Driver's License Restoration Committed to Excellence

Grand Rapids, MI Driver’s License Restoration Lawyer

We Guarantee Your Restoration or Your Next Hearing Is Free

Losing your driving privileges in Michigan means more than inconvenience. It puts your job, your family obligations, and your daily independence at risk. Michigan treats driving as a privilege, not a right, and once that privilege is revoked, it doesn’t automatically return when the minimum waiting period ends. You have to win it back, and you only get one chance per year to do it.

At Tanis Schultz, we back our license restoration work with a written guarantee: if we don’t restore your license at the first hearing, we attend the next one at no charge. Our team brings over 50 years of combined attorney experience to every case, and every client gets the full team, not a single practitioner working alone. We offer free consultations, same-day appointments, and after-hours availability for clients across Grand Rapids and West Michigan. If you need a Grand Rapids license reinstatement lawyer, contact Tanis Schultz.

Has your Michigan license been suspended or revoked? Call Tanis Schultz today at (616) 227-3737 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with our driver’s license restoration attorney in Grand Rapids, MI.

License Suspension vs. Revocation in Michigan

These two terms aren’t interchangeable, and the difference determines which restoration path applies to you. A suspension puts your driving privileges on hold for a defined period. When the suspension ends, you pay a reinstatement fee to the Michigan Secretary of State and your privileges return.

A revocation is more serious. Your driving privileges are terminated entirely, and the minimum waiting period before you can even apply for restoration is one year for a first revocation. If a second revocation occurs within seven years of the first, that minimum extends to five years. When the waiting period ends, your license is not automatically restored. You must win a formal hearing before any privileges return.

After a revocation, you may apply for a hearing with the Administrative Hearings Section (AHS), now formally known as the Office of Hearings and Administrative Oversight (OHAO); both names remain in common use across Michigan legal practice. If your revocation stems from multiple OWI convictions, the OHAO hearing is your only avenue; a hardship appeal to the circuit court is available in some implied-consent suspension cases but not for multiple-DUI revocations. You are permitted one hearing per year, so a denial resets the clock entirely.

What the OHAO Hearing Requires

The legal standard at a restoration hearing is clear and convincing evidence. You must demonstrate that a substance use problem is under control and likely to remain so. Meeting that standard requires assembling the right documentation before you ever appear before a hearing officer.

Required documentation includes:

  • A substance abuse evaluation completed within the prior three months by a state-approved counselor
  • A 12-panel urinalysis drug screen with at least two integrity variables
  • Three to six community support letters from friends, family, or coworkers
  • Certifications of participation in AA or other treatment programs, where applicable
  • A completed Hearing Request Application submitted through the Driver Appeal Integrated System (DAIS) or by mail

Hearings are currently conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams. Depending on the outcome, you may be required to install and maintain a breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID) in your vehicle before you can drive again.

Contact Our Driver’s License Restoration Attorneys

The hearing officer has the final say, and you only get one opportunity per year to make your case. A documentation error, an inconsistency in your evaluation, or a single piece of conflicting testimony can mean another year without full driving privileges. Our Grand Rapids license reinstatement attorneys review every document, prepare you for hearing officer questions, and argue on your behalf so you walk in with the strongest case possible.

Additional Reading:

Contact Tanis Schultz today for a free consultation with our Grand Rapids driver’s license restoration lawyers. If we don’t get your license back the first time, we attend the next hearing at no charge. That’s our guarantee.

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What Can Cause a License Suspension or Revocation in Michigan?

Most drivers associate license loss with OWI convictions, but Michigan law suspends or revokes driving privileges for a much wider range of reasons. We handle license reinstatement cases arising from every cause of suspension or revocation across West Michigan.

Common triggers include:

  • Point accumulation: Reaching 12 or more points on your driving record triggers a mandatory reexamination and possible suspension.
  • No-insurance violations: Operating a vehicle without proper insurance results in automatic suspension.
  • Chemical test refusal: Refusing a sobriety test under Michigan’s implied consent law results in a one-year suspension, or two years for a second refusal within seven years.
  • First-offense OWI: A standard first OWI conviction carries a 30-day hard suspension followed by 150 days on a restricted license.
  • High-BAC OWI (0.17 or higher): A first offense at this level results in a 45-day suspension, 320 days restricted, and a required ignition interlock device.
  • Unpaid child support: Being two or more months in arrears can trigger a court-ordered suspension.

Under recent Michigan law changes, driving privileges are no longer automatically suspended for unpaid traffic tickets or failure to appear in court. If you’re unsure what triggered your suspension, a free consultation with our team can clarify your situation and the path to reinstatement.

What Happens After a Successful OHAO Hearing

Winning your restoration hearing doesn’t mean walking out with full driving privileges. For most drivers, the first successful OHAO hearing results in a restricted license that limits where and when you may operate a vehicle, typically for work, school, medical appointments, or treatment programs.

The BAIID Restricted License Period

A breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID) is required on your vehicle during the restricted license period. The BAIID measures breath alcohol before the engine starts and requires rolling retests while driving; a reading above the threshold prevents the engine from starting. The restricted period runs a minimum of one year, and full BAIID compliance throughout is required before you can return to OHAO to request full driving privileges. Violations, missed retests, or any tampering can extend the restriction or trigger a new revocation, which is why compliance during this phase matters as much as the hearing itself.

Returning to OHAO for Full Privileges

After demonstrating full compliance, you’ll submit an updated certified BAIID report when requesting full privileges at a second OHAO hearing. Our team guides clients through both stages: the initial restoration hearing and the follow-on hearing to remove the interlock restriction.

Why Representation Matters for Your OHAO Hearing

The OHAO process gives you one hearing per year. A denial resets the clock entirely, meaning a misstep in your paperwork or testimony can cost you another year of limited mobility. That’s why working with an experienced license reinstatement attorney in Grand Rapids makes a practical difference, not just a legal one.

Common Reasons Hearings Are Denied

Denials often come down to inconsistencies in the substance abuse evaluation, generic or conflicting support letters, drug screen results that are outdated by hearing day, or testimony that contradicts submitted documents. Any one of these is enough to lose a hearing that took a year to reach.

How Our Team Prepares Your Case

We review every document before it goes to OHAO, prepare you for the questions a hearing officer is likely to ask, and deliver a closing argument on your behalf. If the Michigan Secretary of State’s office denies restoration, we can also pursue a circuit court appeal within the 63-day window under MCL 257.323, available to Kent County residents through the Kent County Circuit Court. And if the first hearing doesn’t succeed despite our best effort, our guarantee means we attend the next one at no charge.

Call us at (616) 227-3737 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation with a Grand Rapids license reinstatement lawyer.

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Why Choose Tanis Schultz?

  • Dedicated Attorneys
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  • Track Record of Success
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    Tanis Schultz is a professional law firm that provides a competitive advantage and the experience to address your legal issues.
  • Experience
    Our attorneys have over 50 yearsof combined experience handling various areas of the law with precision.