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Under the provisions of section 54-56g of the Connecticut General Statutes, a person charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of liquor or drug or while having an elevated blood alcohol content may apply for a Pre-Trial Alcohol Education Program. If your application to this program is granted, it may be possible to have your DUI case sealed to the public and, upon successful completion of the DUI program, you may be able to get the case against you dismissed. When your CT DUI case is sealed, no person can get any information from the Court Clerk’s office regarding your file.
Once an alcohol evaluation is completed, the driver is assigned to either 10 or 15 alcohol classes. If you are assigned to 10 DUI classes, the fee for the course will be $350.00. If you are granted 15 classes, then the fee is $500.00. You must begin an alcohol intervention program or substance abuse treatment program, according to the evaluation report and the court order, within 90 days from the day the court issues the order, unless you are granted a delayed entry. When you finish the alcohol intervention program you will be placed in a treatment program recommended by a provider .under contract with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) or you will be placed in a state-licensed treatment program which meets standards set by DMHAS. Also, if court ordered, you must participate in at least 1 (one) victim impact panel.
If you decide to enter the program after the suspension of your license is over, you must tell the tell CSSD the date your license was suspended and the length of the suspension.
In order to complete the course, you must attend all the Alcohol Education classes, which were ordered. Because even a single absence can cause you to violate the program, you must make sure you do everything that you are told. By law, if you do not complete the required alcohol classes, your case must be unsealed and immediately placed on the trial list. This means there will be no further negotiation on your CT drunk driving case will occur.
You cannot get the Pre-Trial Alcohol Education Program if you have been assigned to the program within the preceding ten (10) years for a violation of General Statutes § 14-227a. The program is available only for first offenders and any other DUI convictions in any other state will disqualify you. Finally, the CT alcohol program is not available to those who committed DUI offenses while operating a commercial motor vehicle.
In addition to DUI license suspensions, for refusing to take a Chemical Alcohol Test Under Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-227b, the State of Connecticut will impose a 6 month license suspension for refusing the breath test, for a first offense DUI.
To get your license reinstated in Connecticut, you must contact the CT DMV as follows:
Department of Motor Vehicles
Driver Services Division
60 State Street
Wethersfield, Ct 06161-2525
The CT Suspension Telephone Center operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach the Center at (860) 263-5720 for CT license suspension and reinstatement issues.