Occupational License versus an Order to Test for an Occupational License
If you’ve never had a regular Texas driver’s license, your driving privileges can still be suspended pursuant to the rules that govern the ability to drive in Texas. Your driving priviliges can be suspended for convictions for DWI and drug possession, for example. You can still be assessed surcharges and reinstatement fees. What does this mean if you do not have a driver’s license? It means not only can’t you drive, but you also cannot be issued a regular Texas driver’s license until you get your ineligibility rectified. If you are caught driving, you can still be charged with driving while license suspended/invalid.
If you are under a mandatory suspension or cannot rectify your ineligiblities, you cannot get a regular license by a simply walking into a DPS field office and taking a test. First, in order to drive, you are going to need to apply for Texas occupational license. However, it is more complicated to get an occupational if you’ve never had a license because you cannot be issued a hard plastic permanant occupational without taking the test first.
Therefore, you still need to go through the process of petitioning the court for an occupational. You need to file the petition and get the order signed by a judge allowing you to drive. Then you need to send the order to DPS with your SR-22, your reinstatement fees, and your occupational fees. Instead, however, of getting an occupational back with your picture on it, you will get an order back telling the field office to allow you to test for an occupational license. This is because you’ve never taken the test before. You will have to pass that and all other residency requirements and such, and then you will be issued an occupational license until you become eligible for a regular license.
When you become eligible for a regular license, you will simply be able to walk into a field office and get a regular replacement for your occupational. You will not have to pass the test again.
I am available to craft occupational licenses and submit them to the court for signature. If you believe you need an occupational, give me a call. I’m happy to help.