If you are convicted, yes. A conviction under Virginia’s zero tolerance law for drivers under 21 carries a mandatory driver’s license forfeiture of one year. A conviction under the standard DUI statute carries a mandatory revocation as well. On top of the court imposed loss, an administrative suspension typically takes effect immediately at the time of arrest in DUI cases, which means the license consequences start before you ever see a judge.
The word mandatory matters. If the conviction stands, the judge cannot waive the license loss. What the court often can do is grant a restricted license that allows driving to school, work, medical appointments, and the alcohol safety program. For a student, a well crafted restricted license application can preserve most of daily life, but it has to be requested and supported properly.
Out of state students should know that Virginia reports convictions through interstate agreements, and their home state will usually impose its own consequences on their license. Refusing the breath test does not avoid the problem either, because unreasonable refusal is a separate violation carrying its own year long suspension with no restricted license available for it.
The surest way to protect your license is to fight the underlying charge, and these cases are more defensible than most people think. Call Joel at 540-961-5297 for a free consultation, and read more about underage DUI charges in Blacksburg.