Maryland DUI License Reinstatement: Steps to Get Your License Back After a DUI

Two Separate Tracks Are Running at the Same Time

A DUI or DWI arrest in Maryland triggers two parallel processes that many people do not realize are independent of each other:

The administrative track is managed by the MVA. The moment you are arrested, the officer confiscates your license and issues a temporary 45-day paper license (Form DR-15A). The MVA initiates a license suspension based on your breath test results or test refusal — this happens regardless of what the criminal court decides.

The criminal track is managed by the District or Circuit Court. A DUI conviction, a DWI conviction, or even a Probation Before Judgment (PBJ) for an alcohol-related offense each carry their own penalties and program requirements.

Both tracks must be resolved before you can get a fully unrestricted license back.

Mandatory Waiting Periods Before Reinstatement

The MVA imposes revocation waiting periods under Transportation Article § 16-208. These clocks only start when you physically surrender your license to the MVA or file a Certified Statement confirming it is lost or destroyed — not from the date of arrest or conviction.

For a first DUI offense, the typical revocation period is six months. Subsequent offenses carry longer periods. During this waiting period, you cannot hold any driving credential unless you enroll in the Ignition Interlock Program.

The Ignition Interlock Requirement

Under Noah's Law (expanded by HB 105, effective October 1, 2024), the Ignition Interlock Program is mandatory for virtually all DUI and DWI cases:

• DUI convictions
• DWI convictions
• Probation Before Judgment for alcohol-related offenses
• Chemical test refusals
• BAC of 0.08 or higher

Program durations are fixed by statute:

• BAC 0.08 to 0.149: 180 days
• BAC 0.15 or higher, or test refusal: 1 full year
• First-offense DWI (BAC 0.07 to 0.0799): 6 months

To participate, you must contract with an MVA-approved interlock provider to install a camera-enabled device, submit proof of installation (Form AJ-013), and obtain an interlock-restricted license with restriction code "J." The device costs $100 to $180 for installation plus $80 to $100 per month for the lease.

You must complete the final three consecutive months of the program with zero violations. Any violation — a BAC over 0.025 on a startup test, a failed rolling retest, a missed calibration, or fewer than 50 vehicle starts in a 30-day period — adds a mandatory 30-day extension. Violations during the final three months add 90 days.

Alcohol Education and Treatment Programs

The MVA requires treatment programs before you can apply for reinstatement, and the requirements escalate with repeat incidents:

• One incident: Complete a 12-hour Alcohol Education Program (AEP) through an MVA-approved provider
• Two incidents within 5 years: Complete a 6-month treatment program with monthly urine testing and EtG screening
• Three or more incidents: Complete a 6-month program with twice-monthly testing, plus a fitness investigation by the MVA's Driver Wellness and Safety Division

Program providers submit completion certificates electronically to the MVA. You do not need to deliver paperwork yourself, but confirm with your provider that the submission went through — an unrecorded completion is a common cause of reinstatement delays.

The Reinstatement Application Itself

Once you have completed the waiting period, the interlock program, and the required education or treatment, the actual reinstatement application goes through the MVA:

1. Submit a reinstatement application via your myMVA account
2. Pay the $150 drug/alcohol reinstatement fee (higher than the standard $90 reinstatement fee)
3. If your license was expired for more than one year during the revocation period, you will need to retake the vision, knowledge, and road tests
4. Visit a full-service MVA branch to have your new license printed

Do Not Overlook Stacked Holds

A DUI arrest can generate multiple holds simultaneously — the DUI-specific revocation, an insurance lapse if your policy was canceled after the arrest, court-related holds from the criminal case, and even a child support flag if you were already behind. Each hold requires separate resolution through its originating agency, and clearing them in the wrong order can waste time and money.

The Maryland License Reinstatement Guide covers the full inventory-to-restoration sequence for DUI cases, including how to identify every active hold on your record and work through the agencies in the right order.

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