What to Do in the First 7 Days After a DUI in Texas: Timeline

Texas DUI triggers two parallel processes: the Administrative License Revocation (ALR) hearing through the DMV and the criminal court case. The ALR suspension starts 40 days after your arrest regardless of your criminal case outcome, and you have exactly 15 days from arrest to request the hearing that can stop it. The criminal court handles your DUI conviction and will eventually order SR-22 filing, but that timeline is separate and slower. Most drivers focus only on the criminal charge and miss the ALR deadline entirely. When that happens, your license suspends automatically on day 40 — first offense is 90 days, second offense within 5 years is one year, refusal of breath or blood test is 180 days. You cannot undo a missed ALR request. The hearing must be requested in writing to the Texas Department of Public Safety within 15 days of your arrest date, not your court date. The criminal court will not remind you about the ALR process. Your attorney may handle this if you hire one immediately, but if you're waiting to see a public defender or handling this yourself, the ALR deadline is your responsibility. Request the hearing even if you plan to plead guilty in criminal court — the ALR hearing evaluates only whether the officer had probable cause and whether you were over the legal limit, and winning it means no administrative suspension regardless of your criminal outcome.

Call a Texas DUI attorney within 72 hours. Most offer free consultations, and even if you cannot afford full representation, a 30-minute conversation will clarify which deadlines are fatal and which can be managed later. The attorney can request your ALR hearing on your behalf, pull your arrest report, and tell you whether your BAC level or the arrest circumstances give you any chance of winning the hearing. If you cannot afford an attorney immediately, request the ALR hearing yourself. Download Form DIC-25 from the Texas DPS website, complete it, and mail or fax it to the address on your DIC-24 notice (the temporary driving permit the officer gave you). Keep a copy and proof of submission — fax confirmation or certified mail receipt. This buys you time. The hearing typically happens 30-60 days after your request, and your license remains valid until the hearing decision. Do not wait to see if your criminal case resolves first. The ALR process does not pause for criminal proceedings. Requesting the hearing is free, and even if you lose, you've preserved your driving privileges for an additional 30-60 days while the hearing is scheduled.

Your current carrier will find out about the DUI when your conviction posts or when you request SR-22 filing, but you need pricing information now. Call your agent or log into your account and ask what happens to your rate after a DUI conviction in Texas. Most major carriers — State Farm, Geico, Allstate, Progressive — will file SR-22 for existing customers but non-renew your policy at the end of the current term. That means you'll need to shop the non-standard market within 6-12 months. Texas DUI typically increases rates 80-140% depending on your prior record, age, and whether the conviction is standard or aggravated. A driver paying $120/month before DUI should expect $215-290/month after conviction and SR-22 filing. If your BAC was over 0.15, you had a minor in the vehicle, or this is a second offense, expect quotes at the higher end or complete declination from standard carriers. Get quotes from non-standard carriers now even if your current policy hasn't cancelled yet: Dairyland, GAINSCO, Direct Auto, Acceptance, Bristol West. These carriers specialize in DUI cases and often offer lower SR-22 rates than a standard carrier's high-risk tier. Quotes are free, and knowing your cost floor before the court orders SR-22 filing eliminates surprises later. SR-22 filing itself costs $25-50 in Texas, but the rate increase is the real expense.

Your first court date (arraignment) typically happens 2-4 weeks after arrest. The judge will read the charges, ask for your plea, and set bail conditions or release terms. If you plead guilty or no contest at arraignment, the judge may impose sentencing immediately — that's when the SR-22 requirement gets ordered. If you plead not guilty, the case continues and SR-22 filing is delayed until conviction or plea agreement. Texas judges order SR-22 for all DUI convictions as a condition of license reinstatement. First offense standard DUI requires 2 years of continuous SR-22 filing from the date of conviction. Aggravated DUI (BAC over 0.15) or second offense typically requires 3 years. The filing period does not start until your license is eligible for reinstatement, which means the ALR suspension period and any criminal suspension period must finish first, then the SR-22 clock starts. Write down every deadline the judge states: SR-22 filing deadline, DUI education completion deadline, ignition interlock device (IID) installation deadline if ordered, probation reporting date, and reinstatement eligibility date. Texas does not send reminder notices for most of these. Missing the SR-22 filing deadline — typically 30 days from conviction — means your license stays suspended even after the suspension period ends, and you'll pay a reinstatement fee twice.

Once convicted, you have 30 days to obtain SR-22 insurance and file the certificate with Texas DPS. Your carrier submits the SR-22 electronically — you do not mail anything yourself. The filing proves you carry at least Texas minimum liability coverage: 30/60/25 ($30,000 per person injury, $60,000 per accident injury, $25,000 property damage). Texas DPS updates your record within 3-5 business days of receiving the filing. Your license does not automatically reinstate when the suspension period ends. You must complete all court-ordered requirements (DUI education, IID if applicable, community service, fines), maintain SR-22 filing, wait out the suspension period, then pay a reinstatement fee. First offense reinstatement costs $125. Second offense costs $200. Only after DPS processes your reinstatement application and fee does your driving privilege return. The SR-22 filing period starts on your reinstatement date, not your conviction date. If you're suspended for 90 days and ordered to file SR-22 for 2 years, you're actually maintaining the filing for 2 years and 90 days total. Any lapse in coverage during the filing period — even one day — resets the clock to zero and triggers a new suspension. Texas DPS monitors SR-22 status electronically, and your carrier is required to notify DPS immediately if you cancel your policy or miss a payment.

Missing the 15-day ALR hearing request means automatic suspension on day 40. You cannot request a hearing after the deadline, and you cannot appeal the suspension without a hearing on record. Your only option is waiting out the suspension period: 90 days first offense, 180 days for breath/blood refusal, or 1 year for second offense. You can apply for an occupational license (work permit) after a waiting period, but that requires a separate court petition and proof of SR-22 insurance. If your SR-22 lapses after filing — you miss a payment, cancel your policy, or switch carriers without continuous coverage — Texas DPS suspends your license again the day the lapse is reported. Reinstatement after SR-22 lapse requires a new SR-22 filing, a $125-$200 reinstatement fee, and the SR-22 filing period resets to day one. A driver ordered to file for 2 years who lapses 18 months in must file for an additional 2 years from the reinstatement date, not the 6 months remaining. There is no grace period, no warning letter, and no exception for switching carriers. If you're changing insurance companies mid-filing period, obtain the new policy and confirm the new SR-22 is filed with DPS before canceling the old policy. Most carriers can file SR-22 electronically within 24 hours, but any gap in coverage — even one day — triggers the lapse suspension. Set payment reminders, use autopay, and keep your carrier's phone number saved.