Driving under influence (DUI) is a serious offense with severe consequences. If convicted, you might lose your driving rights, pay a fine or even serve jail time. Additionally, a DUI conviction comes with several collateral consequences.
As soon as you are convicted of a DUI, the conviction will become part of the court’s records. Meaning, when someone like a potential employer runs a background check on you, the conviction will show up. If you have a DUI on your record, then chances are one of the questions you are grappling with is how long the conviction will remain on your record.
A DUI charge will not go away on its own
A DUI charge will permanently stay on your record if you do not take any action against it. If your charge was dismissed without probation, then you may petition to delete it from your record through expunction. However, if you were convicted of drunk driving, then you may file a nondisclosure to have your conviction sealed.
Removing a DUI from your record
The Texas Second Chance Law allows eligible individuals to have their DWI convictions deleted from their records. This law applies to DUI convictions that happened on, after or before September 1, 2017. To be eligible for deletion, you must meet the following conditions:
- This must be your first and only DUI arrest and conviction.
- You must have completed your jail time, paid any applicable fines and completed any probation or community service
- There are waiting periods before your DUI can be deleted. These are six months after successful completion of the ignition interlock device, two years after completing your probation and three years after completing jail time.
Being convicted of a DUI can impact your life in a number of ways. Even after paying your price to society, a DUI conviction on your record can make certain aspects of your life challenging. If you have a DUI conviction, it is important to find out if you can have it deleted from your record.