The stakes are always high when it comes to DWI in Texas, but getting DWI with a CDL can impact your future twofold. That’s because if you have a commercial driver’s license, odds are that your livelihood is entirely dependent on keeping that license in good standing. When you get a DWI with a CDL, it can mean losing your job, losing future opportunities within your industry, and essentially turning your life upside-down. But what about if you already have a DWI on your record, can you get a CDL with a DWI?
Yes, you can technically get a CDL with a DWI in Texas — under certain circumstances. However, all DWI convictions for CDL holders can lead to disqualification periods, increased insurance costs, and sometimes extreme difficulty finding employment within the trucking industry.
Don’t risk your commercial driving career by handling a DWI charge alone. At Thiessen Law Firm, we understand that your CDL isn’t just a license — it’s your livelihood. Our experienced team, led by triple board-certified attorney Mark Thiessen, has helped countless commercial drivers protect their careers and futures.
Call us today at (713) 864-9000 for a free consultation and let us fight to protect your commercial driving privileges.
What happens if you get a DWI with a CDL in Texas?
If you already have your CDL when you get a DWI in Texas, you’re looking at some pretty serious consequences that could derail your entire career. The hard truth is that CDL holders face an automatic one-year disqualification of their commercial license — and yes, that applies even if you got the DWI while driving your personal car on your own time. This is especially tricky because the legal alcohol limit for CDL holders in commercial vehicles is half that of normal civilians at only .04!
The federal government doesn’t mess around when it comes to commercial drivers, and they’ll treat the offense just as seriously whether you were hauling cargo or heading home from dinner.
Here’s where it gets even tougher: refusing a breath or blood test won’t help your situation. That refusal triggers the same one-year CDL disqualification, even if you end up beating the DWI charge in court. Your employers and their insurance companies aren’t likely to stick around and wait for you either. It’s a classic “between a rock and a hard place” situation that you definitely don’t want to face alone.
Learn more about what happens when you get a DWI with a CDL in Texas
Can you still get a CDL with a DWI in Texas?
On the flip side, if you’re looking to get your CDL, but you’ve already been charged with a DWI in Texas it is still possible to get your CDL. Although you will have to wait until your suspension is complete, you will become CDL-eligible afterward. But don’t start celebrating just yet.
Most companies require a specific waiting period before they’ll consider hiring a driver with a DWI — typically at least two years after your license was restored (which means about three years from when you were charged).
In other words, do everything within your power NOT to get a DWI on your record. It can take away your one source of income for quite some time, and jeopardize your driving career moving forward.
How long do you have to wait to get a CDL after DWI?
Understanding the DWI Texas license suspension laws is helpful here — it’s not just a temporary suspension, but a complete withdrawal of your driving privileges. When your license is revoked after a DWI, you’ll have to spend a period of time with that revoked license, meaning you’re in for a suspension period of 90 days to 2 years, depending on the circumstances of your case and whether you refused a breath or blood test.
After this suspension period, you’ll need to go through the license reinstatement before you can apply for your CDL. This involves completing several requirements:
- Paying all your reinstatement fees
- Completing a DWI education program
- Installing an ignition interlock device (if required by the court)
- Maintaining SR-22 insurance for a specified period
- Serving any mandatory waiting periods
Once you’ve completed these steps and your regular license is reinstated, you can begin the process of applying for your CDL.
The key takeaway? While a DWI doesn’t permanently prevent you from getting your CDL, it does create a lengthy and expensive process that can significantly delay your career plans. That’s why you need to consult with an experienced DWI attorney who understands Texas CDL DWI laws and can help minimize these delays and protect your future commercial driving opportunities.
What disqualifies you from getting a CDL in Texas?
Unless this was a DWI in Texas first offense, you may be facing a lifetime suspension of your CDL. While a first DWI is typically classified as a misdemeanor, repeat offenses can be escalated to a felony in Texas. So, the real question is can you get a CDL with a felony in Texas?
Let’s break down the key disqualifications that could prevent you from obtaining or keeping your CDL:
Permanent Disqualifications:
- Felony convictions involving:
- Armed robbery
- Sexual assault
- Distribution of controlled substances
- Crimes involving commercial vehicles
- Any felony involving a motor vehicle
- Multiple DWI convictions in any type of vehicle
- Using a commercial vehicle in the commission of a felony
- Drug trafficking convictions
- Causing a fatality through negligent operation of a commercial vehicle
- Multiple serious traffic violations that result in permanent CDL suspension
Temporary Disqualifications:
- First-offense DWI (one-year disqualification)
- Leaving the scene of an accident (one-year disqualification)
- Refusing a blood alcohol test (one-year disqualification)
- Driving on a suspended, revoked, or canceled license
- Serious traffic violations within a three-year period
- Non-traffic-related felonies (may require waiting periods)
Because of disqualifications (and the fact that a CDL might be essential to your ability to maintain a livelihood), it’s incredibly important to understand what’s what when you get a DWI. What are your options? Can you find a way around things? Can you possibly fight this DWI charge — and win?
How to lose your CDL in Texas
So you’ve managed to get your CDL after a DWI, or maybe you’re just trying to protect your existing commercial license. Either way, you need to make sure you understand the relationship between DWI and CDL in Texas because the rules are a lot stricter for commercial drivers. One wrong move could cost you your livelihood, so let’s break down exactly what actions could result in losing your commercial driving privileges.
Here are the most common ways to lose your CDL in Texas:
- Getting two DWI in any vehicle (automatic lifetime disqualification for second offense)
- Refusing a blood or breath test when stopped for suspicion of DWI (automatic one-year suspension)
- Leaving the scene of an accident while operating any vehicle
- Committing a felony involving a motor vehicle
- Operating a commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .04 or higher (half the legal limit for regular drivers)
- Accumulating too many serious traffic violations within a three-year period
- Violating out-of-service orders
- Using a commercial vehicle in the commission of a crime
- Failing to submit to required drug or alcohol testing
- Providing false information on your CDL application or renewal
Texas takes commercial driving privileges seriously, and the consequences for violations are severe. Even if you’ve successfully obtained your CDL after a previous DWI, you’re walking on thin ice. The state has zero tolerance for repeat offenders, and a second offense will permanently end your commercial driving career.
That’s why you need to follow all traffic laws, maintain proper documentation, and never get behind the wheel if there’s any question about your blood alcohol content. And if you do get pulled over for drunk driving, you need to call Thiessen Law Firm before you even think about talking to law enforcement.
Recently received a DWI with a CDL in Texas? Call us ASAP.
Whether you’re wondering “Can you get a CDL with a DWI?” or fighting to keep your existing commercial license, having the right lawyer on your side can make all the difference. And if you’re on the lookout for the right DWI attorney in Houston, then certified ACS-CHAL Lawyer-Scientist Mark Thiessen should catch your eye. Mark is a perennial Texas Super Lawyer and a triple board-certified criminal lawyer.
Here at Thiessen Law Firm, we do everything we can to make sure our clients come out on the other side of a DWI as untouched as they possibly can. If you’ve received a DWI charge with a CDL, don’t hesitate — get help NOW. Call Thiessen Law firm at (713) 864-9000 or contact us online to request your free consultation.
More Helpful Articles by Thiessen Law Firm:
- Is a DWI a Felony in Texas?
- How to Win a DWI Trial
- How to Build a Strong DWI Defense
- What Is the Statute of Limitations in Texas for DWI?
- What to Expect During a DWI Case in Texas
