Missouri Drunk Driving Offenses, Penalties and Records

Missouri drunk driving laws declare it illegal for any individual to drive with an alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more in the blood stream. For individuals under 21, the blood alcohol concentration limit is 0.02 percent and for commercial drivers it is 0.04 percent.

The act of operating any motor driven vehicle while intoxicated with alcohol or drugs or both is referred to as driving under influence or DUI. It is a punishable offense in the state of Missouri and the state has stringent laws and penalties to prevent drunken driving.

The initial step of any DUI case is being pulled over by the police suspecting drunken driving. The officer conducts a field sobriety test and asks you to consent to a blood, urine, or breathalyzer test to determine alcohol level in the blood stream. The Implied Consent Law in Missouri states that any driver in the state must agree to take the tests if suspected of being intoxicated while driving. If you refuse to comply with this law your driver’s license will be suspended for a year. You will also have to participate in an abuse traffic offender program and pay a fine of $45 for reinstatement of the license.

First Time Missouri Drunk Driving Offenders

For a first time Missouri drunk driving offense the penalties include a jail term of up to six months and a fine not exceeding $500. The offender’s driver’s license is suspended for a period of thirty days and a restricted suspension is placed on the license after the completion of the thirty days. The license reinstatement fee for a first time conviction is $45. The court may also order the offender to install an ignition interlock device in the car.

Second Time Missouri Drunk Driving Offenses

For a second drunken driving conviction in Missouri, the punishments are a jail term of up to one year and a fine not more than $1,000. The driver’s license is suspended for one year and it is mandatory for the offender to install the ignition interlock device in the car prior to reinstatement of the license. If the offender is convicted for the second time within five years of the first conviction, his or her driver’s license is suspended for five years.

Third Time Missouri Drunk Driving Offenses

Punishments are harsher for a third drunken driving conviction in Missouri. The jail term may go up to four years, and the amount of the fine may be as large as $5,000. The offender’s driver’s license is suspended for ten years. Installation of the ignition interlock device is required after the suspension period and the offender must also have proof of SR22 insurance.

The SR22 insurance is an official document stating that the driver has the minimum liability insurance coverage that is required by the law of the state of Missouri. The form must be filed with the insurance company and the documents are required to remove a suspension and reinstate the driver’s license.

For more information on the Missouri drunken driving rules and penalties go to http://dor.mo.gov/mvdl/drivers/dlguide/dlguide.pdf.

Drunk Driving Records in Missouri

Maintenance of driving records is an important part of keeping a check on the incidence of drunken driving. The Missouri Department of Revenue maintains driver records in the state of Missouri. You may access personal records reserved under the Missouri driving records only if the records you want to access are exempt under the Federal Driver’s Privacy Act. You will have to get a written consent from the record holder.

You may request a driver record either containing personal or non-personal information. Non-personal information includes the driving history of the individual and the details about the driving tickets that the individual has received and other violation including drunken driving violations.

In order to request for a driver record without personal information you need to mail a written request to the Missouri Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing Division. You must include the driver license number, name, and date of birth of the individual whose record you want to view. Mail your request along with the mailing address where you want your records to be sent to Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing Division, 301 West High Street Room 360, Jefferson City, MO 65101

In order to access driver records with personal information you need a special express consent from the record holder. Personal information includes the person’s full name, date of birth, social security number, sex, weight, height, eye color, driver’s license number, telephone number, and photograph.

In order to request for a driver record with personal information, submit the DOR-4681 form after filling the form with all the relevant information. Include the record holder’s signature and a notary’s signature. Along with the appropriate fee, you may submit the form to the address mentioned earlier. You may download the DOR-4681 form by visiting http://dor.mo.gov/mvdl/drivers/forms/4681.pdf.

Business entities may access the driver records with personal information in another way. They need to download the DOR-4678 form. On filling this form and submitting it, they will receive a unique security access code from the Department of Revenue, Missouri. Visit http://dor.mo.gov/mvdl/motorv/forms/4678.pdf. You may apply for a security code if only you think the exemptions regarding disclosure of driver records as stated by the Federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act are applicable for you.

In case you need to request for driver records frequently, you may register for an account with the Motor Vehicle Bureau of the state of Missouri and access records through a dial up process.

The charge for receiving a driver record is $5.88 and the fee for faxing the driver record is $0.50. For more information regarding the maintenance and access of driver record in Missouri visit the official website of the Department of Revenue at http://dor.mo.gov/mvdl/drivers/records.htm.