How Colorado Springs residents reinstate a suspended or revoked license
To reinstate your Colorado driver's license in Colorado Springs, you must first contact the Colorado Department of Revenue's Driver Services division to find out why your license was suspended or revoked, then complete whatever requirement caused the suspension — usually paying fines, completing a course, or serving a waiting period — and finally submit a reinstatement request with the required fee. The process varies depending on whether your suspension was for unpaid traffic tickets, a DUI conviction, accumulating too many points, or another reason. Colorado Springs residents handle this through the state's Driver Services office, not through a local city agency.
Driver Services is located in Lakewood, but you can contact them by phone, mail, or through their website without traveling there. Once your reinstatement is approved, you will need to visit a Colorado Department of Revenue office in Colorado Springs to receive your physical license card, which takes a few minutes and costs $20.
Key Takeaways
- You must contact Colorado Department of Revenue Driver Services to learn the specific reason your license was suspended or revoked before you can move forward.
- Different suspension reasons require different steps — unpaid tickets need payment, DUI suspensions need course completion, and point-based suspensions may require a waiting period.
- Reinstatement fees in Colorado range based on suspension type, and you must pay this fee along with any outstanding fines or course costs.
- You can contact Driver Services by phone at 303-205-5613, mail, or online at dmv.colorado.gov; Colorado Springs does not have a local Driver Services branch.
Finding out why your license was suspended
Before you can reinstate your license, you need to know the exact reason it was suspended or revoked. Colorado suspends licenses for several different reasons: unpaid traffic fines or child support, accumulating 12 or more points within 12 months, DUI or DWAI convictions, driving with a suspended license, failure to maintain insurance, or failure to appear in court for a traffic violation.
Contact the Colorado Department of Revenue Driver Services division by phone at 303-205-5613 or visit their website at dmv.colorado.gov. You can also mail a written request to Driver Services, 1881 Pierce Street, Lakewood, Colorado 80214. Have your driver's license number or date of birth ready. They will tell you the suspension reason and what you must do to clear it. If you call, keep notes on the specific requirement and any important date they mention.
Clearing the suspension reason
Once you know why your license was suspended, you must complete the specific requirement before reinstatement is possible. If your suspension was due to unpaid traffic fines, you must pay the full amount owed. If it was due to unpaid child support, you must work with the Colorado Department of Human Services to bring your account current or set up a payment plan. Some courts allow monthly payments, so contact the court that issued the ticket if you cannot pay in full when ready.
For DUI or DWAI suspensions, you must complete a substance abuse course approved by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The length and type of course depends on whether it was a first offense and your blood alcohol content at the time of arrest. For suspensions based on accumulating points, you may need to wait a set period — typically 30 days to one year depending on how many points you had — before you can request reinstatement. Driver Services will tell you the exact waiting period when you call, and you cannot shorten this period by paying a fee.
Submitting your reinstatement request
After you have completed whatever requirement caused the suspension, you submit a reinstatement request to Driver Services. You can do this by mail, phone, or in person. The reinstatement fee varies depending on the reason for suspension: most suspensions cost between $95 and $150 to reinstate. You must include proof that you have met the suspension requirement — for example, a receipt showing payment of fines, a certificate of course completion, or documentation from child support services.
Mail your request and supporting documents to Driver Services at 1881 Pierce Street, Lakewood, Colorado 80214, or call 303-205-5613 to submit by phone. If you submit by mail, allow 10 to 15 business days for processing. If you submit by phone, the process is faster but you will need to mail original documents afterward to complete the reinstatement. Keep copies of everything you send for your records.
Getting your physical license after reinstatement
Once Driver Services approves your reinstatement request, your driving privilege is restored in the state system, but you still need a physical license card to drive legally. You must visit a Colorado Department of Revenue office to get a new license card. The nearest full-service office to Colorado Springs is in Colorado Springs itself at 1391 North Academy Boulevard, Colorado Springs, CO 80909.
Bring your Social Security number, proof of Colorado residency (such as a utility bill or lease), and your reinstatement approval letter from Driver Services. The fee for a replacement license is $20. Processing takes a few minutes, and you receive your new card when ready. If you cannot visit in person, you can mail your documents to the Driver Services office in Lakewood, but this takes longer and you will not have a physical license while waiting.
Point-based suspensions and the point system
Colorado uses a point system where traffic violations add points to your driving record. Accumulating 12 or more points within 12 months results in an automatic suspension. Common violations add 3 to 4 points: speeding 1 to 24 miles per hour over the limit is 4 points, reckless driving is 8 points, and driving without a license is 12 points. A single serious violation can trigger suspension when ready.
If your suspension was point-based, you cannot straightforward pay a fee to reinstate. You must wait out the suspension period — usually 30 days for a first suspension, 60 days for a second within five years, and one year for a third within five years. After the waiting period ends, you can request reinstatement. Some drivers take a defensive driving course to reduce points on their record, which can help prevent future suspensions, but this does not shorten the current suspension period.
DUI and DWAI license suspensions
A DUI (driving under the influence) or DWAI (driving while ability impaired) arrest triggers an when ready administrative license suspension separate from any criminal court case. The administrative suspension lasts four months for a first offense if your blood alcohol content was 0.05 to 0.079, or eight months if it was 0.08 or higher. If you refuse a breath or blood test, the suspension is longer — 12 months for a first refusal.
To reinstate after a DUI or DWAI suspension, you must complete a substance abuse course approved by the state. The course length depends on your offense history and test results. A Level 2 course (the most common) runs 12 hours and costs between $200 and $400. You must provide the completion certificate to Driver Services along with your reinstatement request and fee. If you are convicted of DUI or DWAI in court, additional requirements may explore, including an ignition interlock device on your vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive in Colorado Springs while my reinstatement request is being processed?
No. Your license remains suspended until Driver Services approves your reinstatement request and you receive your new physical license card. Driving with a suspended license is a separate criminal offense that can result in additional fines and jail time. Wait for written approval before driving.
What if I cannot pay my traffic fines all at once?
Contact the court that issued the ticket or the collection agency handling your case to request a payment plan. Many Colorado courts allow monthly payments. Once you have a payment plan in place, you can request reinstatement even if you have not paid the full amount, as long as you are current on your plan payments. Bring proof of the payment plan agreement to Driver Services.
How long does the entire reinstatement process take?
If you have already completed the requirement (paid fines, finished a course, or waited out a suspension), submitting your reinstatement request takes 10 to 15 business days by mail or a few minutes by phone. Getting your physical license card at a Driver Services office takes a few minutes. The total time depends on how quickly you complete the underlying requirement, which varies from when ready (paying a fine) to several months (waiting out a suspension).
Do I need a lawyer to reinstate my license?
No. The reinstatement process is administrative and does not require legal representation. You can handle it yourself by contacting Driver Services and following their instructions. However, if your suspension resulted from a criminal DUI or DWAI conviction and you want to challenge the conviction or negotiate terms, a lawyer may be helpful for that separate legal matter.
What if my license was revoked instead of suspended?
Revocation is permanent and more serious than suspension. You cannot straightforward reinstate a revoked license. Instead, you must wait a set period (usually one to five years depending on the reason) and then explore for a new license through the normal process process, which includes a written test, vision test, and driving test. Contact Driver Services to learn the specific waiting period for your revocation.