2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 56 - Motor Vehicles › Chapter 5 - Uniform Act Regulating Traffic On Highways › Section 56-5-2951. Suspension of license for refusal to submit to testing or for certain level of alcohol concentration; contested case hearing request; Ignition Interlock Device Program enrollment; temporary alcohol license; administrative hearing; restricted driver's license; penalties.

Section effective May 19, 2024. See, also, Section 56-5-2951 effective until May 19, 2024.
(A) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall suspend the driver's license, permit, or nonresident operating privilege of, or deny the issuance of a license or permit to, a person who drives a motor vehicle and refuses to submit to a test provided for in Section 56-5-2950 or has an alcohol concentration of fifteen one-hundredths of one percent or more. The arresting officer shall issue a notice of suspension which is effective beginning on the date of the alleged violation of Section 56-5-2930, 56-5-2933, or 56-5-2945.
(B)(1) Within thirty days of the issuance of the notice of suspension, the person may:
(a) request a contested case hearing before the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings pursuant to its rules of procedure;
(b) enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941; or
(c) obtain a temporary alcohol license from the Department of Motor Vehicles. A one hundred dollar fee must be assessed for obtaining a temporary alcohol license and such fee must be held in trust by the Department of Motor Vehicles until final disposition of any contested case hearing. Should the temporary suspension provided for in this subsection be upheld during the contested case hearing, twenty-five dollars of the fee must be distributed by the Department of Motor Vehicles to the Department of Public Safety for supplying and maintaining all necessary vehicle videotaping equipment, while the remaining seventy-five dollars must be placed by the Comptroller General into the State Highway Fund as established by Section 57-11-20, to be distributed as provided in Section 11-43-167. The temporary alcohol license allows the person to drive without any restrictive conditions pending the outcome of the contested case hearing provided for in subsection (F), this section or the final decision or disposition of the matter. If the suspension is upheld at the contested case hearing, the temporary alcohol license remains in effect until the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings issues the hearing officer's decision and the Department of Motor Vehicles sends notice to the person that the person is eligible to receive a restricted license pursuant to subsection (H); and
(2) request a contested case hearing before the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings in accordance with the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings' rules of procedure.
(3) At the contested case hearing, if:
(a) the suspension is upheld, the person's driver's license, permit, or nonresident operating privilege must be suspended or the person must be denied the issuance of a license or permit for the remainder of the suspension period provided for in subsection (I). Within thirty days of the issuance of the notice that the suspension has been upheld, the person shall enroll in an Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2990 and must enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941;
(b) the suspension is overturned, the person must have the person's driver's license, permit, or nonresident operating privilege reinstated and the person must be reimbursed by the Department of Motor Vehicles in the amount of the fees provided for in subsection (B)(1)(c).
(4) If the suspension is overturned, the person's driver's license, permit, or nonresident operating privilege must be reinstated.
(5) The provisions of this subsection do not affect the trial for a violation of Section 56-5-2930, 56-5-2933, or 56-5-2945.
(C) The period of suspension provided for in subsection (I) begins on the day the notice of suspension is issued, or at the expiration of any other suspensions, and continues until the person applies for a temporary alcohol license and requests a contested case hearing.
(D) If a person does not request a contested case hearing, the person waives the person's right to the hearing, and the person's suspension must not be stayed but continues for the period provided for in subsection (I).
(E) The notice of suspension must advise the person:
(1) of the person's right to obtain a temporary alcohol driver's license and to request a contested case hearing before the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings;
(2) that, if the person does not request a contested case hearing within thirty days of the issuance of the notice of suspension, the person waives the person's right to the contested case hearing, and the suspension continues for the period provided for in subsection (I); and
(3) that, if the suspension is upheld at the contested case hearing or the person does not request a contested case hearing, the person shall enroll in an Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program.
(F)(1) A contested case hearing must be held after the request for the hearing is received by the Office of Motor Vehicle Hearings. The scope of the hearing is limited to whether the person:
(a) was lawfully arrested or detained;
(b) was given a written copy of and verbally informed of the rights enumerated in Section 56-5-2950;
(c) refused to submit to a test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950; or
(d) consented to taking a test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950, and the:
(i) reported alcohol concentration at the time of testing was fifteen one-hundredths of one percent or more;
(ii) individual who administered the test or took samples was qualified pursuant to Section 56-5-2950;
(iii) tests administered and samples obtained were conducted pursuant to Section 56-5-2950; and
(iv) machine was working properly.
(2) Nothing in this section prohibits the introduction of evidence at the contested case hearing on the issue of the accuracy of the breath test result.
(3) A written order must be issued to all parties either reversing or upholding the suspension of the person's license, permit, or nonresident's operating privilege, or denying the issuance of a license or permit. If the suspension is upheld, the person must receive credit for the number of days the person's license was suspended before the person received a temporary alcohol license and requested the contested case hearing and must receive credit for the number of days, if any, the person maintained an ignition interlock restriction on the temporary alcohol license.
(4) The Department of Motor Vehicles and the arresting officer shall have the burden of proof in contested case hearings conducted pursuant to this section. If neither the Department of Motor Vehicles nor the arresting officer appears at the contested case hearing, the hearing officer shall rescind the suspension of the person's license, permit, or nonresident's operating privilege regardless of whether the person requesting the contested case hearing or the person's attorney appears at the contested case hearing.
(G) A contested case hearing is governed by the Administrative Procedures Act, and a person has a right to appeal the decision of the hearing officer pursuant to that act to the Administrative Law Court in accordance with the Administrative Law Court's appellate rules. The filing of an appeal stays the suspension until a final decision is issued on appeal.
(H) If the person did not request a contested case hearing or the suspension is upheld at the contested case hearing, the person shall enroll in an Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2990.
(I)(1) Except as provided in item (3), the period of a driver's license, permit, or nonresident operating privilege suspension for, or denial of issuance of a license or permit to, an arrested person who has no previous convictions for violating Section 56-5-2930, 56-5-2933, or 56-5-2945, or a law of another state that prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs within the ten years preceding a violation of this section, and who has had no previous suspension imposed pursuant to Section 56-1-286, 56-5-2951, or 56-5-2990, within the ten years preceding a violation of this section is:
(a) six months for a person who refuses to submit to a test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950; or
(b) one month for a person who takes a test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950 and has an alcohol concentration of fifteen one-hundredths of one percent or more.
(2) The period of a driver's license, permit, or nonresident operating privilege suspension for, or denial of issuance of a license or permit to, a person who has been convicted previously for violating Section 56-5-2930, 56-5-2933, or 56-5-2945, or another law of this State or another state that prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or another drug within the ten years preceding a violation of this section, or who has had a previous suspension imposed pursuant to Section 56-1-286, 56-5-2951, or 56-5-2990, within the ten years preceding a violation of this section is:
(a) for a second offense, nine months if the person refuses to submit to a test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950, or two months if the person takes a test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950 and has an alcohol concentration of fifteen one-hundredths of one percent or more;
(b) for a third offense, twelve months if the person refuses to submit to a test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950, or three months if the person takes a test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950 and has an alcohol concentration of fifteen one-hundredths of one percent or more; and
(c) for a fourth or subsequent offense, fifteen months if the person refuses to submit to a test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950, or four months if the person takes a test pursuant to Section 56-5-2950 and has an alcohol concentration of fifteen one-hundredths of one percent or more.
(3)(a) In lieu of serving the remainder of a suspension or denial of the issuance of a license or permit, a person may enroll in the Ignition Interlock Device Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2941, end the suspension or denial of the issuance of a license or permit, and obtain an ignition interlock restricted license pursuant to Section 56-1-400. The ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle equal to the length of time remaining on the person's suspension or denial of the issuance of a license or permit. If the length of time remaining is less than three months, the ignition interlock device is required to be affixed to the motor vehicle for three months.
(b) The person must receive credit for the number of days the person maintained an ignition interlock restriction on the temporary alcohol license.
(c) Once a person has enrolled in the Ignition Interlock Device Program and obtained an ignition interlock restricted license, the person is subject to Section 56-5-2941 and cannot subsequently choose to serve the suspension.
(J) A person's driver's license, permit, or nonresident operating privilege must be restored when the person's period of suspension or ignition interlock restricted license requirement pursuant to subsection (I) has concluded, even if the person has not yet completed the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program. After the person's driving privilege is restored, the person shall continue the services of the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program. If the person withdraws from or in any way stops making satisfactory progress toward the completion of the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program, the person's license must be suspended until the completion of the Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program. A person shall be attending or have completed an Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program pursuant to Section 56-5-2990 before the person's driving privilege can be restored at the conclusion of the suspension period or ignition interlock restricted license requirement.
(K) When a nonresident's privilege to drive a motor vehicle in this State has been suspended pursuant to the provisions of this section, the department shall give written notice of the action taken to the motor vehicle administrator of the state of the person's residence and of any state in which the person has a license or permit.
(L) The department shall not suspend the privilege to drive of a person under the age of twenty-one pursuant to Section 56-1-286, if the person's privilege to drive has been suspended pursuant to this section arising from the same incident.
(M) A person whose driver's license or permit is suspended pursuant to this section is not required to file proof of financial responsibility.
(N) An insurer shall not increase premiums on, add surcharges to, or cancel the automobile insurance of a person charged with a violation of Section 56-1-286, 56-5-2930, 56-5-2933, 56-5-2945, or a law of another state that prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs based solely on the violation unless the person is convicted of the violation.
(O) The department shall administer the provisions of this section.
(P) Nothing in this section shall prevent the prosecuting authority from waiving or dismissing the charge.
HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 434, Section 8; 1999 Act No. 115, Sections 7, 8, 13; 1999 Act No. 100, Part II, Section 11; 1999 Act No. 115, Section 15; 2000 Act No. 390, Sections 15 to 22; 2001 Act No. 79, Sections 2.I.1. and 2.I.2.; 2002 Act No. 296, Sections 2, 3; 2002 Act No. 348, Sections 10 and 11; 2002 Act No. 354, Sections 4 and 5; 2003 Act No. 61, Section 7; 2006 Act No. 381, Section 7, eff June 13, 2006; 2008 Act No. 201, Section 10, eff February 10, 2009; 2012 Act No. 212, Section 4, eff June 7, 2012; 2012 Act No. 264, Section 5, eff June 18, 2012; 2014 Act No. 158 (S.137), Section 14, eff October 1, 2014; 2016 Act No. 275 (S.1258), Sections 75, 76, eff July 1, 2016; 2023 Act No. 55 (S.36), Section 8, eff May 19, 2024.
Effect of Amendment
2023 Act No. 55, Section 8, rewrote the section.