CDL Drivers - Alcohol Penalties

CDL Drivers - Alcohol Penalties

Out-of-service Orders

You will be immediately placed out-of-service for 24 hours if you:

• Refuse to take a preliminary breath test (PBT)
• Consume alcohol within four hours prior to operating a CMV
• Consume alcohol while operating a CMV
• Have a bodily alcohol content (BAC) of .015 grams or more per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67 milliliters of urine

Other Alcohol Violations

If you consume too much alcohol and operate a commercial motor vehicle, you can be charged with:

• Operating with an unlawful bodily alcohol level (UBAL) of .10 grams or more per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67 milliliters of urine
• Operating under the influence of liquor (OUIL)
• Operating while impaired (OWI) when your BAC is more than .07 but less than .10 grams per 100
• milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67 milliliters of urine
• Operating with a BAC of .04 - .07 grams per 100 milliliters of blood, per 210 liters of breath, or per 67 milliliters of urine
• OUIL, OWI or UBAL causing death or serious injury

You may be charged with operating under the influence of drugs (OUID).

If you refuse to submit to a chemical test (Implied Consent)* or are convicted of any of the alcohol

offenses listed above, your CDL will be:

• Suspended for one year for a first offense, or three years if transporting hazardous materials; and
• Revoked for a minimum of ten years for a second or third offense.    

*Implied Consent means that any person who holds a CDL is considered to have agreed to such testing. Consent is implied by driving a motor vehicle.

Your operator/chauffeur license may also be suspended or revoked and points may be added to your driving record.