Cochise County License Hearing Guide
How to request your MVD Implied Consent Hearing and protect your driving privileges after a DUI arrest.
Last verified: July 12, 2026
15-Day Deadline
You have exactly 15 days from your arrest to request a hearing. Miss this deadline and your license is automatically suspended. No exceptions.
Enter your arrest date to see your deadline:
If You Request in Time
- • Temporary permit until hearing
- • Chance to keep your license
- • Gather evidence for defense
If You Miss the Deadline
- • Automatic 90-180 day suspension
- • No hearing, no appeal
- • Starts after waiting period
How to Request Your Hearing
Online Request
Fee: Typically $50-$125
Available: 24/7
Instant confirmation
Phone Request
Fee: Same as online
Hours: Business hours only
Expect hold times
Information You'll Need
From Your Notice:
- • Driver License Number
- • Date of Arrest
- • Arresting Agency
- • Arresting Officer Name
Personal Information:
- • Full Legal Name
- • Current Address
- • Date of Birth
- • Phone Number & Email
After You Request
Temporary Permit
ImmediateDrive legally until your hearing
Hearing Notice
20-40 daysDate, time, and format mailed to you
Prepare Defense
Before hearingGather evidence, hire attorney
Attend Hearing
Scheduled dateUsually phone or video
Decision
Same dayWin: keep license. Lose: suspension starts
Temporary Permit
Immediate
Drive until hearing
Hearing Notice
20-40 days
Date mailed to you
Prepare
Before hearing
Gather evidence
Attend Hearing
Scheduled
Phone or video
Decision
Same day
Win or suspension
What to Expect at the Hearing
Most hearings are by phone or video
You usually don't need to travel. When you receive your hearing notice, it will specify whether it's phone, video, or in-person.
Duration
30-60 minutes typically
Who's There
You, your attorney (optional), state attorney, hearing officer
What They Review
Probable cause for stop, proper arrest procedure, test validity
Evidence That Can Help
- Dashcam or bodycam footage showing procedural errors
- Breathalyzer calibration records (if not current)
- Witness statements about your sobriety
- Medical conditions affecting field sobriety tests
Should You Hire an Attorney?
With an Attorney
- Can subpoena arresting officer
- Knows how to challenge evidence
- Uses hearing to strengthen criminal defense
- Higher success rate at hearings
Without an Attorney
- State has experienced attorney present
- May not know proper objections
- Can't effectively cross-examine officers
- Lower win rate statistically
If You Lose Your Hearing
Losing the hearing isn't the end. You still have options to maintain limited driving privileges:
Ignition Interlock
Drive with device installed
Occupational License
Limited driving for work/essentials
Arizona DMV Office
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Guides
A breath test of 0.08% or higher, or a refusal to test, triggers an Admin Per Se suspension the moment you're arrested in Cochise County. The paperwork the officer hands you doubles as a temporary driving permit, but only for 15 days.
The 15-Day Deadline
You have exactly 15 days from the date you're served that notice to request a hearing with the state's Executive Hearing Office. Miss it, and the suspension, typically 90 days, takes effect automatically on day 16 with no further warning. Requesting a hearing "stays" the suspension, meaning it's paused while the case is pending rather than running in the background.
What the Hearing Actually Covers
This isn't a trial. The Executive Hearing Office doesn't decide guilt or innocence on the criminal DUI charge; it only reviews whether the stop, arrest, and testing procedure were valid. Historically these hearings required travel, but Arizona now runs video conferencing sites for them, and in Sierra Vista a hearing can often be done remotely, connecting you and the arresting officer to an administrative law judge in Phoenix instead of requiring an in-person trip.
Reinstating Your License
Once you're cleared to get your license back, the MVD office serving Cochise County is at 5224 E Charleston Rd in Sierra Vista, open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CDL testing runs on its own, more limited hours.) Walk-ins are accepted, but wait times are unpredictable; booking an appointment through AZMVDNow.gov is the more reliable option. Reinstatement fees include a base fee plus applicable application fees, and the office does not accept personal checks, so plan to pay another way.
If Your License Requires an Interlock
If reinstatement is conditioned on installing an ignition interlock device, several installers serve Sierra Vista: Smart Start at 999 E Fry Blvd, Intoxalock through Chad and Tracey's Auto at 4511 N Commerce Dr (which also offers mobile installation), and QuickStart at 300 S Carmichael Ave. Installation typically runs $50 to $150, frequently discounted through provider promotions, with a monthly lease around $70 to $100 and recalibration required every 30 to 90 days.
If your car is sitting in an impound lot, Arizona law requires the lot to give an interlock installer access to the vehicle during business hours at no extra charge, so the device can go in before the vehicle is released. You'll still need to coordinate that visit around the lot's own narrow release hours.
Last updated: July 12, 2026
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