Being accused of driving under the influence has even higher stakes when you have a CDL. There are numerous different reasons that your CDL could be suspended and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is one of them.

Commercial driver’s license suspensions in the state of Florida are administered by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and other reasons that your CDL could be suspended include receiving two or more serious offenses in the past three years, refusing to take a blood alcohol content test when an officer requests that you do so, or driving while having possession of a controlled substance. The duration of your CDL suspension applies based on the severity of the violation. If you had three serious offenses within three years, for example, your CDL would be suspended for 120 days.

But driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the state of Florida means a one year CDL suspension and you are not eligible for a hardship license. Furthermore, commercial drivers may be subjected to federal regulations, controlled by the FMCSA and you could be disqualified or suspended for anywhere from 60 days to life for serious violations like driving under the influence.

If you are caught driving a commercial vehicle in the state of Florida with a blood alcohol content of .04 or higher, you will likely be charged with driving under the influence. Your CDL will be disqualified for a minimum of three years if you were transporting hazardous materials but it is more likely that you will not be allowed to drive a commercial vehicle for at least one year.

Given the significant consequences of this and the fact that your truck is probably your livelihood, you need to retain an experienced criminal defense attorney in Florida immediately if you have been accused of driving under the influence.