your Side to Keep Your Driving Privileges

A DWI/DUI arrest in St. Louis, 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 immediate effect—with no option to appeal. Act fast to hire a St. Louis, MO DWI administrative hearing lawyer to give yourself the best chance at keeping your driving privileges.

Call Combs Waterkotte now at (314) 900-HELP or reach out online for a no-obligation case review. Our St. Louis, MO DWI defense team is ready to fight for you and build a strong case to protect your future.