Administrative License Revocation (ALR), also known as Administrative License Suspension (ALS), is when your driver’s license is confiscated at the time of a DUI/DWI. The officer can take your license on the spot if you fail or refuse to submit to certain sobriety tests (including blood, breath, and/or urine testing).
Drivers are given a notice of suspension at that time, which in some states also serves as a temporary permit to drive. Depending on the state, this permit may be valid for 7 to 90 days, during which time the suspension may be challenged at a hearing. If there is no challenge or if the suspension is upheld, the license is suspended from 7 to 180 days, depending on state law. Longer suspensions are mandated for repeat offenders and drivers who decline testing.
ALR laws are civil administrative processes unrelated to criminal court proceedings and are generally handled through the State’s Department of Motor Vehicles.
They do not replace criminal prosecution, which is handled separately through the courts. Depending on the jurisdiction, additional consequences, including an additional suspension period, can be imposed by the courts if a person is found guilty.