Occupational/Restricted Driver License (ORL)

While your driver license is suspended or revoked, you may be eligible to receive an Occupational/Restricted Driver License (ORL). An ORL is good for the length of your suspension or revocation period.

What kind of driving can ORLs be used for?

  • Work, including self-employment, WorkFirst, apprenticeship, or on-the-job training.
  • School, if you are enrolled in an educational institution and pursuing a course of study leading to a diploma, degree, or other certification.
  • Court-ordered community service.
  • Substance abuse treatment or 12-step meeting, if no transit service is available.
  • Continuing your own healthcare, driving to a healthcare provider.
  • Providing continuing care of someone who is dependent on you.
  • Applying for an apprenticeship or on-the-job training. This type of ORL gives you 14 days to apply for these employment programs.

ORL driving restrictions

An ORL restricts:

  • the times of day you may drive (not to exceed 12 hours in a 24-hour period).
  • the days of the week you may drive.
  • the geographical area where you may drive.
  • the vehicles you may drive (limited to vehicles for which you have filed proof of financial responsibility).

Who can get an ORL?

You may be eligible for an ORL if you ever had a valid driver license in any state.

You are not eligible for an ORL if:

  • you have been convicted of vehicular assault or vehicular homicide within 7 years before the incident for which you are requesting the ORL.
  • your driver license is suspended for:
    • driving under the influence of alcohol (alcohol-related DUI)
    • physical control (alcohol-related)
    • minor in possession.
    • vehicular assault or vehicular homicide.
    • intermediate (teen) license violations.
    • too many rules of the road violations while you have an intermediate license.
    • failure to pay child support.
    • fraud.
    • medical or vision reasons.
    • violation of court-ordered probation.
    • habitual traffic offender status.
    • failure to qualify on a medical or visual examination.
    • failure to qualify on a driver skills examination.
    • failure to undergo required alcohol/chemical dependency treatment.
    • violation of ORL restrictions.
    • cancelled SR-22 insurance (proof of financial responsibility).

Commercial drivers

You cannot get an ORL to drive a commercial motor vehicle. If you have a commercial driver license, you may still apply for an ORL to operate a non-commercial motor vehicle.

Fees

The fee to apply for an ORL is $100. If your application isn’t approved, the fee will not be refunded.

How to apply for an ORL

  1. If you are eligible for an ORL, complete an Adobe PDF iconOccupational/Restricted Driver License Application for each reason you are seeking an ORL. For example, if you need to drive to work and to school, complete one application for driving to work and one for driving to school. Application forms may also be picked up at any driver licensing office.
  2. Pay the nonrefundable application fee. You will need to pay the application fee for each type of suspension or revocation. For example, if your applications to drive to work and to school are needed because you have one suspension, you pay one fee ($100). If you submit applications for 2 different suspensions, you pay 2 fees ($200).
  3. Take the completed application(s) and fee to any driver licensing office or mail them to:
    Occupational/Restricted License
    Department of Licensing
    PO Box 9048
    Olympia, WA 98507-9048
  4. Provide us with one of the following types of proof of financial responsibility:
    • A certificate of insurance (SR-22). Contact an auto insurance agent for help.
    • A State Treasurer’s certificate of deposit of $60,000 or approved collateral of equal value.
    • A surety bond executed by the person giving proof and a surety company authorized to do business in Washington State, or by the person giving proof and by 2 individual sureties.
  5. If your driver license is suspended because you didn’t pay a ticket or appear in court (FTA), submit proof that you have entered into a payment plan with the court. Courts can complete an FTA Payment Plan Verification form and give it to you to attach to your ORL application.
  6. We will process your application and mail you the ORL. We process applications in the order they are received.

If you are denied an ORL

If your application is denied, you may request a hearing with us to consider whether or not you meet the eligibility requirements for an ORL. Use the hearing request form enclosed with your denial letter to request a hearing, or mail a letter requesting a hearing to:

Hearings and Interviews
Department of Licensing
PO Box 9041
Olympia, WA 98507-9041

We may deny your hearing request if your license is suspended or revoked for a reason where the law does not permit us to issue an ORL, or if the law otherwise prevents us from issuing an ORL.

ORL cancellations

We will cancel your ORL and notify you in writing if any of the following occurs:

  • You are convicted of operating a vehicle in violation of the ORL restrictions.
  • You commit an offense that requires us to suspend/revoke your driving privilege while the ORL is in effect.
  • You no longer meet the criteria or have the driving need stated on your ORL application.
  • You cancel your SR-22 insurance (proof of financial responsibility).

Related laws

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