DUI – Professional License in Pennsylvania

Information on DUI Charges in PA with a Professional License or CDL

Losing a Professional License Due to DUI / DWI

Anyone who gets charged with DUI or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Pennsylvania faces a rough road ahead, but this is especially true for professionals, whose jobs are on the line. It’s not only your driver’s license that could be revoked, but also your professional license or commercial driver’s license (CDL).

When your livelihood is also at risk after being charged with a crime like DUI you are most likely worried and stressed that the worst is yet to come.

At this crucial time, it is important to remember that until you are convicted, you still have rights and it is worth fighting for them.

A DUI Arrest is Not a Conviction.

An experienced DUI Attorney in Pennsylvania can help you navigate the legal system and understand what you are up against and how to battle the charges – with the goal to have them reduced or dismissed. An attorney can also prepare documents or help you prepare for interviews the licensing board of your profession may require, in addition to legal matters in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Your profession is something you worked hard to achieve and one mistake should not be able to wipe it all away. An experienced and aggressive DUI attorney is critical in protecting your rights and your job.

Attorney Saadzoi will build a solid defense to keep your professional license and offers Free Legal Case Evaluations if you are charged with DUI of drugs or alcohol in Pennsylvania. Call today.


Get Aggressive Representation
Call Today for a Free Legal Case Evaluation

Contact PA DUI Attorney Saadzoi
610-566-5956

Delaware County, PA | Chester County, PA | Montgomery County, PA


DUI Charges in PA can be Fought and Won

Whether you are a doctor, a nurse, a truck driver or a pilot, DUI charges can harm your future and your livelihood. Depending on your BAC level (blood alcohol content) and whether this is a first time DUI, a second DUI offense, or a third DUI, you could be eligible for different programs that could ultimately keep your permanent record from being ruined.

A DUI conviction typically means a criminal charge on your record, but if you are eligible for a program like the ARD (Accelerated Disposition Program), you may be able to keep your record clean.

An experienced DUI Law Firm in Pennsylvania can help you learn more about the ARD program in Pennsylvania and help you apply for consideration. Not everyone who applies is accepted and not everyone is eligible to apply.

A DUI Lawyer can also help you fight your charges or have them reduced, if the ARD program is not an option. Sometimes police make mistakes in arrest procedures and an attorney can help investigate if any wrongdoing occurred, and if so, your entire case could be dismissed.

Attorney Saadzoi offers free legal case evaluations for anyone facing DUI charges or criminal charges in Pennsylvania. It is always a good idea to seek advice from a professional.

Attorney Saadzoi helps professionals in Montgomery, Chester and Delaware Counties fight their DUI charges and fight to keep a clean record and keep their professional license, whether it is a license to practice medicine, law or fly a plane, or a CDL license to drive a truck.

Attorney Saadzoi is compassionate toward her clients but aggressive in the courtroom. Her team at The Law Offices of Wana Saadzoi, Esquire LLC wants to get the best possible outcome for you and will fight hard to make that happen. Talk directly to Attorney Saadzoi today for a free legal case evaluation.


Professional License Defense Lawyers in PA
Call Today for a Free Case Evaluation
610-566-5956

Delaware County, PA | Chester County, PA | Montgomery County, PA


Will I Lose My Professional License over a DUI Charge?

Licensed professionals work and study for years to obtain the education and experience necessary to build their careers. But one folly like a DUI conviction can bring all that hard work to a halt, jeopardizing the career of a licensed professional.

Most professional licensing boards require members to disclose a DUI or ARD participation when applying or renewing a license. This means a lot of paperwork may need to be filed for the board to review your case and an experienced lawyer can help with that process.

Professional disciplinary standards cover many types of professions and licensing boards.

An experienced and aggressive DUI attorney in PA can help you through the DUI court process in Pennsylvania, but can also assist with any disciplinary board hearings.

At The Law Offices of Wana Saadzoi, Esquire LLC, we will fight for you to keep your driver’s license, your professional license and your career.

Professionals who may be at risk of losing their license over a DUI charge or conviction include:

  • Doctors / Physicians: One DUI arrest and conviction could cause revocation of your medical license. A physician in PA must appear before a medical board hearing after being arrested for DUI to determine fitness for practicing medicine.
  • Nurses: The PA State Board of Nursing requires any DUI convictions, guilty pleas or participation in the ARD program to be reported to them upon license renewal. The board determines disciplinary action.
  • CDL Holders / Truckers and School Bus Drivers: In Pennsylvania, the average driver can be charged with DUI with a BAC level of .08% or higher. However, CDL holders can be charged with DUI at a mere .02% BAC level. A single beer could ruin your life, even if you are driving your own personal vehicle at the time of arrest. The punishments are much more stringent than normal license holders and you face jail time upon conviction, as well as hefty fines.
  • Pilots: Airline pilots convicted of DUI / DWI must report to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) within 60 days. Otherwise, it is cause for suspension, denial or revocation of your pilot’s license.
    • Under 14 CFR 61.15, all pilots must send a Notification Letter (PDF) to FAA’s Security and Hazardous Materials Safety Office (AXE-700) (formerly Civil Aviation Security Division (AMC-700)) within 60 calendar days of the effective date of an alcohol and/or drug related conviction or administrative action. In 14 CFR 61.15(c), alcohol and/or drug related convictions or administrative actions refer to motor vehicle actions (MVA).

Falsification could lead to up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and revocation of a pilot license. It is crucial if you are an airline pilot charged with DUI / DWI to contact an experienced DUI attorney as soon as possible.

  • Pharmacists: Any DUI convictions are required to be reported to the Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy. The board disciplines on a case-by-case basis, but a DUI can put your pharmacy license at risk. Pharmacists may also be referred to the Professional Health Monitoring Programs (PHMP) of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA).
  • Teachers: All Pennsylvania teachers (K-12) are required to report any DUI convictions. If drugs are involved, the punishments may be much more severe, but either way, a DUI conviction means your teaching license is put at risk.
  • EMTs / Paramedics: A DUI conviction is required to be reported to the PA Department of Health within 30 days. This can result in an automatic license suspension.
  • EMS (Emergency Medical Services Vehicle Operators):

Title § 8122d3 of the PA Code: The department may suspend or revoke or, as applicable, refuse to issue an EMS vehicle operator’s certification for the operation of an emergency vehicle in a reckless manner or while under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or the knowing abuse of legal drugs.

Other professionals who may be at risk of losing their professional license over a driving while under the influence charge includes: Accountants, Architects, Engineers, Realtors, Veterinarians, Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Social Workers, Counselors and Therapists.


Get Aggressive Representation to Defend Your Professional License
Free Legal Case Evaluations

Contact PA DUI Attorney Saadzoi
610-566-5956

Delaware County, PA | Chester County, PA | Montgomery County, PA


Penalties For DUI Convictions – Licensed Professionals

It is not only your professional license at risk, but there are also tough penalties for DUI convictions in Pennsylvania, including jail time, fines and losing your driver’s license.

DUI Penalties in Pennsylvania for CDL Holders:

Commercial drivers can have their CDLs suspended even if they are arrested for DUI in their own personal vehicles.

A CDL holder convicted of DUI in PA can be punished by: two days to up to six months in jail, fines from $500 – $5,000, an automatic one-year CDL disqualification, and a 12-month driver’s license suspension.

Penalties for Highest Impairment Tier – CDL Holders

A BAC of .04% or higher is the Highest Impairment Tier.*

Penalties for Highest Impairment Tier DUI include: Up to five years in jai, fines up to $10,000, an 18-month driver’s license suspension

*For a school bus driver, a BAC of .02% or higher is the Highest Impairment Tier.

DUI Penalties and Sentencing Guidelines – First Time Offenders:

Tier 1 General Impairment (BAC .08 – .099): Misdemeanor, six months probation, $300 fine.

Tier 2 High Rate (BAC .10 – .159): Misdemeanor, 48 hours to six months jail, a $500 – $5,000 fine and a one year license suspension.

Tier 3. Highest Rate (BAC .16 +); Controlled Substance (Drug DUI) ; Refusal of Chemical Test: A misdemeanor, 72 hours – six months jail, a $1,000 – $5,000 fine; a one year license suspension.

If you are first time DUI offender, it is worth applying for acceptance into the Pennsylvania ARD Program, which can drastically reduce sentencing and length of time for a driver’s license suspension.

Penalties drastically increase for second DUI offenses or multiple offenses, including felony charges.

Please see our pages on DUI in the following PA Counties for detailed descriptions of the penalties involved:

In addition to direct penalties like losing your professional license and facing criminal charges in Pennsylvania, a DUI can also make other areas of life more difficult like increased insurance premiums, finding financing for housing, schooling and automobiles, as well as the social stigma of having a criminal record.


Protect Your Professional License
Call Today for a Free Legal Case Evaluation

Contact Attorney Saadzoi, PA DUI Lawyer
610-566-5956

Delaware County, PA | Chester County, PA | Montgomery County, PA


How The Law Offices of Wana Saadzoi, Esquire LLC Can Help Licensed Professionals Facing DUI Charges

A DUI conviction will have disastrous consequences on your future. A criminal record makes it difficult to find employment and obtain loans.

Anyone who does a background check will see the DUI on your record. It can be a negative weight hanging over your shoulders for a long time.

Fighting a DUI charge could help weaken the impact, by having your charges reduced or dismissed.

Attorney Saadzoi has years of experience successfully helping clients get their DUI charges reduced, dismissed and resolved.

At The Law Offices of Wana Saadzoi, Esquire LLC, we review the details of your DUI arrest and police reports. We will determine if the stop was unlawful and if you were in control of the vehicle. If not, or if there are any other circumstances permitting, we will file motions to gain leverage over the prosecution.


Don’t Fight Your DUI Charges Alone
Call Today for a Free Legal Case Evaluation

Contact PA DUI Attorney Wana Saadzoi
610-566-5956


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