Quick answer: The ALR hearing is the separate civil case over your driver’s license — and it starts the moment you are arrested. You have 15 days to request a hearing or your suspension begins automatically on day 40. Requested in time, the hearing pauses the suspension and doubles as an early cross-examination opportunity against the officer who arrested you.
ALR hearings for Williamson County arrests are conducted through the State Office of Administrative Hearings, usually by phone or video. The state must prove the stop was lawful and that you refused or failed the test after proper warnings. It is a lower-stakes forum with a high-stakes side benefit: the arresting officer can be subpoenaed and questioned under oath, months before any criminal trial — testimony that is locked in and usable later.
Win the hearing and no ALR suspension issues. Lose it and the suspension runs — 90 days for a failed test, 180 for a refusal on a first arrest — with an occupational license available as the fallback for work and essential driving. Either way, the hearing generates value for the criminal defense; skipping it wastes both the license and the preview.
Related questions
Is the ALR suspension the same as criminal court punishment?
No — it is a separate civil administrative action that runs on its own schedule. You can win the criminal case and still face the ALR suspension, and vice versa. They must be handled in parallel from day one.
What if I already missed the 15-day deadline?
The suspension will trigger, but the criminal case is unaffected and an occupational license can restore your ability to drive for work, school, and essentials. Get counsel moving on the occupational license before the suspension date hits.
More: Williamson 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.
