An occupational driver license allows limited daily hours and routes to drive a personal (non-commercial) vehicle for essential purposes: work, attending school, or essential household duties.
You may qualify for an occupational driver’s license if your suspension/revocation/denial results from multiple traffic tickets, failure to pay driver’s license surcharges or reinstatement fees, administrative license revocation (ALR) suspension, or DWI convictions (non-medical/child support-related).
To obtain an ODL, you must first petition a court (Justice of the Peace, county, or district court in your county of residence or original jurisdiction) for an order granting the license. The court order authorizes the Texas DPS to issue the restricted license (typically for up to 1-2 years).
You will need to provide:
- Payment for $300 for attorney fee for Occupational License. Depending on why you were suspended, revoked or denied, you may have additional attorney fees to fix those underlying issues.
- Payment for court filing fee (up to $300 depending on county; may be waived for indigent applicants).
- SR-22 (Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate). I recommend services like ConceptSR22.com.
- Payment for DPS Occupational fee ($10 for one-year or $20 for two-years) depending on the circumstances.
- Payment for DPS Driving Record $22 for Type AR-Certified Abstract of Driving Record.
- Copy of your physical driver’s license.
- Payment of any DPS reinstatement fees (check the DPS website to see how much you owe or we can check for you).
- Proof of ignition interlock device installation (if required for alcohol-related suspensions).
- Complete the contact form below and submit.
Note (2026 update): Ignition interlock device proof is often required for alcohol-related suspensions. The court order typically allows temporary driving for up to 45 days during DPS processing (allow ~21 business days). Always confirm exact fees/eligibility at dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/occupational-driver-license.