Mich. Comp. Laws § 257.304 — MI Code / Chapter 257 / Act Act-300-of-1949 / Section 257.304
Restricted license; issuance; conditions; carrying and displaying restricted license; order; prohibition; completion of specialty court interlock program and certificate as evidence of abstinence; "certificate" defined; imposition of license sanctions; completion of specialty court program; exemption from immobilization or forfeiture; applicability of section.
Status: in_force

Sec. 304.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3), the secretary of state shall issue a restricted license to an individual whose license was suspended or restricted under section 319 or revoked or denied under section 303 based on either of the following:

(a) Two or more convictions for violating section 625(1) or (3) or a local ordinance of this state that substantially corresponds to section 625(1) or (3).

(b) One conviction for violating section 625(1) or (3) or a local ordinance of this state that substantially corresponds to section 625(1) or (3), preceded by 1 or more convictions for violating a local ordinance or law of another state that substantially corresponds to section 625(1), (3), or (6), or a law of the United States that substantially corresponds to section 625(1), (3), or (6).

(2) A restricted license issued under subsection (1) must not be issued until after the individual's operator's or chauffeur's license has been suspended or revoked for 45 days and the judge assigned to a specialty court certifies to the secretary of state that both of the following conditions have been met:

(a) The individual has been admitted into a specialty court interlock program.

(b) An ignition interlock device approved, certified, and installed as required under sections 625k and 625 l has been installed on each motor vehicle owned or operated, or both, by the individual.

(3) A restricted license must not be issued under subsection (1) if the individual is otherwise ineligible for an operator's or chauffeur's license under this act, unless the individual's ineligibility is based on 1 or more of the following:

(a) Section 303(1)(h) or (j).

(b) Section 303(2)(c)( i ) or ( iii ).

(c) Section 303(2)(g)( i ) or ( iii ).

(d) Section 319(4), (5), (6), (7), (8)(a) to (e), or (9).

(e) Section 320(1)(d).

(f) Section 321a(1) or (2).

(g) Section 323c.

(h) Section 625f.

(i) Section 904(10).

(j) Section 82105a(2) of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.82105a.

(k) Section 3177 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3177.

( l ) Section 10 of the motor vehicle accident claims act, 1965 PA 198, MCL 257.1110.

(4) A restricted license issued under subsection (1) permits the individual to whom it is issued to operate only the vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device described in subsection (2)(b), to take any driving skills test required by the secretary of state, and to drive to and from any combination of the following locations or events:

(a) In the course of the individual's employment or occupation if the employment or occupation does not require a commercial driver license.

(b) To and from any combination of the following:

( i ) The individual's residence.

( ii ) The individual's work location.

( iii ) An alcohol, drug, or mental health education and treatment as ordered by the court.

( iv ) Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or other court-ordered self-help programs.

( v ) Court hearings and probation appointments.

( vi ) Court-ordered community service.

( vii ) An educational institution at which the individual is enrolled as a student.

( viii ) A place of regularly occurring medical treatment for a serious condition or medical emergency for the individual or a member of the individual's household or immediate family.

( ix ) Alcohol or drug testing as ordered by the court.

( x ) An ignition interlock service provider as required.

( xi ) At the discretion of the judge, the custodian of a minor child may drive to and from the facilities of a provider of day care services at which the custodian's minor child is enrolled, or an educational institution at which the custodian's minor child is enrolled as a student for the purposes of classes, academic meetings or conferences, and athletic or other extracurricular activities sanctioned by the educational institution in which the minor child is a participant. As used in this subparagraph, "minor child" means an individual who is less than 18 years of age.

(5) While driving with a restricted license, the individual shall carry proof of the individual's destination and the hours of any employment, class, or other reason for traveling and shall display that proof on a peace officer's request.

(6) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a restricted license issued under subsection (1) is effective until a hearing officer orders an unrestricted license under section 322. Subject to subsection (7), the hearing officer shall not order an unrestricted license until the later of the following events occurs:

(a) The court notifies the secretary of state that the individual has successfully completed the specialty court program.

(b) The minimum period of license sanction that would have been imposed under section 303 or 319 but for this section has been completed.

(c) The individual demonstrates that the individual has operated with an ignition interlock device for not less than 1 year.

(d) The individual satisfies the requirements of section 303 and R 257.313 of the Michigan Administrative Code.

(7) A hearing officer shall not issue an unrestricted license for at least 1 year if either of the following applies:

(a) The hearing officer determines that the individual consumed any alcohol during the period that the individual's license was restricted under this section, as determined by breath, blood, urine, or transdermal testing unless a second test, administered within 5 minutes after administering the first test, showed an absence of alcohol.

(b) The hearing officer determines that the individual consumed or otherwise used any controlled substance during the period that the individual's license was restricted under this section, except as lawfully prescribed.

(8) In determining whether to order an unrestricted license under subsection (6), the successful completion of the specialty court program and a certificate from the specialty court judge must be considered positive evidence of the petitioner's abstinence while the petitioner participated in the specialty court program. This subsection does not apply to a determination made under subsection (7). As used in this subsection, "certificate" includes, but is not limited to, a statement that the participant has maintained a period of abstinence from alcohol for not less than 6 months at the time the participant completed the specialty court program.

(9) If the secretary of state receives a notification from a specialty court, the secretary of state shall summarily impose 1 of the following license sanctions, as applicable:

(a) Suspension for the full length of time provided under section 319(8). However, a restricted license must not be issued as provided under section 319(8). This subdivision applies if the underlying conviction or convictions would have subjected the individual to a license sanction under section 319(8) if this section did not apply.

(b) A license revocation and denial for the full length of time provided under section 303. The minimum period of license revocation and denial imposed must be the same as if this section did not apply. This subdivision applies if the underlying conviction or convictions would have caused a license revocation and denial under section 303 if this section did not apply.

(10) After the individual completes the specialty court program, the following apply:

(a) The secretary of state shall postpone considering the issuance of an unrestricted license under section 322 for a period of 3 months for each act that would be a minor violation if the individual's license had been issued under section 322(6). As used in this subdivision, "minor violation" means that term as defined in R 257.301a of the Michigan Administrative Code.

(b) The restricted license issued under this section must be suspended or revoked or denied as provided in subsection (9), unless set aside under section 322(5), if any of the following events occur:

( i ) The individual operates a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device that meets the criteria under subsection (2)(b).

( ii ) The individual removes, or causes to be removed, an ignition interlock device from a vehicle the individual owns or operates unless the secretary of state has authorized its removal under section 322a.

( iii ) The individual commits any other act that would be a major violation if the individual's license had been issued under section 322(6). As used in this subparagraph, "major violation" means that term as defined in R 257.301a of the Michigan Administrative Code.

( iv ) The individual is arrested for a violation of any of the following:

(A) Section 625.

(B) A local ordinance of this state or another state that substantially corresponds to section 625.

(C) A law of the United States that substantially corresponds to section 625.

(c) If the individual is convicted of or found responsible for any offense that requires the suspension, revocation, denial, or cancellation of the individual's operator's or chauffeur's license, the restricted license issued under this section must be suspended until the requisite period of license suspension, revocation, denial, or cancellation, as appropriate, has elapsed.

(d) If the individual has failed to pay any court-ordered fines or costs that resulted from the operation of a vehicle, the restricted license issued under this section must be suspended pending payment of those fines and costs.

(11) The vehicle of an individual admitted to the specialty court interlock program whose vehicle would otherwise be subject to immobilization or forfeiture under this act is exempt from both immobilization and forfeiture under sections 625n and 904d if both of the following apply:

(a) The individual is a specialty court interlock program participant in good standing or the individual successfully satisfactorily completes the specialty court interlock program.

(b) The individual does not subsequently violate a law of this state for which vehicle immobilization or forfeiture is a sanction.

(12) This section only applies to individuals arrested for a violation of section 625 on or after January 1, 2011.

History: Add. 2010, Act 155, Eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Am. 2012, Act 306, Imd. Eff. Oct. 1, 2012; Am. 2012, Act 498, Eff. Mar. 28, 2013; Am. 2013, Act 226, Imd. Eff. Dec. 26, 2013; Am. 2016, Act 32, Eff. June 6, 2016; Am. 2017, Act 162, Eff. Feb. 11, 2018; Am. 2018, Act 48, Imd. Eff. Mar. 1, 2018; Am. 2020, Act 376, Eff. Oct. 1, 2021; Am. 2023, Act 125, Imd. Eff. Sept. 19, 2023; Am. 2024, Act 42, Eff. Apr. 2, 2025; Am. 2024, Act 113, Eff. Apr. 2, 2025