How to get your license back after a DUI in Colorado
Getting a license back after a DUI is an agency process, not a court one: the steps below are the ones the Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles lists, in its order, each quoted from the agency's own page. Requirements differ by offense, blood-alcohol level, refusal, and prior record; the state's wording controls.
Steps the state lists
- 1
Satisfy the revocation conditions (or qualify for early reinstatement)
The DMV states reinstatement can only be initiated after the conditions of the revocation have been satisfied. It lists early-reinstatement eligibility: a first offense (BAC .08 to .149 or .15 or higher) is eligible on the first day the revocation becomes active; a refusal must serve at least 2 months; the person must be a Colorado resident and 21 or older at the time of the offense.
What the source says
“This process can only be initiated after the conditions of the revocation, suspension, cancellation, or denial have been satisfied. To legally drive again, you must complete the reinstatement process.”
- 2
Step 1: Obtain SR-22 insurance
The DMV states an SR-22 certificate from the auto insurer is required and generally must be maintained continuously for 9 months to 3 years depending on the offense (the FAQ: 9 months for a first .08+ offense, 3 years if an accident or high BAC was involved; 3 years for multiple offenses; 1 to 3 years for a refusal).
What the source says
“Step 1: Obtain SR-22 Insurance You must get an SR-22 certificate from your auto insurance provider, which proves you carry high-risk liability coverage. You generally must maintain this continuously for 9 months to 3 years, depending on your offense.”
- 3
Step 2: Enroll in education and treatment
A Persistent Drunk Driver must take state-approved Level 2 Alcohol and Drug Education and Treatment and provide an Affidavit of Enrollment (Form DR 2643); a first offender with a BAC below 0.149 provides the Certification form (Form DR 2598).
What the source says
“If you are designated as a Persistent Drunk Driver, you will be required to take state-approved Level 2 Alcohol and Drug Education and Treatment. ... If you have a low BAC (<0.149) and it’s your first DUI offense, you just need to provide the Certification form (Form DR 2598).”
- 4
Step 3: Install an ignition interlock device if required
Where there is an interlock requirement or a PDD designation (BAC 0.15 or higher, refusal, repeat offenses, or driving on a revoked license), the device must be installed at a state-certified service center in every vehicle driven, with the lease agreement, installation certificate, and Restricted License Agreement Affidavit (Form DR 2058) submitted. A first low-BAC offender may install one voluntarily for early reinstatement.
What the source says
“Step 3: Install an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) If you have an interlock requirement or have been designated as a PDD ... you must install an ignition interlock device at a state-certified service center in every vehicle you drive.”
- 5
Step 4: Submit the reinstatement application and fees
The DMV lists the application, a $95 reinstatement fee plus a $25 DUI restoration fee, the SR-22 certificate, proof of enrollment (DR 2643) or a DRS showing completion of a Level 2 program, and interlock documents if applicable; it may be submitted online through myDMV, by email to the DMV Reinstatement Unit, or by mail with form DR 2870.
What the source says
“Step 4: Submit Your Reinstatement Application To apply for reinstatement, you will need to bring/submit the following: Application (See below) Fees: $95.00 Reinstatement Fee + $25.00 DUI Restoration Fee.”
- 6
Step 5: Get the physical license
The DMV mails a Reinstatement Clearance letter (allow up to 20 business days for mailed applications); once the record shows 'Eligible', the person visits a Driver License Office for a new physical license and may need to retake the written and driving tests. The DMV states driving before the physical license is issued is 'driving under restraint'.
What the source says
“Step 5: Get Your Physical License Wait for Clearance: Please allow up to 20 business days for mailed applications. Once your driving privileges are reinstated, the DMV will mail you a Reinstatement Clearance letter”
Official reinstatement page: Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles
Conditions that travel with reinstatement
| Reinstatement fee | $95 reinstatement fee plus $25 DUI restoration fee ($120 total) |
|---|---|
| SR-22 / financial-responsibility filing | Yes · 3 years — Colorado SR-22 requirements |
| Ignition interlock | Colorado interlock rule |
| Required program | Level I / Level II Alcohol and Drug Education and Treatment (alcohol and drug driving safety education or treatment) |
| Driving during the suspension | Interlock-restricted license (Early Reinstatement with Interlock) |
| Re-examination | Knowledge test: required in some cases · road test: required in some cases |
Required program: Level I / Level II Alcohol and Drug Education and Treatment (alcohol and drug driving safety education or treatment)
Under C.R.S. § 42-4-1301.3(3)(c)(IV), 'alcohol and drug driving safety education or treatment' means Level I or Level II education or treatment programs approved by the Behavioral Health Administration in the Department of Human Services; Level I programs are short-term didactic education, Level II are therapeutically oriented education, long-term outpatient and residential programs; the judicial department administers the evaluation program in each district. The DMV requires Level 2 enrollment (DR 2643) or completion (DRS) for Persistent Drunk Drivers and multiple offenders, and the Certification form (DR 2598) for a first low-BAC offense.
“"alcohol and drug driving safety education or treatment" means either level I or level II education or treatment programs approved by the behavioral health administration in the department of human services. Level I programs are short-term, didactic education programs.”
Driving during the suspension: Interlock-restricted license (Early Reinstatement with Interlock)
Under C.R.S. § 42-2-132.5(4)(a)(II)(A), a person 21 or older whose first DUI/DUI per se or excess-BAC 0.08 violation requires only a nine-month revocation may apply for early reinstatement with an interlock-restricted license at any time; persons revoked for one year or more for DUI may also apply at any time, and refusals after two months (§ 42-2-132.5(4)(a)(I)). Before early reinstatement the person must provide proof of financial responsibility (§ 42-2-132.5(4)(b)(II)) and an affidavit with a signed interlock lease for each vehicle and consent of other owners (§ 42-2-132.5(5)). The DMV states early reinstatement is limited to Colorado residents aged 21 or older at the time of the violation who have satisfied all reinstatement requirements other than time. The DMV's Probationary Driver License is for points or child-support suspensions, not alcohol/DUI.
“Early reinstatement is limited to drivers who: Are residents of Colorado Are 21 years of age or older at the time of the violation Have satisfied all reinstatement requirements (other than time)”
When the interlock can be removed
Compliance-based early removal for first offenders, otherwise term-based. Under C.R.S. § 42-2-132.5(4)(a)(II)(B), a first-time offender (not a persistent drunk driver) holding an interlock-restricted license becomes eligible for a license without the restriction when the DMV's monthly monitoring reports show four consecutive monthly reporting periods with no lockouts for excessive breath alcohol, no tampering, no circumvention, and no grounds for extension; the DMV serves a notice of eligibility, or the person may request a hearing. Persistent drunk drivers (BAC 0.15+, refusal) must hold the restricted license at least two years (§ 42-2-132.5(3)); multiple-conviction revocations two to five years (§ 42-2-132.5(1)(b)). Under § 42-2-132.5(7)(d), lockouts for excessive BAC in three of any twelve consecutive reporting periods extend the restriction twelve months. The DMV FAQ states that when the interlock requirement ends the device is not removed until a new unrestricted license is purchased at a full-service Driver License Office, after which the provider removes the device. No removal fee cap is stated.
Compliance period: four consecutive monthly reporting periods without an excessive-BAC lockout or tampering (first-time offenders only, § 42-2-132.5(4)(a)(II)(B)); otherwise none stated beyond the minimum term
“shall be eligible for a license without the restriction required by this section if the department's monthly monitoring reports ... show that, for four consecutive monthly reporting periods, the approved ignition interlock device did not interrupt or prevent the normal operation of the motor vehicle”
Will you have to retake the test? Re-examination in Colorado
Some states hand the license back once the conditions are met; others treat a revoked or long-withdrawn license as expired and issue a new one only after the knowledge test, the road test or a vision screening is passed again. The rules below are the licensing agency's own, one per test.
| Knowledge (written) test | Required in some cases A revoked license cannot be reissued: once the revocation period is served and the driver is reinstated, the written and driving tests are retaken to obtain a new license. After a suspension the existing license is re-issued, or renewed if it expired, and no test is listed. The DUI reinstatement steps end with the same instruction to retake the written and driving tests. What the source says“A revoked license is invalid and cannot be reissued. Once you complete your revocation period and are reinstated, you must retake the written and driving tests to obtain a new license.” |
|---|---|
| Road (driving) test | Required in some cases The driving test is retaken on the same terms, after a revocation. State driver license offices are not conducting driving skills tests; drive tests are scheduled with approved third-party driving schools, and a driver reinstated with an ignition interlock takes the written and drive test in the interlock-equipped vehicle. What the source says“Pay the $95 reinstatement fee and $25 DUI restoration fee. You must complete a Level 1 alcohol education course (provide the Discharge/Referral Summary), maintain SR-22 insurance for 1 to 3 years, and retake your written and driving tests.” |
| Vision screening | Required in some cases A vision exam is part of the new-license application that follows a revocation, and a re-examination ordered for medical or driving-record reasons ends with all testing — eye exam, driving knowledge and driving skills tests. What the source says“You will need to pass a basic Vision Exam given by the technician.” |
What triggers a re-test
A revocation, as opposed to a suspension: after a suspension the valid license is re-issued or renewed; after a revocation the license is invalid and a new one is obtained by retaking the written and driving tests. Separately, a driver whose license has been expired or canceled for over twelve months starts again with an instruction permit, and more than a year without a US license means a written test, a permit, a driving test and a new license.
“Once reinstated, you may be required to obtain a new license. Obtaining a new license may require you to take a written and driving test.”- Testing fee
- $11.50 — state fee for each retake of the written test after a failed attempt; $15.40 for each retake of the driving skills test; the fee page lists a REAL ID driver license at $34.00 and a standard driver license at $36, and the $95 reinstatement fee plus the $25 DUI restoration fee are separate
What the source says
“Driving Knowledge (Written) Retest (CRS 42-2-114(2)(e))”
- Where to take it
- dmv.colorado.gov — the written test can be taken online or at a driver license office; state driver license offices are not conducting driving skills tests, so the drive test is scheduled with an approved third-party driving school
- Official driver manual
- Colorado Driver Handbook (DR 2337)
- The rule
- C.R.S. § 42-2-132(2)(a)(II)(A)
“Following the period of revocation set forth in this subsection (2), the department shall not issue a new license unless and until it is satisfied that the person has demonstrated knowledge of the laws and driving ability through the appropriate motor vehicle testing process”
Questions about re-testing in Colorado
- Does a Colorado DUI revocation mean retaking the written and driving tests?
- Yes. The DMV's reinstatement FAQ states that a revoked license is invalid and cannot be reissued, and that once the revocation period is complete and the driver is reinstated, the written and driving tests are retaken to obtain a new license. C.R.S. § 42-2-132(2)(a)(II)(A) says the same: no new license until knowledge of the laws and driving ability are demonstrated through the testing process.
- What about a suspension?
- After a suspension the DMV re-issues the valid license, or renews it if it expired, once the suspension period is over and the reinstatement is processed; no test is listed for that case.
- Where are the tests taken?
- The written test can be taken online or at a driver license office. State driver license offices are not conducting driving skills tests; the DMV directs drivers to approved third-party driving schools. A driver reinstated with an ignition interlock is told by letter to contact a driver license office to schedule the written and drive test in the interlock-equipped vehicle.
Reinstatement knowledge check: Colorado
Ten questions on the rules this site cites for the state — the figures the licensing agency and the statute state, with a link to where each one is stated. The order changes every time.
This is not the agency's knowledge test and does not predict it; it checks the rules cited on this site.
Questions about reinstatement in Colorado
- What are the Colorado DMV's steps to reinstate after a DUI?
- The Colorado DMV's 'Reinstating After a DUI or Alcohol Offense' page lists five steps: obtain SR-22 insurance (maintained 9 months to 3 years depending on the offense); enroll in Level 2 Alcohol and Drug Education and Treatment (Affidavit of Enrollment DR 2643) or, for a first low-BAC offense, provide Certification form DR 2598; install an ignition interlock if required; submit the application with the $95 reinstatement fee and $25 DUI restoration fee; and obtain the physical license after the clearance letter.
- When can a first-time offender in Colorado have the interlock restriction removed?
- Under C.R.S. § 42-2-132.5(4)(a)(II)(B), a first-time offender who took early reinstatement with an interlock-restricted license is eligible for an unrestricted license once the DMV's monthly monitoring reports show four consecutive months with no excessive-BAC lockouts and no tampering or circumvention. This does not apply to persistent drunk drivers (BAC 0.15 or higher or refusal), who must hold the restricted license at least two years.
- What happens after the Colorado interlock requirement ends?
- The DMV's Suspension and Reinstatement FAQs state not to remove the interlock device yet: the person first visits a full-service Driver License Office to purchase a new unrestricted license, and once the new physical license is in hand contacts the provider to have the device removed.
Sources
- Colorado DMV – Reinstating After a DUI or Alcohol Offense (5 Steps to Reinstate Your License; PDD designation; early reinstatement eligibility)
- Colorado DMV – Suspension and Reinstatement FAQs (situations, forms, interlock-ended procedure)
- Colorado DMV – Early Reinstatement (Interlock)
- Colorado DMV – Ignition Interlock Program (interlock periods, non-compliance)
- Colorado DMV – Driver License Reinstatement Center
- Colorado DMV – SR-22 and Insurance Information
- Colorado DMV – Financial Assistance for Ignition Interlock (from the existing state record)
- Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 42 (§ 42-2-132.5 interlock-restricted licenses; § 42-4-1301.3 alcohol and drug driving safety program) – Office of Legislative Legal Services PDF