DUI offenses are serious, no matter what state they occur in; However, the states are becoming more and more connected with each other, especially as it relates to driver’s license records. If a person has a DUI in West Palm Beach and they live in the state and the person wants to move to another, there is a possibility that the other state would give them a harsher penalty if their rules are to give them a harsher penalty than the home state would.
If, for example, someone gets a DUI out of state and they have gotten a three-month suspension or a six-month suspension in New York or New Jersey, but move to Florida, Florida is going to, mostly, give the person the maximum suspension under Florida law. They might give them a year-long suspension. These are just some of the out of state consequences following a West Palm Beach DUI arrest that a person might face. If an individual has been charged with a DUI offense while driving in another state, they should seek the services of a distinguished DUI attorney that could help.
How Can an Out of State DUI Affect Someone’s Record?
The effect that an out of state DUI can have on a DUI record depends on the state, the status, and the posture of the case. It also depends upon whether or not the person is supposed to be suspended or not. If a person who had a West Palm Beach DUI and their license is suspended in Palm Beach or in the state of Florida as a result of that DUI, they would not be able to get a license in any other state while they are suspended in Florida. Florida, for instance, makes it a felony to even apply for a license in the state of Florida if a person knows that they are suspended in another state.
Applying for a License in Another State Following License Suspension
One of the out of state consequences following a West Palm Beach DUI arrest is license suspension. If someone goes to Florida with a DUI suspension from another state and applies for a license, they may be committing a felony in the State of Florida. If a person is from Florida and they go into another state to apply for a driver’s license in that other state, like New Jersey, it may in fact be a crime to apply for a license if they know that they are already suspended for DUI or suspended for any reason in the state of Florida.
Impact a DUI Can Have on Traveling or Returning Home
A DUI arrest in West Palm Beach for an out of state resident or international tourist will not affect their trip home except if their only form of identification has been seized by law enforcement. In fact, one of the out of state consequences following a West Palm Beach DUI arrest is the seizure of an individual’s license and/or passport.
If a person has been arrested and are visiting from out of the country and they had their passport on them and the law enforcement took that passport, it would be hard for them to get out of the country.
If a person is from out of state and law enforcement take their ID, it is going to be hard for them to board a plane or at least until they get another copy of their ID or their license straightened.
Consulting a West Palm Beach DUI Attorney
Getting in trouble away from home, whether it is out of state or out of the country can be an inconvenience. A DUI arrest which a person can commit from out of state or out of the country can be very impactful especially if their ID is taken as part of the arrest, which is typical at least for a driver’s license, not so much for a passport, but a driver’s license typically is taken as a result of a DUI. It could delay a person’s departure. It could impede their departure. It can make life difficult for them even when they do return home if they do not have a passport or driver’s license when they get there. If an individual has been arrested for an out of state DUI and needs help mitigating out of state consequences following a West Palm Beach DUI arrest, they should consult a qualified DUI lawyer that could advocate for them.
