Fla. Stat. § 322.271 — Florida Code / Title XXIII / Chapter 322 / Section 322.271
322.271 Authority to modify revocation, cancellation, or suspension order.
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Upon the suspension, cancellation, or revocation of the driver license of any person as authorized or required in this chapter, except a person whose license is revoked as a habitual traffic offender under s. 322.27(5) or a person who is ineligible to be granted the privilege of driving on a limited or restricted basis under subsection (2), the department shall immediately notify the licensee and, upon his or her request, shall afford him or her an opportunity for a hearing pursuant to chapter 120, as early as practicable within not more than 30 days after receipt of such request, in the county wherein the licensee resides, unless the department and the licensee agree that such hearing may be held in some other county. 1 (b) A person whose driving privilege has been revoked under s. 322.27(5) may, upon expiration of 12 months from the date of such revocation, petition the department for reinstatement of his or her driving privilege. Upon such petition and after investigation of the person’s qualification, fitness, and need to drive, the department shall hold a hearing pursuant to chapter 120 to determine whether the driving privilege shall be reinstated on a restricted basis solely for business or employment purposes. (c) For the purposes of this section, the term: 1. “A driving privilege restricted to business purposes only” means a driving privilege that is limited to any driving necessary to maintain livelihood, including driving to and from work, necessary on-the-job driving, driving for educational purposes, and driving for church and for medical purposes. 2. “A driving privilege restricted to employment purposes only” means a driving privilege that is limited to driving to and from work and any necessary on-the-job driving required by an employer or occupation. Driving for any purpose other than as provided by this paragraph is not permitted by a person whose driving privilege has been restricted to employment or business purposes. In addition, a person whose driving privilege is restricted to employment or business purposes remains subject to any restriction that applied to the type of license which the person held at the time of the order of suspension, cancellation, or revocation.

(2) At such hearing, the person whose license has been suspended, canceled, or revoked may show that such suspension, cancellation, or revocation causes a serious hardship and precludes the person from carrying out his or her normal business occupation, trade, or employment and that the use of the person’s license in the normal course of his or her business is necessary to the proper support of the person or his or her family. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the department shall require proof of the successful completion of the applicable department-approved driver training course operating pursuant to s. 318.1451 or DUI program substance abuse education course and evaluation as provided in s. 316.193(5). Letters of recommendation from respected business persons in the community, law enforcement officers, or judicial officers may also be required to determine whether the person should be permitted to operate a motor vehicle on a restricted basis for business or employment use only and in determining whether such person can be trusted to so operate a motor vehicle. If a driver license has been suspended under the point system or under s. 322.2615, the department shall require proof of enrollment in the applicable department-approved driver training course or licensed DUI program substance abuse education course, including evaluation and treatment, if referred, and may require letters of recommendation described in this paragraph to determine if the driver should be reinstated on a restricted basis. If the person fails to complete the approved course within 90 days after reinstatement or subsequently fails to complete treatment, the department shall cancel his or her driver license until the course and treatment, if applicable, is successfully completed, notwithstanding the terms of the court order or any suspension or revocation of the driving privilege. The department may temporarily reinstate the driving privilege on a restricted basis upon verification from the DUI program that the offender has reentered and is currently participating in treatment and has completed the DUI education course and evaluation requirement. If the DUI program notifies the department of the second failure to complete treatment, the department shall reinstate the driving privilege only after notice of completion of treatment from the DUI program. The privilege of driving on a limited or restricted basis for business or employment use may not be granted to a person who has been convicted of a violation of s. 316.193 until completion of the DUI program substance abuse education course and evaluations as provided in s. 316.193(5). Except as provided in paragraph (c), the privilege of driving on a limited or restricted basis for business or employment use may not be granted to a person whose license is revoked pursuant to s. 322.28 or suspended pursuant to s. 322.2615 and who has been convicted of a violation of s. 316.193 two or more times or whose license has been suspended two or more times for refusal to submit to a test pursuant to s. 322.2615 or former s. 322.261. (b) The department may waive the hearing process for suspensions and revocations upon request by the driver if the driver has enrolled in or completed the applicable driver training course approved under s. 318.1451 or the DUI program substance abuse education course and evaluation provided in s. 316.193(5). However, the department may not waive the hearing for suspensions or revocations that involve death or serious bodily injury, multiple convictions for violations of s. 316.193 pursuant to s. 322.27(5), or a second or subsequent suspension or revocation pursuant to the same provision of this chapter. This paragraph does not preclude the department from requiring a hearing for any suspension or revocation that it determines is warranted based on the severity of the offense. (c) A person whose license has been revoked for a period of 5 years or less pursuant to s. 322.28(2)(a) may, 12 months after the date the revocation was imposed, petition the department for reinstatement of his or her driving privilege on a restricted basis. A person whose license has been revoked for more than 5 years under s. 322.28(2)(a) may, 24 months after the date the revocation was imposed, petition the department for reinstatement of his or her driving privilege on a restricted basis. Reinstatement under this subsection is restricted to business or employment purposes only. In addition, the department shall require such persons upon reinstatement to have not driven and to have been drug free for at least 12 months immediately before the reinstatement, to be supervised by a DUI program licensed by the department, and to report to the program at least three times a year as required by the program for the duration of the revocation period for supervision. Such supervision includes evaluation, education, referral into treatment, and other activities required by the department. Such persons shall assume reasonable costs of supervision. If the person fails to comply with the required supervision, the program shall report the failure to the department, and the department shall cancel the person’s driving privilege. This paragraph does not apply to any person whose driving privilege has been permanently revoked. (d) For the purpose of this section, a previous conviction of driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, driving with an unlawful blood-alcohol level, or any other similar alcohol-related or drug-related offense outside this state or a previous conviction of former s. 316.1931, former s. 316.028, or former s. 860.01 is considered a previous conviction for violation of s. 316.193. (e) The department, based upon review of the licensee’s application for reinstatement, may require use of an ignition interlock device pursuant to s. 322.2715.

(3) Upon such hearing, the department shall either suspend, affirm, or modify its order and may restore to the licensee the privilege of driving on a limited or restricted basis for business or employment use only.

(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 322.28(2)(d), a person whose driving privilege has been permanently revoked because he or she has been convicted of DUI manslaughter in violation of s. 316.193 and has no prior convictions for DUI-related offenses may, upon the expiration of 5 years after the date of such revocation or the expiration of 5 years after the termination of any term of incarceration under s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931, whichever date is later, petition the department for reinstatement of his or her driving privilege. (a) Within 30 days after the receipt of such a petition, the department shall afford the petitioner an opportunity for a hearing. At the hearing, the petitioner must demonstrate to the department that he or she: 1. Has not been arrested for a drug-related offense during the 5 years preceding the filing of the petition; 2. Has not driven a motor vehicle without a license for at least 5 years prior to the hearing; 3. Has been drug-free for at least 5 years prior to the hearing; and 4. Has completed a DUI program licensed by the department. (b) At such hearing, the department shall determine the petitioner’s qualification, fitness, and need to drive. Upon such determination, the department may, in its discretion, reinstate the driver license of the petitioner. Such reinstatement must be made subject to the following qualifications: 1. The license must be restricted for employment purposes for at least 1 year; and 2. Such person must be supervised by a DUI program licensed by the department and report to the program for such supervision and education at least four times a year or additionally as required by the program for the remainder of the revocation period. Such supervision shall include evaluation, education, referral into treatment, and other activities required by the department. (c) Such person must assume the reasonable costs of supervision. If such person fails to comply with the required supervision, the program shall report the failure to the department, and the department shall cancel such person’s driving privilege. (d) If, after reinstatement, such person is convicted of an offense for which mandatory revocation of his or her license is required, the department shall revoke his or her driving privilege. (e) The department shall adopt rules regulating the providing of services by DUI programs pursuant to this section.

(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 322.28(2)(d), a person whose driving privilege has been permanently revoked because he or she has been convicted four or more times of violating s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931 may, upon the expiration of 5 years after the date of the last conviction or the expiration of 5 years after the termination of any incarceration under s. 316.193 or former s. 316.1931, whichever is later, petition the department for reinstatement of his or her driving privilege. (a) Within 30 days after receipt of a petition, the department shall provide for a hearing, at which the petitioner must demonstrate that he or she: 1. Has not been arrested for a drug-related offense for at least 5 years prior to filing the petition; 2. Has not driven a motor vehicle without a license for at least 5 years prior to the hearing; 3. Has been drug-free for at least 5 years prior to the hearing; and 4. Has completed a DUI program licensed by the department. (b) At the hearing, the department shall determine the petitioner’s qualification, fitness, and need to drive, and may, after such determination, reinstate the petitioner’s driver license. The reinstatement shall be subject to the following qualifications: 1. The petitioner’s license must be restricted for employment purposes for at least 1 year; and 2. The petitioner must be supervised by a DUI program licensed by the department and must report to the program for supervision and education at least four times a year or more, as required by the program, for the remainder of the revocation period. The supervision shall include evaluation, education, referral into treatment, and other activities required by the department. (c) The petitioner must assume the reasonable costs of supervision. If the petitioner does not comply with the required supervision, the program shall report the failure to the department, and the department shall cancel such person’s driving privilege. (d) If, after reinstatement, the petitioner is convicted of an offense for which mandatory license revocation is required, the department shall revoke his or her driving privilege. (e) The department shall adopt rules regulating the services provided by DUI programs pursuant to this section.

(6) A person may not be issued a commercial driver license during a period in which such person is disqualified from operating commercial motor vehicles or in which the driving privilege of such person is suspended, revoked, or canceled.

(7) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 322.2615(10)(a) and (b), a person who has never previously had a driver license suspended under s. 322.2615, has never been disqualified under s. 322.64, has never been convicted of a violation of s. 316.193, and whose driving privilege is now suspended under s. 322.2615 is eligible for a restricted driving privilege pursuant to a hearing under subsection (2). (a) For purposes of this subsection, a previous conviction outside of this state for driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, driving with an unlawful blood-alcohol level, or any other alcohol-related or drug-related traffic offense similar to the offense of driving under the influence as provided in s. 316.193 will be considered a previous conviction for a violation of s. 316.193, and a conviction for violation of former s. 316.028, former s. 316.1931, or former s. 860.01 is considered a conviction for a violation of s. 316.193. (b) The reinstatement shall be restricted to business purposes only, as defined in this section, for the duration of the suspension imposed under s. 322.2615. (c) Acceptance of the reinstated driving privilege as provided in this subsection is deemed a waiver of the right to formal and informal review under s. 322.2615. The waiver may not be used as evidence in any other proceeding.

History: s. 6, ch. 59-278; s. 4, ch. 72-175; s. 6, ch. 74-384; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 20, ch. 78-95; s. 8, ch. 82-155; s. 9, ch. 84-359; s. 7, ch. 86-296; s. 2, ch. 89-525; s. 1, ch. 90-102; s. 3, ch. 90-253; ss. 11, 22, ch. 91-255; s. 5, ch. 93-246; s. 84, ch. 94-306; s. 940, ch. 95-148; s. 9, ch. 95-326; s. 42, ch. 95-333; s. 7, ch. 96-330; s. 11, ch. 96-414; s. 9, ch. 98-223; s. 7, ch. 99-234; s. 1, ch. 2005-138; s. 13, ch. 2009-183; s. 62, ch. 2010-5; ss. 36, 37, ch. 2010-223; s. 59, ch. 2013-160; s. 10, ch. 2025-125.