Why a DUI in Your Personal Car Could Still Disqualify Your CDL in Illinois

If you’re a commercial driver in Illinois, your CDL isn’t just a license—it’s your livelihood. It’s how you support your family, pay your bills, and build your future. That’s why one of the most devastating surprises for many CDL holders in Chicago is discovering that a DUI arrest in their personal vehicle—on personal time—can still result in a CDL disqualification.

It doesn’t matter if you weren’t on the clock, weren’t in a company vehicle, or were driving to the store. The law in Illinois—and the federal regulations it follows—makes no distinction when it comes to protecting the public from commercial drivers with alcohol-related offenses. Once a DUI is on your record, the consequences hit your CDL hard, and fast.

But there is some good news: with quick legal intervention and the right defense strategy, a DUI arrest doesn’t have to ruin your career. The outcome depends on what you do next.

The Illinois Laws That Impact Your CDL After a DUI Arrest

The Illinois Vehicle Code lays out two sets of rules that CDL holders must worry about in DUI cases. First is 625 ILCS 5/11-501, the law that prohibits any driver in Illinois from operating a vehicle while under the influence. This is the statute that governs DUI arrests in general.

The second is 625 ILCS 5/6-514, which applies only to CDL holders. It’s this statute that makes DUI-related penalties for commercial drivers so much more serious. According to this law, your CDL will be disqualified for one year on a first DUI offense—even if you weren’t driving a commercial vehicle at the time.

That means if you’re pulled over in your personal car, and the police suspect you of drinking or using drugs, you’re exposed to two parallel systems of punishment:

The criminal court system, which may charge you with a Class A misdemeanor DUI, resulting in potential jail time, fines, or court supervision.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s administrative system, which imposes statutory summary suspensions and CDL disqualifications whether or not you’re convicted.

Many CDL holders think they’ll be protected if they take a plea deal for supervision. But Illinois law—and federal regulation—treats supervision as a conviction for CDL purposes. That means even if you’re spared a criminal record, you can still lose your CDL for 12 months, and there are no restricted driving privileges for commercial vehicles.

How DUI Charges Begin—and Why CDL Holders Need to Act Fast

A DUI arrest can happen in an instant. Maybe you were pulled over for a minor traffic violation. Maybe a taillight was out, or you swerved while avoiding a pothole. Once the officer begins to suspect impairment, a routine stop becomes a criminal investigation.

Officers will look for “clues” like slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, or the smell of alcohol. They may ask you to perform field sobriety tests or submit to a breathalyzer. If you refuse the chemical test, the State will impose a statutory summary suspension on your personal driver’s license—and your CDL will also be disqualified automatically for one year.

If you take the test and blow above the legal limit (0.08%), you’re facing the same license suspension and CDL disqualification.

You’ll be processed and likely released with a court date. That’s when the criminal process begins—but your administrative penalties start almost immediately. The Secretary of State sends notice of your suspension and CDL disqualification, which takes effect on the 46th day after your arrest unless your lawyer files a petition to rescind the suspension.

That’s why you can’t afford to wait. Even if you believe you were wrongfully stopped or were under the legal limit, your CDL will be suspended unless you fight it right away.

CDL Disqualification Penalties: First Offense, Second Offense, and Beyond

For most drivers, a first-time DUI is serious but manageable. For CDL holders, even a first offense carries devastating consequences:

CDL disqualification for 12 months for DUI or test refusal in any vehicle
CDL disqualification for 36 months if transporting hazardous materials at the time
Lifetime disqualification for a second DUI or test refusal in any vehicle

These are not suspensions that you can drive through with a permit. Illinois does not offer hardship or restricted driving licenses for commercial vehicles. If your CDL is disqualified, you cannot work in any commercial driving job until the disqualification period expires—and for some, that means starting over in an entirely new career.

Evidence That Can Be Used Against You—Even Off the Clock

When police build a DUI case, they gather a wide range of evidence that prosecutors later use in court—and which the Secretary of State may also use to disqualify your CDL. That evidence includes:

Police reports and arrest records
Dashcam and bodycam footage
Results from field sobriety tests
Results from breath, blood, or urine tests
The officer’s verbal testimony
Any admissions you made at the time of the stop

In DUI cases involving CDL holders, even off-duty and in personal vehicles, the State takes an aggressive position. Their goal isn’t just to win the case in court—it’s to uphold safety standards for all drivers by enforcing federal and state CDL laws. That’s why every word in the police report, every second of video footage, and every recorded test result matters.

A defense attorney must challenge this evidence as early as possible to weaken the prosecution’s case and help preserve your CDL status.

Fighting the DUI and Protecting Your CDL: Legal Defense Options

The best defense to a DUI charge is early and aggressive legal intervention. Your attorney should pursue both a criminal defense in court and an administrative defense to try and rescind the summary suspension.

Common DUI defenses for CDL holders include:

Challenging the legality of the traffic stop
Arguing the field sobriety tests were unreliable or improperly administered
Disputing the accuracy or calibration of the breathalyzer machine
Showing that the officer lacked probable cause for arrest
Providing alternative explanations for your behavior (fatigue, allergies, medical issues)

A seasoned DUI lawyer can also represent you in your hearing before the Secretary of State and make the case that your CDL should not be disqualified—something few drivers know is even possible.

The Economic Cost of Losing Your CDL in Chicago

When you lose your CDL, you don’t just lose your license—you lose your job, your income, and your career. Most trucking companies will not rehire or retain drivers with DUI convictions or active disqualifications. Even local delivery jobs, bus driver roles, and other transportation-based employment often require a clean CDL history.

Many employers conduct annual driving record reviews. A DUI-related CDL disqualification is often grounds for immediate termination, and most insurers won’t cover commercial drivers with DUI history.

This means even if your case is reduced or resolved favorably, the timing of the disqualification can still impact your current job and future employability.

Why You Need a CDL-Savvy DUI Attorney

A general criminal defense lawyer might know how to handle a DUI, but unless they also understand the unique consequences for commercial drivers, you could still end up disqualified.

Ask any attorney you’re considering:

Have you handled CDL DUI cases in Cook County?
Can you challenge both the court charges and the summary suspension?
Do you know how supervision affects my CDL status?
Can you represent me at Secretary of State hearings?
Will I be working directly with you?

The answers to these questions will reveal whether the lawyer is prepared to protect your license—not just your court record.

Protect Your CDL Before It’s Too Late

If you’re a commercial driver and you’ve been arrested for DUI—even if it happened in your own vehicle, off the job—your career is in jeopardy. But you’re not without options.

At The Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, we’ve helped countless CDL holders in Chicago protect their commercial driving privileges. We fight aggressively to challenge both the criminal charges and the license disqualification. We understand what’s at stake—and we know how to fight to keep you on the road.

Call Now – The Law Offices of David L. Freidberg Is Ready to Help

If you were arrested in Chicago for DUI, protect your future by contacting The Law Offices of David L. Freidberg. We have decades of experience handling DUI cases in Illinois. Our firm is available 24/7 to provide the legal defense you deserve.

Contact us today at (312) 560-7100 or toll-free at (800) 803-1442 for a free consultation. We’re available 24/7 to serve clients throughout Illinois, Cook County, DuPage County, Will County, and Lake County.