Michigan driver's license restoration lawyer

If your Michigan driver’s license has been revoked because of multiple DUI convictions, you already know that it doesn’t come back on its own. Getting it back requires filing — and winning — a formal appeal with the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office of Hearings and Administrative Oversight (OHAO), and having an experienced driver’s license restoration lawyer in your corner makes all the difference. That’s exactly what our firm does, and we guarantee to win every restoration and clearance case we take.

We handle driver’s license restoration cases for clients throughout Michigan, and clearance cases for people who have a Michigan hold on their driving record that prevents them from obtaining or renewing a license where they now live — regardless of where that is.

Because every step of our process can be handled remotely, where you live is never an obstacle. Consultations, case preparation, meetings with our substance use evaluator, and the hearing itself are all conducted over video — in fact, OHAO hearings are only conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams. There are no in-person hearings.

The only thing you’ll ever need to do in person is provide a urine sample — and that’s done at a lab close to you, wherever you are.

If you’re in Metro Detroit, Southeast Michigan, or anywhere else in the state — or if you left Michigan years ago and still can’t get a license where you live now — we can help.

What Is Michigan Driver’s License Restoration?

In Michigan, a driver’s license revoked for multiple DUI convictions is not automatically reinstated after any set period of time. There is no waiting it out. The only path to getting back on the road legally is to work with a driver’s license restoration lawyer and file a formal restoration or clearance appeal and then win it.

Under Michigan law, anyone whose license has been revoked for two OWI offenses within seven years, or three OWI offenses within ten years, is legally categorized as a “habitual alcohol offender,” and as a result, also legally presumed to have an alcohol problem. That presumption is the starting point and central legal barrier in every restoration and clearance case. To overcome it, you must prove — by the legal standard of “clear and convincing evidence” — two things:

  • That your alcohol and/or substance abuse problem is under control.
  • That your alcohol and/or substance abuse problem is likely to remain under control.

In plain terms, this means you must be genuinely sober — and be able to prove it. Our firm generally requires a minimum of 18 months of continuous sobriety before we will move forward with any appeal. This isn’t a formality; it’s the foundation that every winning case is built on.

Restoration vs. Clearance: What’s the Difference?

Michigan residents appeal for a restoration of their driving privileges — meaning they get their Michigan license back.

Anyone who is not a resident of this state cannot get a Michigan license reinstated — they need what’s called a “clearance.” A clearance removes the Michigan hold from their driving record, which allows them to obtain or renew a license in the state where they now live. The appeal process is the same; the result is different.

We handle both. And because all hearings are conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams, out-of-state clients go through the exact same process as Michigan residents — without ever having to travel back to Michigan.

Do You Qualify for a Driver’s License Restoration Appeal?

You may be eligible to file a Michigan driver’s license restoration or reinstatement appeal if:

  • Two DUI convictions within seven years — eligible to appeal after one year of revocation (though most people need to wait closer to three years before they have a real chance of winning).
  • Three or more DUI convictions within ten years — eligible to appeal after five years of revocation.

Eligibility to file and readiness to win are two different things. Our firm won’t take a case until we’re confident you can win it. That means we screen every potential client carefully — not to turn people away, but to make sure that when we file, we win. For a full overview of what it takes to be ready, see our driver’s license restoration requirements page.

The Michigan Driver’s License Restoration Process

A winning restoration or reinstatement case depends on three things: sobriety, documentation, and preparation. Our team manages every step:

  • Substance Use Evaluation (SUE) — We prepare you for the evaluation, then connect you with our experienced substance use evaluator, who completes the state’s required form. We supply the evaluator with key details to make sure everything important gets included, then we review it before it’s finalized to make sure it’s good enough to win. The evaluation is conducted over video.
  • 12-Panel Drug Screen — You’ll need a clean 12-panel lab drug screen with the required integrity variables. This is done at a lab local to you — it’s the only part of the entire process that requires you to go anywhere in person.
  • Letters of Support — You’ll need at least three notarized letters from people who know you and can attest to your sobriety and character. Our firm requires a minimum of four. We review every letter in draft form and make edits before they’re finalized. What most people miss is that these are not character letters, and that distinction matters.
  • Filing Your Appeal — We organize, review, double-check, and, once everything is in proper order, file all documentation with the Michigan Secretary of State’s OHAO.
  • Your Hearing — All OHAO hearings are conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams. We prepare you thoroughly for both the hearing itself and the specific hearing officer who will be deciding your case. We’ll walk you through everything before the hearing begins, and be with you the entire time.
  • Decision and Reinstatement — When your appeal is approved, Michigan residents receive notice to pick up their license at a Secretary of State branch office. Out-of-state clients receive a clearance they can take to their new state’s DMV.

Our Guarantee

If we take your case, we guarantee to win it — the first time. If we don’t, we continue to represent you before the OHAO at no additional attorney fees until you do win. You’ll pay us once, and you will get back on the road — period.

This guarantee is possible because we screen every case carefully and only represent clients who are genuinely sober and ready to win. No shortcuts. No fine print. No second-time legal fees. Learn more about our guarantee.

Do You Need to Attend AA?

No. AA is one legitimate path to sobriety, but it’s far from the only one, and the vast majority of cases we win are for clients who don’t attend AA at all. What matters is that you’re genuinely sober and can demonstrate it. How you got there is your story to tell — and we know how to tell it effectively.

Why Choose Our Driver’s License Restoration Lawyers?

There are a lot of lawyers who will take a license restoration case. There are very few who do what we do. When you’re looking for a driver’s license restoration lawyer, here’s what sets our firm apart:

  • We guarantee to win — and we back it up. If we take your case and don’t win, we keep working at no additional fee until we do. This makes us equally invested in your success.
  • We only take cases we can win — which means we screen carefully and won’t waste your time or money on a case that isn’t ready to win. We count on winning the first time, not doing double the work for half the money.
  • We understand alcohol and sobriety at a level most lawyers don’t — Jeff has completed formal post-graduate coursework in addiction studies. Our team can discuss recovery, sobriety, and the clinical side of these cases in a way that virtually no other Michigan law firm can.
  • Everything can be handled remotely — Consultations, case preparation, the substance use evaluation, and the hearing itself are all conducted over video, and most clients prefer it that way. Of course, anyone is welcome to meet in person. Whatever you choose, the only in-person requirement is your urine screen, which is done at a lab near you.
  • We publish our fees — No surprises. Our pricing is available on our website before you ever call.
  • We’ve been doing this for over 30 years — Driver’s license restoration is not a sideline for our firm. It’s a central focus of our practice, and has been for decades.

Ready to Get Your License Back?

Losing your license doesn’t have to be permanent. If you’re genuinely sober and ready to move forward, our driver’s license restoration lawyer team is ready to help — and we guarantee to win.

Call our office Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 586-465-1980 for a free, confidential phone consultation. After-hours? Our answering service is available. You can also reach us through the contact form or chat box on our website.

Whether you’re in Metro Detroit, anywhere in Michigan, or living out of state with a Michigan hold on your record — we’ll get you back on the road.

JEFFREY RANDA & ASSOCIATES LOGO
Driver’s License Restoration

Michigan driver's license restoration lawyer

If your Michigan driver’s license has been revoked because of multiple DUI convictions, you already know that it doesn’t come back on its own. Getting it back requires filing — and winning — a formal appeal with the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office of Hearings and Administrative Oversight (OHAO), and having an experienced driver’s license restoration lawyer in your corner makes all the difference. That’s exactly what our firm does, and we guarantee to win every restoration and clearance case we take.

We handle driver’s license restoration cases for clients throughout Michigan, and clearance cases for people who have a Michigan hold on their driving record that prevents them from obtaining or renewing a license where they now live — regardless of where that is.

Because every step of our process can be handled remotely, where you live is never an obstacle. Consultations, case preparation, meetings with our substance use evaluator, and the hearing itself are all conducted over video — in fact, OHAO hearings are only conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams. There are no in-person hearings.

The only thing you’ll ever need to do in person is provide a urine sample — and that’s done at a lab close to you, wherever you are.

If you’re in Metro Detroit, Southeast Michigan, or anywhere else in the state — or if you left Michigan years ago and still can’t get a license where you live now — we can help.

What Is Michigan Driver’s License Restoration?

In Michigan, a driver’s license revoked for multiple DUI convictions is not automatically reinstated after any set period of time. There is no waiting it out. The only path to getting back on the road legally is to work with a driver’s license restoration lawyer and file a formal restoration or clearance appeal and then win it.

Under Michigan law, anyone whose license has been revoked for two OWI offenses within seven years, or three OWI offenses within ten years, is legally categorized as a “habitual alcohol offender,” and as a result, also legally presumed to have an alcohol problem. That presumption is the starting point and central legal barrier in every restoration and clearance case. To overcome it, you must prove — by the legal standard of “clear and convincing evidence” — two things:

  • That your alcohol and/or substance abuse problem is under control.
  • That your alcohol and/or substance abuse problem is likely to remain under control.

In plain terms, this means you must be genuinely sober — and be able to prove it. Our firm generally requires a minimum of 18 months of continuous sobriety before we will move forward with any appeal. This isn’t a formality; it’s the foundation that every winning case is built on.

Restoration vs. Clearance: What’s the Difference?

Michigan residents appeal for a restoration of their driving privileges — meaning they get their Michigan license back.

Anyone who is not a resident of this state cannot get a Michigan license reinstated — they need what’s called a “clearance.” A clearance removes the Michigan hold from their driving record, which allows them to obtain or renew a license in the state where they now live. The appeal process is the same; the result is different.

We handle both. And because all hearings are conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams, out-of-state clients go through the exact same process as Michigan residents — without ever having to travel back to Michigan.

Do You Qualify for a Driver’s License Restoration Appeal?

You may be eligible to file a Michigan driver’s license restoration or reinstatement appeal if:

  • Two DUI convictions within seven years — eligible to appeal after one year of revocation (though most people need to wait closer to three years before they have a real chance of winning).
  • Three or more DUI convictions within ten years — eligible to appeal after five years of revocation.

Eligibility to file and readiness to win are two different things. Our firm won’t take a case until we’re confident you can win it. That means we screen every potential client carefully — not to turn people away, but to make sure that when we file, we win. For a full overview of what it takes to be ready, see our driver’s license restoration requirements page.

The Michigan Driver’s License Restoration Process

A winning restoration or reinstatement case depends on three things: sobriety, documentation, and preparation. Our team manages every step:

  • Substance Use Evaluation (SUE) — We prepare you for the evaluation, then connect you with our experienced substance use evaluator, who completes the state’s required form. We supply the evaluator with key details to make sure everything important gets included, then we review it before it’s finalized to make sure it’s good enough to win. The evaluation is conducted over video.
  • 12-Panel Drug Screen — You’ll need a clean 12-panel lab drug screen with the required integrity variables. This is done at a lab local to you — it’s the only part of the entire process that requires you to go anywhere in person.
  • Letters of Support — You’ll need at least three notarized letters from people who know you and can attest to your sobriety and character. Our firm requires a minimum of four. We review every letter in draft form and make edits before they’re finalized. What most people miss is that these are not character letters, and that distinction matters.
  • Filing Your Appeal — We organize, review, double-check, and, once everything is in proper order, file all documentation with the Michigan Secretary of State’s OHAO.
  • Your Hearing — All OHAO hearings are conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams. We prepare you thoroughly for both the hearing itself and the specific hearing officer who will be deciding your case. We’ll walk you through everything before the hearing begins, and be with you the entire time.
  • Decision and Reinstatement — When your appeal is approved, Michigan residents receive notice to pick up their license at a Secretary of State branch office. Out-of-state clients receive a clearance they can take to their new state’s DMV.

Our Guarantee

If we take your case, we guarantee to win it — the first time. If we don’t, we continue to represent you before the OHAO at no additional attorney fees until you do win. You’ll pay us once, and you will get back on the road — period.

This guarantee is possible because we screen every case carefully and only represent clients who are genuinely sober and ready to win. No shortcuts. No fine print. No second-time legal fees. Learn more about our guarantee.

Do You Need to Attend AA?

No. AA is one legitimate path to sobriety, but it’s far from the only one, and the vast majority of cases we win are for clients who don’t attend AA at all. What matters is that you’re genuinely sober and can demonstrate it. How you got there is your story to tell — and we know how to tell it effectively.

Why Choose Our Driver’s License Restoration Lawyers?

There are a lot of lawyers who will take a license restoration case. There are very few who do what we do. When you’re looking for a driver’s license restoration lawyer, here’s what sets our firm apart:

  • We guarantee to win — and we back it up. If we take your case and don’t win, we keep working at no additional fee until we do. This makes us equally invested in your success.
  • We only take cases we can win — which means we screen carefully and won’t waste your time or money on a case that isn’t ready to win. We count on winning the first time, not doing double the work for half the money.
  • We understand alcohol and sobriety at a level most lawyers don’t — Jeff has completed formal post-graduate coursework in addiction studies. Our team can discuss recovery, sobriety, and the clinical side of these cases in a way that virtually no other Michigan law firm can.
  • Everything can be handled remotely — Consultations, case preparation, the substance use evaluation, and the hearing itself are all conducted over video, and most clients prefer it that way. Of course, anyone is welcome to meet in person. Whatever you choose, the only in-person requirement is your urine screen, which is done at a lab near you.
  • We publish our fees — No surprises. Our pricing is available on our website before you ever call.
  • We’ve been doing this for over 30 years — Driver’s license restoration is not a sideline for our firm. It’s a central focus of our practice, and has been for decades.

Ready to Get Your License Back?

Losing your license doesn’t have to be permanent. If you’re genuinely sober and ready to move forward, our driver’s license restoration lawyer team is ready to help — and we guarantee to win.

Call our office Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 586-465-1980 for a free, confidential phone consultation. After-hours? Our answering service is available. You can also reach us through the contact form or chat box on our website.

Whether you’re in Metro Detroit, anywhere in Michigan, or living out of state with a Michigan hold on your record — we’ll get you back on the road.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to restore my driver’s license?

Costs vary from lawyer to lawyer, but our charges are clearly listed on the fees section of our website. We’re upfront about everything, including price.

Can I appeal a denied restoration case?

Yes. You can appeal a loss to the circuit court within 63 days, but winning on appeal is difficult. Because our firm prepares every case thoroughly, very few of our cases ever require a circuit court appeal.

Does my personal need for a license affect the decision?

No. The SOS bases its decision on your evidence, not your circumstances. The process is legal, not emotional, but we’ll make sure the best possible version of your case gets presented.