You may have never heard of a 625g permit in Michigan by its legal definition, but chances are you know about it in general terms.
It refers to what an officer is required to do if you are stopped and refuse an alcohol test or if such a test shows that you are intoxicated. Officers are required to follow a number of steps in this case, and the court and Michigan Secretary of State have their own requirements to follow as well.
Let us explain further.
What is a 625g Permit in Michigan?
A 625g permit is based on Section 257.625g of Michigan Vehicle Code Act 300 of 1949.
The law states that if a driver refuses the substance test or is intoxicated, the officer must confiscate the driver’s license, destroy it, and then issue a temporary paper license or permit – and that’s what’s known as the 625g permit in Michigan. The permit does not restrict your driving privileges instantly, but will remain in effect until your case is resolved. The 625g permit would appear on a Michigan Secretary of State form.
If a driver refuses an alcohol test – which can be in the form of a breath test, urine test, or blood test – the officer must forward a copy of this report to the Secretary of State according to Section 625d of the law. The report would note that the driver refused to be tested and that the temporary permit was issued.
A 625g permit is entered into a driver’s record immediately so that other officers can see that the driver only has a temporary license in case he or she is stopped again later. The temporary permit does not mean that the individual has been found guilty or convicted of a drunken driving offense. However, it must be issued because drivers must have a license before they can operate a vehicle.
Act 300 also states that if a test does not reveal that the driver is intoxicated by alcohol, drugs or other substances, the officer must tell the driver the result of the test and return the license, which may need to be via first-class mail to the driver’s last known address.
What Happens Next
After the various steps of the person’s case have been completed, the Secretary of State must cancel the 625g permit. Before the office can do that, however, the court must notify them that the driver’s case has been resolved.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the individual was found innocent of all charges and can drive again; this step is necessary even in a situation where the court decided that the driver’s license should be suspended or revoked. Furthermore, it’s also necessary that the 625g permit in Michigan is canceled before you can get your license back after your suspension period is over or after successfully winning a license revocation reinstatement case.
In other words, you can only have one license at a time – whether it’s a temporary paper license, a restricted license, or a full license – and if the court neglects to recall your 625g permit, it can complicate matters. The extra steps needed to get your temporary license canceled would increase the time and effort required to get your license back.
Generally, the court and the Secretary of State in Michigan should take care of all that on time behind the scenes. But that isn’t always the case; mistakes and oversights have been known to happen, especially because so many people and steps are involved.
If you are hoping to get your license back after a revocation but are concerned that your 625g permit in Michigan is still active, you may find yourself spinning your wheels to get the matter settled. In this case, it can be helpful to have a Michigan license reinstatement attorney to help you clear up the situation relatively easily. If this sounds like you, contact me for a free consultation and we’ll go through the steps together.