A DWI arrest can produce more than one set of paperwork. The criminal charge and an administrative driver-license action may proceed separately, with different decision makers and deadlines. A court date appearing weeks away does not tell you how long you have to respond to a license notice. Start by identifying each document.

In this guide

Recognize the separate ALR process

The Texas Department of Public Safety describes Administrative License Revocation, or ALR, as a civil administrative process independent of the criminal prosecution. An ALR hearing does not decide guilt on the DWI charge. Ask counsel whether representation includes both matters and how the separate schedules will be tracked. A development in one proceeding should not be assumed to automatically dispose of the other.

Read how and when notice was given

ALR hearing-request periods are short. DPS describes a 15-day period from service for notices served by an officer, while its guidance for a notice mailed after blood-test results uses a different calculation. Keep the notice and envelope and obtain advice immediately about the deadline applicable to those papers. Do not calculate a universal deadline from the arrest date or wait for the first criminal hearing.

Prepare an accurate incident timeline

Write down the sequence of the stop, conversations, testing, arrest, and release while your recollection is fresh. Identify possible video sources and witnesses for counsel without contacting people to coordinate accounts. Preserve receipts, messages, and other existing records in their original form. Separate certainty from approximation: a remembered time, a phone timestamp, and a later assumption should not be presented as the same kind of evidence.

Ask about the actual evidence

Defense review may concern the reason for the stop, observations, recorded events, testing procedures, and laboratory materials. Which issues matter depends on the evidence and the charge. A single fact taken from an online discussion does not establish that a test is invalid or a case must be dismissed. Ask what materials have been obtained, what remains outstanding, and how those gaps affect decisions.

Confirm driving and daily obligations

Ask about current driving privileges, any restrictions, and what additional steps may be required before driving. Do not assume that possession of a physical license proves permission to drive. Review bond conditions separately, including any ordered monitoring. Explain commercial driving, employment, or travel concerns early so counsel can identify related issues without treating an ordinary criminal-court setting as a complete answer.

Before your next step

Your preparation checklist

  • Keep all DPS notices and their envelopes.
  • Ask immediately about the applicable hearing-request deadline.
  • Clarify whether the engagement includes ALR representation.
  • Confirm current driving privileges and court-ordered restrictions.

Reference points: Texas Department of Public Safety, Administrative License Revocation Program; State Office of Administrative Hearings, ALR case information. General information reviewed September 30, 2026.