License Suspension V. License Revocation
A suspension is when your driving privilege is taken away from you for a certain period of time. In the case of a Driving While Ability Impaired, first offense, your license will be suspended for 90 days. You cannot drive until your suspension ends and you pay the termination fee unless you have been granted a conditional license. At the end of your suspension, you must pay a suspension termination fee of $50 to restore your driver’s license.
A revocation means that your license has been canceled and you must get a new one when your revocation period ends. You will be sentenced to revocation on any alcohol-related offense that is a misdemeanor or felony; however, the time of that revocation is dependent on a number of factors including the charge you were convicted of and if you had any priors. When the revocation period is over, you must request approval from the DMV for a new license as it will not automatically be reinstated. Please visit https://dmv.ny.gov/tickets/how-request-restoration-after-driver-license-revocation for specific steps to take when applying for approval for a new license. The fee to terminate the revocation reapply for a license is $100.
Please keep in mind that it is a crime punishable by jail time each time that you operate a motor vehicle in New York State while the suspension or revocation is still on your record.