Quick answer: The ALR case is the civil fight over your license, and it starts at arrest — you have 15 days to request a hearing or suspension begins automatically on day 40. Requested in time, it pauses the suspension and gives your defense a sworn preview of the arresting officer’s testimony months before criminal trial.
Hearings are held through the State Office of Administrative Hearings, typically by phone or video, with the state carrying the burden to show a lawful stop and a proper refusal or failure after statutory warnings. The suspension stakes on a first arrest: 90 days for a failed test, 180 days for a refusal — with Hays County’s no-refusal operations meaning many “refusals” also come with a blood warrant in the criminal file.
The hearing’s quiet value is discovery. The arresting officer can be subpoenaed and examined under oath while the criminal case is still young; inconsistencies locked in there pay dividends at suppression hearings and trial. Win the ALR and keep your license; lose it and the occupational license path keeps you driving for work and school. Either way, the hearing should be requested — the only losing move is the missed deadline.
Related questions
How do I count the 15 days?
From the date of arrest — not the court date, not the citation date. If the deadline is near, a same-day request is possible; this is the single most time-sensitive task in any Texas DWI case.
What happens to students who lose their license?
The occupational license process restores essential driving — classes, work, and household needs qualify. It requires a court order and an SR-22, and it works; thousands of students drive legally on occupational licenses every semester.
More: Hays County DWI Attorney · Video library · Texas charge codes
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General legal information for Texas, not legal advice about your specific case. Last reviewed July 2026.
