You've been charged with or convicted of DUI in Multnomah County. Here's the timeline you're working with for court, ignition interlock installation, and SR-22 filing to get your license back.
What Happens Between Your Arrest and Your First Court Date
You have 10 days from your arrest to request a DMV hearing to challenge your administrative license suspension, which runs separately from your criminal case. Miss that window and your license suspends automatically 30 days after arrest — before your court date, before conviction, before sentencing.
Multnomah County DUI cases are typically arraigned 4-6 weeks after arrest at the Multnomah County Courthouse (1021 SW 4th Avenue). You'll receive a citation with your arraignment date. If your BAC was 0.08-0.14% and this is your first offense, you're eligible for Oregon's Diversion program, which delays conviction for 12-18 months in exchange for compliance with alcohol treatment, ignition interlock, and fines. Diversion still triggers SR-22 filing and a 90-day hard suspension, but avoids a permanent conviction if completed successfully.
First-offense standard DUI (BAC under 0.15%) carries a minimum 90-day hard suspension. Aggravated DUI (BAC 0.15% or higher, minor in vehicle, or refusal) triggers a 1-year hard suspension for first offense. Second offense within 5 years: 1-year suspension. Third offense or any felony DUI: 3-year suspension. These are DMV timelines — sentencing may add court-ordered restrictions on top.
Court Schedule and What Each Hearing Determines
Arraignment is where you enter your plea. If you plead not guilty, the court schedules a pretrial conference 4-8 weeks out. That's where most DUI cases resolve through plea negotiation. If you go to trial, expect another 2-4 months. Most Portland DUI cases close within 3-6 months of arrest.
Sentencing happens at conviction or plea acceptance. The judge assigns fines (minimum $1,000 for first offense standard DUI, $2,000 for aggravated), jail time if applicable, probation terms, required alcohol treatment (DUII Diversion Education Program), victim impact panel attendance, and ignition interlock duration. Oregon mandates IID for all DUI convictions — minimum 1 year for first offense, 2 years for second, 5 years for third.
Your SR-22 filing requirement starts the day of your offense, not the day you're sentenced or reinstated. This is the most commonly misunderstood timeline in Oregon DUI cases. If you were arrested May 1, 2024 and sentenced October 15, 2024, your 3-year SR-22 requirement ends May 1, 2027 — not October 15, 2027. Most drivers don't learn this until they call the DMV to terminate their filing and are told they still have months remaining.
Find out exactly how long SR-22 is required in your state
Ignition Interlock Providers Operating in Portland
Oregon requires state-certified IID providers. In the Portland metro area, the primary certified providers are Intoxalock (multiple locations including 9015 SE Jannsen Road, Clackamas and 17933 NW Evergreen Parkway, Beaverton), LifeSafer (1910 NE 181st Avenue, Portland), and Smart Start (several metro locations including 12775 SE Stark Street, Portland). Installation costs $70-$150. Monthly lease and calibration run $70-$100.
You must install IID before the Oregon DMV will issue a hardship permit or reinstate your full license. Installation happens after sentencing, once the court issues your IID participation order. Most Portland drivers schedule installation within 2-3 days of receiving the court order — the device must be installed before you're legally allowed to drive, even on a hardship permit.
Oregon allows IID-restricted hardship permits after 30 days of a first-offense suspension, immediately for second offense if enrolled in treatment. You apply through the DMV Driver Programs office (1905 Lana Avenue NE, Salem), not at a field office. Processing takes 2-3 weeks. You'll need proof of IID installation, SR-22 filing, and enrollment in court-ordered treatment before DMV approves the hardship permit.
SR-22 Filing Requirements and Which Carriers Write DUI Policies in Oregon
Oregon requires 3 years of continuous SR-22 filing for all DUI convictions, measured from your offense date. The filing must cover at least Oregon's minimum liability limits: 25/50/20 ($25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $20,000 property damage). If you let your policy lapse or cancel even one day during that 3-year period, the clock resets to zero and you owe 3 new years from the lapse date.
Most standard carriers — State Farm, Geico, Allstate, Progressive — will file SR-22 for current customers but non-renew at your 6-month or 12-month policy term. New post-DUI coverage in Portland typically requires the non-standard market: Bristol West, Dairyland, GAINSCO, Kemper, and The General all write Oregon SR-22 policies. Monthly premiums for Portland DUI-SR-22 drivers range from $180-$320/mo depending on age, prior history, and whether you own your vehicle. Non-owner SR-22 policies (required if you don't own a car but need to satisfy the filing) run $40-$80/mo.
SR-22 filing itself costs $25-$50 as a one-time fee when your carrier submits the certificate to Oregon DMV. That fee is separate from your premium increase. Expect your post-DUI premium to run 80-150% higher than your pre-conviction rate for the first 3 years, declining gradually after year 3 if you maintain a clean record.
License Reinstatement Process and Timeline After Suspension Ends
Your suspension clock starts the day DMV processes your administrative suspension or the day the court orders suspension, whichever comes first. For a first-offense standard DUI with 90-day suspension starting 30 days post-arrest, you're eligible to apply for full reinstatement 120 days after arrest (30-day admin period plus 90-day suspension). Reinstatement is not automatic.
You must complete Oregon's DUII Diversion Education Program (16 hours minimum, $500-$700 tuition), pass a substance abuse assessment, install IID, file SR-22, and pay a $75 reinstatement fee before DMV will restore your license. Most Portland drivers complete all requirements 2-4 weeks before their suspension end date to avoid delays. If you miss any requirement, your license stays suspended indefinitely until compliance.
Once reinstated, you're driving on an IID-restricted license for the remainder of your court-ordered IID period (minimum 1 year for first offense). You cannot drive any vehicle not equipped with your certified device. Driving without IID during this period is a Class A misdemeanor, triggers immediate re-suspension, and adds 1 additional year to your IID requirement. Your SR-22 filing continues in the background — 3 years from offense date regardless of when you reinstated.
What Most Portland DUI Drivers Get Wrong About Their Filing Period
Oregon DMV's reinstatement paperwork does not clearly state when your SR-22 period ends. The confirmation letter you receive after reinstatement lists your suspension end date, IID requirement end date, and reinstatement fee payment — but not your SR-22 termination date. Most drivers assume their SR-22 ends when their IID comes off. It doesn't.
Your 3-year SR-22 clock started the day of your offense. If you were arrested June 10, 2023, your filing requirement ends June 10, 2026 — regardless of whether you were sentenced in August 2023, reinstated in October 2023, or completed IID in June 2024. The only way to confirm your exact SR-22 end date is to call Oregon DMV Driver Programs at 503-945-5000 and request your SR-22 termination date based on your offense date.
If you cancel your SR-22 policy early — even one day before your 3-year period ends — Oregon DMV suspends your license immediately and resets your SR-22 requirement to 3 new years from the cancellation date. There is no grace period. Verify your end date with DMV before you cancel coverage or switch to a non-SR-22 policy.
