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Alaska Statutes

Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181 (2026)

Court suspensions, revocations, and limitations

✓ current as of July 2026
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Sec. 28.15.181. Court suspensions, revocations, and limitations.
 (a) Conviction of any of the following offenses is grounds for the immediate revocation of a driver's license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license:
     (1) manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from driving a motor vehicle;

     (2) a felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used;

     (3) failure to stop and give aid as required by law when a motor vehicle accident results in the death or personal injury of another;

     (4) perjury or making a false affidavit or statement under oath to the department under a law relating to motor vehicles;

     (5) operating a motor vehicle or aircraft while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, inhalant, or controlled substance;

     (6) reckless driving;

     (7) using a motor vehicle in unlawful flight to avoid arrest by a peace officer;

     (8) refusal to submit to a chemical test authorized under AS 28.33.031(a) or AS 28.35.031(a) while under arrest for operating a motor vehicle, commercial motor vehicle, or aircraft while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, inhalant, or controlled substance, or authorized under AS 28.35.031(g);

     (9) driving while license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license, canceled, suspended, or revoked, or in violation of a limitation;

     (10) vehicle theft in the first degree in violation of AS 11.46.360 or vehicle theft in the second degree in violation of AS 11.46.365.

 (b) A court convicting a person of an offense described in (a)(1) — (4), (6), (7), or (10) of this section shall revoke that person's driver's license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license for not less than 30 days for the first conviction, unless the court determines that the person's ability to earn a livelihood would be severely impaired and a limitation under AS 28.15.201 can be placed on the license that will enable the person to earn a livelihood without excessive danger to the public. If a court limits a person's license under this subsection, it shall do so for not less than 60 days. Upon a subsequent conviction of a person for any offense described in (a)(1) — (4), (6), (7), or (10) of this section occurring within 10 years after a prior conviction, the court shall revoke the person's license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license and may not grant the person limited license privileges for the following periods:
     (1) not less than one year for the second conviction; and

     (2) not less than three years for a third or subsequent conviction.

 (c) A court convicting a person of an offense described in (a)(5) or (8) of this section arising out of the operation of a motor vehicle, commercial motor vehicle, or aircraft shall revoke that person's driver's license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license. The revocation may be concurrent with or consecutive to an administrative revocation under AS 28.15.165. The court may not, except as provided in AS 28.15.201, grant limited license privileges during the minimum period of revocation. Except as provided under AS 28.35.030(n)(3) and 28.35.032(p)(3), the minimum periods of revocation are
     (1) not less than 90 days if the person has not been previously convicted;

     (2) not less than one year if the person has been previously convicted once;

     (3) not less than 3 years if the person has been previously convicted twice;

     (4) not less than 5 years if the person has been previously convicted more than twice.

 (d) A court convicting a person of an offense described in (a)(9) of this section shall revoke that person's driver's license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license for not less than the minimum period under AS 28.15.291(b)(4).

 (e) [Repealed, § 34 ch 119 SLA 1990.]
 (f) The court may terminate a revocation for an offense described in (a)(5) or (8) of this section if
     (1) the person's license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license has been revoked for the minimum periods set out in (c) of this section; and

     (2) the person complies with the provisions of AS 28.15.211(d) and (e).

 (g) The court may suspend the driver's license, privilege to drive, or privilege to obtain a license of a person who fails to appear in court as required by a citation for an offense involving a moving motor vehicle, or who fails to pay a fine as required by the court for an offense involving a moving motor vehicle. If the court suspends a driver's license under this subsection, the court shall also provide notice of the suspension to the department. A suspension imposed under this subsection remains in effect until the person appears in court as required by the citation, or pays the fine as required by the court. When the person appears in court or pays the required fine, the court shall terminate the suspension imposed under this subsection and provide the department and the person with written notice of the termination.

 (h) [Repealed, § 22 ch 32 SLA 2016.]
 (i) In this section, “previously convicted” has the meaning given in AS 28.35.030.




Notes of Decisions
Cited in 41 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1980–2026 · leading case: Tulowetzke v. State, Dep't of Pub. Saf., 743 P.2d 368 (Alaska 1987).
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Tulowetzke v. State, Dep't of Pub. Saf., 743 P.2d 368 (Alaska 1987). · cites it 11× “AS 28.15.181 was enacted by ch. 178, § 19, SLA 1978, and the presumptive sentencing scheme was enacted by ch.”
Wylie v. State, 797 P.2d 651 (Alaska Ct. App. 1990). · cites it 4× “Thus, even if AS 28.15.181 governs revocations of licenses as conditions of probation, an issue we do not reach, the trial court’s *664 order in this case would not violate the statute.”
Wik v. State, Dep't of Pub. Saf., 786 P.2d 384 (Alaska 1990). · cites it 7× “In the criminal proceeding, the district court apparently interpreted AS 28.15.181 as requiring the use of Wik’s latest conviction (December 11, 1987) to determine if, within the preceding ten years, Wik had been convicted of a similar offense.”
Belarde v. Mun. of Anchorage, 634 P.2d 567 (Alaska Ct. App. 1981). · cites it 3× “Because Belarde had been previously convicted in July, 1977, of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OMVI), District Court Judge Beverly Cutler ruled that he was a second offender within the meaning of AS 28.15.181 and therefore revoked his driver’s license for one year.”
Carter v. State, 625 P.2d 313 (Alaska Ct. App. 1981). · cites it 5× “Accordingly the court sentenced Carter as a third offender, and included the three-year driver’s license revocation mandated for third offenders by AS 28.15.181. 2 *315 Carter appealed to the superior court, but his conviction and sentence were affirmed by that court.”
State v. Robertson, 749 P.2d 902 (Alaska Ct. App. 1988). · cites it 14× “AS 28.15.181 provides, in relevant part: Court suspensions, revocations, and limitations.”
Wooley v. State, 221 P.3d 12 (Alaska Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 3× “2d 368 (Alaska 1987), the Alaska Supreme Court applied the Rastopsoff rule of construction to AS 28.15.181(c), a statute that specifies increasing mandatory minimum periods of Hi-cense revocation for drivers convicted of driving under the influence, depending on whether the…”
State v. Stagno, 739 P.2d 198 (Alaska Ct. App. 1987). · cites it 6× “They provide, in pertinent part: AS 28.15.181. Court suspensions, revocations, and limitations, (a) Conviction of any of the following offenses is grounds for the immediate revocation of a driver’s license: [[Image here]] (5) driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated; [[Image…”
Manderson v. State, 655 P.2d 1320 (Alaska Ct. App. 1983). · cites it 3× “291(a) is in pari mate-ria with AS 28.15.181 because both provisions were enacted in the same section of the same bill.”
Swensen v. Mun. of Anchorage, 616 P.2d 874 (Alaska 1980). · cites it 2× “178, § 19, SLA 1978) and replaced by the current statute, AS 28.15.181. We urge arraigning court judges to act with appropriate caution to insure that vague statements are not made to defendants as to the possible punishments they may face, but rather that such information be…”
Thorne v. Dep't of Pub. Saf., 774 P.2d 1326 (Alaska 1989). “165; AS 28.15.181(c). 3 . The hearing officer’s notes of the hearing contain a notation to the effect that the letter was received by the agency on May 20, 1987 in an envelope bearing a postmark of May 19, 1987.”
Nevers v. State, Dep't of Admin., Div. of Motor Vehs., 123 P.3d 958 (Alaska 2005). “165(d) incorporates AS 28.15.181(c)'s requirement that a third DWI offense results in a three-year minimum license revocation.”
Show all 41 citing cases →
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(a): 1 case
Manderson v. State, 655 P.2d 1320 (Alaska Ct. App. 1983). “291(a) is in pari mate-ria with AS 28.15.181 because both provisions were enacted in the same section of the same bill.”
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(a)(1): 2 cases
Alvin v. State, 42 P.3d 1156 (Alaska Ct. App. 2002).
Bottcher v. State, 300 P.3d 528 (Alaska 2013).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(a)(3): 1 case
Wylie v. State, 797 P.2d 651 (Alaska Ct. App. 1990). “Thus, even if AS 28.15.181 governs revocations of licenses as conditions of probation, an issue we do not reach, the trial court’s *664 order in this case would not violate the statute.”
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(a)(4): 1 case
Stevens v. State, 135 P.3d 688 (Alaska Ct. App. 2006).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(a)(5): 5 cases
Wylie v. State, 797 P.2d 651 (Alaska Ct. App. 1990). “Thus, even if AS 28.15.181 governs revocations of licenses as conditions of probation, an issue we do not reach, the trial court’s *664 order in this case would not violate the statute.”
State, Dep't of Pub. Saf., Div. of Motor Vehs. v. Conley, 754 P.2d 232 (Alaska 1988).
State v. Stagno, 739 P.2d 198 (Alaska Ct. App. 1987). “They provide, in pertinent part: AS 28.15.181. Court suspensions, revocations, and limitations, (a) Conviction of any of the following offenses is grounds for the immediate revocation of a driver’s license: [[Image here]] (5) driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated; [[Image…”
Carter v. State, 625 P.2d 313 (Alaska Ct. App. 1981). “Accordingly the court sentenced Carter as a third offender, and included the three-year driver’s license revocation mandated for third offenders by AS 28.15.181. 2 *315 Carter appealed to the superior court, but his conviction and sentence were affirmed by that court.”
Kasey Malay v. State of Alaska, Kasey Malay v. State of Alaska (Alaska Ct. App. 2026).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(a)(8): 1 case
Blank v. State, 142 P.3d 1210 (Alaska Ct. App. 2006).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(b): 5 cases
Carter v. State, 625 P.2d 313 (Alaska Ct. App. 1981). “Accordingly the court sentenced Carter as a third offender, and included the three-year driver’s license revocation mandated for third offenders by AS 28.15.181. 2 *315 Carter appealed to the superior court, but his conviction and sentence were affirmed by that court.”
Wylie v. State, 797 P.2d 651 (Alaska Ct. App. 1990). “Thus, even if AS 28.15.181 governs revocations of licenses as conditions of probation, an issue we do not reach, the trial court’s *664 order in this case would not violate the statute.”
Manderson v. State, 655 P.2d 1320 (Alaska Ct. App. 1983). “291(a) is in pari mate-ria with AS 28.15.181 because both provisions were enacted in the same section of the same bill.”
Bottcher v. State, 300 P.3d 528 (Alaska 2013).
Hill v. State, 32 P.3d 10 (Alaska Ct. App. 2001).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(b)(1): 1 case
Elizabeth Watson v. State of Alaska, 487 P.3d 568 (Alaska 2021).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(b)(2): 1 case
State v. Straetz, 758 P.2d 133 (Alaska Ct. App. 1988).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(c): 14 cases
Tulowetzke v. State, Dep't of Pub. Saf., 743 P.2d 368 (Alaska 1987). “AS 28.15.181 was enacted by ch. 178, § 19, SLA 1978, and the presumptive sentencing scheme was enacted by ch.”
Wooley v. State, 221 P.3d 12 (Alaska Ct. App. 2009). “2d 368 (Alaska 1987), the Alaska Supreme Court applied the Rastopsoff rule of construction to AS 28.15.181(c), a statute that specifies increasing mandatory minimum periods of Hi-cense revocation for drivers convicted of driving under the influence, depending on whether the…”
Thorne v. Dep't of Pub. Saf., 774 P.2d 1326 (Alaska 1989). “165; AS 28.15.181(c). 3 . The hearing officer’s notes of the hearing contain a notation to the effect that the letter was received by the agency on May 20, 1987 in an envelope bearing a postmark of May 19, 1987.”
Nevers v. State, Dep't of Admin., Div. of Motor Vehs., 123 P.3d 958 (Alaska 2005). “165(d) incorporates AS 28.15.181(c)'s requirement that a third DWI offense results in a three-year minimum license revocation.”
Tyler v. State, 47 P.3d 1095 (Alaska Ct. App. 2001).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(c)(1): 3 cases
State v. Robertson, 749 P.2d 902 (Alaska Ct. App. 1988). “AS 28.15.181 provides, in relevant part: Court suspensions, revocations, and limitations.”
Trumbly v. State, 379 P.3d 996 (Alaska Ct. App. 2016).
Elizabeth Watson v. State of Alaska, 487 P.3d 568 (Alaska 2021).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(c)(2): 2 cases
Resecker v. State, 721 P.2d 650 (Alaska Ct. App. 1986).
Wik v. State, Dep't of Pub. Saf., 786 P.2d 384 (Alaska 1990). “In the criminal proceeding, the district court apparently interpreted AS 28.15.181 as requiring the use of Wik’s latest conviction (December 11, 1987) to determine if, within the preceding ten years, Wik had been convicted of a similar offense.”
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(c)(3): 2 cases
Thomas v. State, 694 P.2d 789 (Alaska Ct. App. 1985).
Caulkins v. State, Dep't of Pub. Saf., 743 P.2d 366 (Alaska 1987).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(c)(3)(A): 1 case
Williamson v. State, Dep't of Pub. Saf., Div. of Motor Vehs., 779 P.2d 1238 (Alaska 1989).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(d): 1 case
Howell v. State, 834 P.2d 1254 (Alaska Ct. App. 1992).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(e): 1 case
State v. Robertson, 749 P.2d 902 (Alaska Ct. App. 1988). “AS 28.15.181 provides, in relevant part: Court suspensions, revocations, and limitations.”
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(f): 1 case
Kasey Malay v. State of Alaska, Kasey Malay v. State of Alaska (Alaska Ct. App. 2026).
Alaska Stat. § 28.15.181(g): 1 case
Bradshaw v. State, Dep't of Admin., Div. of Motor Vehs., 224 P.3d 118 (Alaska 2010).
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