Driving While License Suspended/Revoked (DWLS)

Many people underestimate the seriousness of a Driving While License Suspended/Revoked (DWLS) charge and do not understand the repercussions that are associated with a conviction. Being convicted of a DWLS charge can lead to mandatory sanctions on your Michigan driver’s license and can even result in jail time. If the DWLS conviction shows up on your driving record, the Michigan Secretary of State will automatically add an additional revocation period of one to five years (depending on the original revocation period) to your driver’s license. This additional revocation period will affect the date you will be eligible to apply for a Michigan Driver’s License Restoration hearing. In these types of cases, it is imperative that you get the charge dismissed or reduced to a charge that will not show up on your driving record. Be aware - sometimes, a prosecutor will offer a “no ops” reduction, and while there can be benefits to accepting this reduction, this conviction will be reported to the Michigan Secretary of State and trigger the mandatory licensing sanctions.