Request for DUI Hearing

how to Complete your Hearing Request

If you were arrested for DUI, the officer should have given you a form with the title, “Driver’s Hearing Request.” This form or application pertains to the commonly known: DUI DOL Hearing. One way to request a hearing is to fill out the “Driver’s Hearing Request” form and send it to the DOL.

As a general rule, you only have 7 days from the date you were arrested, to request a hearing with the DOL, whether you submitted to a breath test or refused the breath test. If you do not request a hearing on time, DOL will automatically suspend or revoke your license on the 30th day from the date of the arrest.

If however, your blood was taken, not because you refused the breath test, but because the officer suspected drug consumption or a breath test device was not available, DOL will wait until receiving the blood test results before notifying you of your right to request a hearing. It may take several weeks or even months for DOL to receive the results.

How do I fill out my dOL hearing request form?

Fill in your information completely. Generally, it is best to leave the attorney information blank and allow your attorney to notify DOL that you are represented. In doing this, DOL will send you a copy of your police report, which your attorney cannot give you.
Make a copy of the Driver’s Hearing Request after you fill it out. Send the original form and a check or money order for $375 to the Department of Licensing: PO Box 9031, Olympia, WA 98507-9031.
Keep the copy in a safe place for your records. You can also apply online by signing up for License eXpress and requesting through the portal.
Generally, the best day to send in the request is the 6th day from the date of your arrest. If the 6th day is a day when the post office is not open, the next best day is generally the next earliest day that the post office is open. You may mail it on the 7th day following the date of your arrest, but if you are mistaken about the date of arrest, you could lose your right to a hearing.
Take the envelope to the post office to request a “Certificate of Mailing”. Keep the Certificate of Mailing in a safe place as proof that you sent in your request and that you mailed it on time. Do not send your hearing request to DOL by certified or registered mail or with a return receipt request! These require a signature and that may delay DOL receiving the request.

You can also request the DOL Hearing Online.

To request online you must

Sign up for License eXpress, a free online service with the DOL.
Have a Washington driver’s license
Have taken a breath test, not a blood test, when you were arrested
Make your online request within 7 days of your arrest using a credit or debit card to make the payment