The Department of Transportation shall provide for issuance of hardship driver permits in a manner consistent with this section. A hardship driver permit grants the driving privileges provided in this section or under the permit. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a hardship driver permit is subject to the fees, provisions, conditions, prohibitions and penalties applicable to a license. The following apply to a hardship driver permit:
(1) The department may only issue a permit to a person whose driving privileges under the vehicle code have been suspended.
(2) Except as provided in ORS 813.520, the department may reinstate the privilege to operate a motor vehicle of any person whose license to operate a motor vehicle has been suspended by issuing the person a hardship permit described under this section if such person qualifies under this section, ORS 807.250, 807.252 and 813.500. However, the department may not issue a hardship permit authorizing a person to drive a commercial motor vehicle.
(3) To qualify for a hardship permit, a person must do all of the following in addition to any applicable provisions under ORS 807.250, 807.252 and 813.500:
(a) The person must submit to the department an application for the permit that demonstrates the person’s need for the permit.
(b) The person must present satisfactory evidence, as determined by the department by rule:
(A) That the person must operate a motor vehicle as a requisite of the person’s occupation or employment;
(B) That the person must operate a motor vehicle to seek employment or to get to or from a place of employment;
(C) That the person must operate a motor vehicle to get to or from an alcohol or drug treatment or rehabilitation program;
(D) That the person or a member of the person’s immediate family requires medical treatment on a regular basis and that the person must operate a motor vehicle in order that the treatment may be obtained; or
(E) That the person’s driving privileges are suspended for driving uninsured in violation of ORS 806.010 or for violation of ORS 165.805 or 471.430 and are not suspended for any other reason and that the person must operate a motor vehicle in order to provide necessary services to the person or to a member of the person’s family. The department shall determine by rule what constitutes necessary services for purposes of this subparagraph. The rule shall include as necessary services, but need not be limited to, grocery shopping, driving the person or the person’s children to school, driving to medical appointments and caring for elderly family members.
(c) If the person is applying for a permit because the person or a member of the person’s immediate family requires medical treatment on a regular basis, the person must present, in addition to any evidence required by the department under paragraph (b) of this subsection, a statement signed by a licensed physician or certified nurse practitioner that indicates that the person or a member of the person’s immediate family requires medical treatment on a regular basis.
(d) The person must show that the person is not incompetent to drive nor a habitual incompetent, reckless or criminally negligent driver as established by the person’s driving record in this or any other jurisdiction.
(e) The person must make a future responsibility filing.
(f) The person must submit any other information the department may require for purposes of determining whether the person qualifies under this section, ORS 807.250, 807.252, 813.500 and 813.520.
(4) If the department finds that the person meets the requirements of this section and any applicable requirements under ORS 807.250, 807.252, 813.500 and 813.520, the department may issue the person a hardship permit, valid for the duration of the suspension or for a shorter period of time established by the department unless sooner suspended or revoked under this section. If the department issues the permit for a period shorter than the suspension period, renewal of the permit shall be on such terms and conditions as the department may require. The permit:
(a) Shall limit the holder to operation of a motor vehicle only during specified times.
(b) May bear other reasonable limitations relating to the hardship permit or the operation of a motor vehicle that the department deems proper or necessary. The limitations may include any limitation, condition or requirement. Violation of a limitation is punishable as provided by ORS 811.175 or 811.182.
(5) The department, upon receiving satisfactory evidence of any violation of the limitations of a permit issued under this section or limitations placed on a hardship permit under ORS 807.252 or 813.510, may suspend or revoke the hardship permit.
(6) The fee charged for application or issuance of a hardship driver permit is the hardship driver permit application fee under ORS 807.370. The department may not refund the fee if the application is denied or if the driver permit is suspended or revoked. The fee upon renewal of the driver permit is the same fee as that charged for renewal of a license. The application fee charged under this subsection is in addition to any fee charged for reinstatement of driving privileges under ORS 807.370.
(7) The department may issue a permit granting the same driving privileges as those suspended or may issue a permit granting fewer driving privileges, as the department determines necessary to assure safe operation of motor vehicles by the permit holder. [1983 c.338 §327; 1985 c.16 §144; 1985 c.608 §29; 1987 c.730 §11; 1987 c.801 §3; 1989 c.636 §33; 1991 c.860 §4; 1993 c.627 §2; 1993 c.751 §45; 1999 c.796 §4; 2001 c.294 §1; 2003 c.23 §1; 2003 c.160 §2; 2005 c.471 §11]
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