The department must suspend a license when listed charge, notice, violence, or protective-order conditions are met; officers must file and send suspension paperwork, and the license holder may seek justice-court review and may have to surrender the license.
Sec. 411.187. SUSPENSION OF LICENSE. (a) The department shall suspend a license under this section if the license holder: (1) is charged with the commission of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or equivalent offense, or of an offense under Section 42.01, Penal Code, or equivalent offense, or of a felony under an information or indictment; (2) fails to notify the department of a change of address, name, or status as required by Section 411.181; (3) commits an act of family violence and is the subject of an active protective order rendered under Title 4, Family Code; or (4) is arrested for an offense involving family violence or an offense under Section 42.072, Penal Code, and is the subject of an order for emergency protection issued under Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure. (b) If a peace officer believes a reason listed in Subsection (a) to suspend a license exists, the officer shall prepare an affidavit on a form provided by the department stating the reason for the suspension of the license and giving the department all of the information available to the officer at the time of the preparation of the form. The officer shall attach the officer's reports relating to the license holder to the form and send the form and the attachments to the appropriate division of the department at its Austin headquarters not later than the fifth working day after the date the form is prepared. The officer shall send a copy of the form and the attachments to the license holder. If the license holder has not surrendered the license or the license was not seized as evidence, the license holder shall surrender the license to the appropriate division of the department not later than the 10th day after the date the license holder receives the notice of suspension from the department unless the license holder requests a hearing from the department. The license holder may request that the justice court in the justice court precinct in which the license holder resides review the suspension as provided by Section 411.180. If a request is made for the justice court to review the suspension and hold a hearing, the license holder shall surrender the license on the date an order of suspension is entered by the justice court. (c) The department shall suspend a license under this section: (1) for 30 days, if the person's license is subject to suspension for a reason listed in Subsection (a)(2), (3), or (4), except as provided by Subdivision (2); (2) for not less than one year and not more than three years, if the person's license: (A) is subject to suspension for a reason listed in Subsection (a), other than the reason listed in Subsection (a)(1); and (B) has been previously suspended for the same reason; (3) until dismissal of the charges, if the person's license is subject to suspension for the reason listed in Subsection (a)(1); or (4) for the duration of or the period specified by: (A) the protective order issued under Title 4, Family Code, if the person's license is subject to suspension for the reason listed in Subsection (a)(3); or (B) the order for emergency protection issued under Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure, if the person's license is subject to suspension for the reason listed in Subsection (a)(4). Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 10.01(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 9.10(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1412, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 316 (H.B. 598), Sec. 7, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1146 (H.B. 2730), Sec. 11.12, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1146 (H.B. 2730), Sec. 12A.01, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1302 (H.B. 3142), Sec. 7, eff. June 14, 2013. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 204 (H.B. 1620), Sec. 8.014, eff. September 1, 2025.