Gillespie County ALR Hearing Guide

Fifteen days. That's the entire window to request a hearing after a Gillespie County DWI arrest that ends in a refused test or a BAC reading over 0.08%, and it runs on its own clock, separate from the criminal case's timeline. The Notice of Suspension doubles as a temporary driving permit, but only for 40 days from the date of arrest — miss the 15-day filing deadline and the suspension takes effect automatically once that permit runs out, no hearing required.

The hearing itself goes through the State Office of Administrative Hearings, not the local courthouse. It's a genuinely separate proceeding from the DWI case, focused narrowly on whether the officer had reasonable suspicion to stop the vehicle and probable cause to arrest. If the arresting officer doesn't show up, or the defense successfully challenges either of those elements, SOAH denies the suspension outright regardless of what happens later in criminal court.

Losing the ALR hearing doesn't have to mean no driving at all. A defendant can petition the County Court at Law for an Occupational Driver's License, which allows limited driving for work, school, or household necessities during the suspension period. That requires an SR-22 insurance certificate on file and a filing fee of roughly $300, and it goes through the same court handling most of the county's misdemeanor DWI cases.

License suspension and ignition interlock requirements run on separate tracks that often overlap in practice. Anyone with a BAC of 0.15% or higher, or a repeat offense, typically needs an interlock device installed as a bond condition well before the DMV side of the case resolves. One certified installer operates the dominant local network, with a service center in Kerrville handling installations for most Gillespie County defendants, since there's no dedicated installer inside the county itself.