Minnesota DUI Attorney

A plate impoundment may occur following a DUI involving an aggravating factor, such as the following:

  • Involving an alcohol concentration of .20 or more;
  • Having a child under age 16 present in the vehicle;
  • Occurring while the person’s license has been cancelled for the person being inimical to public safety.

Plate impoundment applies to:

  • The vehicle used in the plate impoundment violation; and
  • Any vehicle owned, registered, or leased in the name of the violator, whether alone or jointly.

A plate impoundment order is issued by the arresting officer at the time of arrest and is effective immediately. The officer also seizes the plates and issues a temporary vehicle permit valid for seven days. The minimum term of plate impoundment is one year, during which time the violator may not drive any motor vehicle unless the vehicle displays specially coded plates and the person has been validly re-licensed to drive. The violator is also subject to certain restrictions when selling or acquiring a vehicle during the impoundment period.

Specially Coded License Plates

Specially coded license plates, with a "WX"—signifying to law enforcement that the regular plates have been impounded for an impaired driving violation—may be issued for the vehicle, provided that:

  • The violator has a properly licensed substitute driver;
  • A member of the violator’s household is validly licensed;
  • The violator has been validly re-licensed; or
  • The owner is not the violator and is validly licensed.

It is a crime for a driver whose plates have been impounded to attempt to evade the plate impoundment law in certain specified ways, or for another person to enable such evasion.