Effect of OUI/DUI on your Record
A OUI is unusual in that creates and entry on both your driving record and your criminal record. These records not only have different effects, but different 'staying power':
- Driving Record - an OUI is on your Driving Record for a minimum of 10 years. After that time you may petition the court to have it removed from your Driving Record, the likelihood of success in this removal effort is dependent on several factors, but most importantly your driving record since the DUI. Driving records have an extremely severe effect on insurance and upon people whose jobs necessarily involve driving, for most office workers it has little effect.
- Criminal Record - An OUI is on your Criminal Record until and unless it is expunged. Expungement is a long, difficult process and is rarely successful, what is much more attainable is the sealing of a record, which makes your criminal record inaccessible to the general public. The length of time before a record can be sealed is dependent upon the offense number and the disposition, the periods range from immediately to 3 years to 5 years. The criminal record tends to have a greater effect on people's everyday lives, as it more commonly effects employment, the sealing of the records eliminates this issue.