Denton County ALR Hearing Guide
How to request your Administrative License Revocation (ALR) Hearing and protect your driving privileges after a DWI arrest.
Last verified: September 7, 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
Texas DMV Office
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Guides
The deadline is 15 days, not 10. Plenty of outdated advice says 10, and acting on it costs people their license. From the day you're served the DIC-25 notice, you have 15 days to request a hearing to contest the suspension. Miss it by an hour and the suspension is automatic, starting on the 40th day after arrest: 90 days for failing the test, 180 for refusing it. There's no appeal for a blown deadline.
The DIC-25 itself is a valid permit for 40 days. Requesting the hearing on time extends it until an administrative judge rules.
The hearing is virtual, and the notice hides in spam
Denton County ALR hearings are held by the State Office of Administrative Hearings over Zoom or phone. The Denton driver license office at 4020 E. McKinney Street handles renewals and IDs, not hearings, and driving there on your hearing date means you miss the hearing and lose by default.
Watch for how DPS sends the notice. After you request the hearing, DPS emails a secure message with a link to the hearing details, and that link expires. These emails routinely land in junk folders. People miss their hearing entirely because they never saw the email. Check spam daily once you've filed, and confirm the date another way if you can.
Reinstatement
Getting the license back after the suspension runs out isn't automatic. Pay the $125 reinstatement fee, file an SR-22 certificate through your insurer, and clear any other holds. The SR-22 flags you as high-risk, which usually spikes your premium or gets your policy dropped.
The occupational license
If the suspension sticks, you petition for an occupational license to drive for work and school. File it in the court handling your DWI or a Justice of the Peace court. The judge generally won't sign the order until you show proof of SR-22 insurance and, often, proof that an ignition interlock is installed. That last requirement loops back to a problem from the arrest: you may need the interlock in a car you can't yet legally drive to the shop, so plan to tow it there or send it with a licensed driver.
A certified installer has a location in Denton; other certified vendors work through third-party shops. Whatever device you use, it draws a small constant current to keep its sensor warm, and on an older battery or a cold night that can drain the battery in a couple of days if the car sits. Disconnecting the battery to charge it registers as a power interruption you'll have to explain, so a trickle charger is worth it if you don't drive daily.
Last updated: September 7, 2026
Top Rated Denton County DWI Attorneys
When facing a DWI charge in Denton County, finding local, experienced representation is critical. Below are DWI defense attorneys serving Denton County, TX; paid listings are advertisements and ratings are from Google.
These are free, unclaimed business listings compiled from public sources. They have not been verified or reviewed by DUI Guide, are not paid advertisements, and listing order does not reflect quality or recommendation. Is this your business? You can claim your listing for free.