DWI convictions can have serious and long-lasting consequences. You may not know what to expect if you have never faced DWI charges.
A DWI charge that results from an incident outside your home state can add another layer of uncertainty. What happens if you receive a DWI conviction out of state?
In most states, the charge will follow you home
All states in the United States, except for Tennessee, Wisconsin, Georgia, Michigan and Massachusetts, are part of the Driver License Compact. If you receive a DWI conviction in any of the states that are part of the Compact, Texas will impose the same penalties you would receive for a DWI conviction in Texas.
Even if your conviction happens in one of the states that are not part of the Compact, state authorities are likely to upload your records to a national database where Texas authorities may discover it when you attempt to renew your license.
You may not be able to legally drive in the other state
Depending on the DWI laws in the state where your conviction occurred, you may be subject to the revocation of your driving privileges in the state. For this reason, you need to be aware of the DWI penalties for both Texas and the state where you received your DWI conviction.
Because DWI convictions outside your home state are likely to result in penalties in Texas, it is critical to mount a strong defense. Ignoring the problem because it happened across state lines is likely to make things worse.