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Colorado criminal charge

Driving under restraint in Colorado

Current through 2026 Colorado legislative session

Driving under restraint is a criminal offense under Colorado law, defined by C.R.S. § 42-2-138. Its classification is not fixed: Colorado assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by C.R.S. § 42-2-138.

What is the penalty for driving under restraint in Colorado?

Penalties for Driving under restraint
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prison10 days to 90 days (Driving under restraint due to alcohol-related restraint — Driving with knowledge that license is restrained under section 42-2-126(3), or restrained solely/partially due to DUI, DUI per se, DWAI, UDD, or an alcohol-related offense in another state.)discretionaryC.R.S. § 42-4-1701
Fine150 usd to 300 usd (Driving under restraint due to alcohol-related restraint — Driving with knowledge that license is restrained under section 42-2-126(3), or restrained solely/partially due to DUI, DUI per se, DWAI, UDD, or an alcohol-related offense in another state.)discretionaryC.R.S. § 42-4-1701
Jail / prison10 days to 90 days (Failure to surrender license after conviction — Failing to immediately surrender driver's license or permit to the court after a guilty verdict/judgment under subsection (1)(a) or (1)(d).)discretionaryC.R.S. § 42-4-1701
Fine150 usd to 300 usd (Failure to surrender license after conviction — Failing to immediately surrender driver's license or permit to the court after a guilty verdict/judgment under subsection (1)(a) or (1)(d).)discretionaryC.R.S. § 42-4-1701

Applies to current.

How is driving under restraint classified in Colorado?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Driving under restraint
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Driving under restraint due to alcohol-related restraintclass 2 misdemeanor traffic offenseDriving with knowledge that license is restrained under section 42-2-126(3), or restrained solely/partially due to DUI, DUI per se, DWAI, UDD, or an alcohol-related offense in another state.42-2-138(1)(d)(I)
Failure to surrender license after convictionclass 2 misdemeanor traffic offenseFailing to immediately surrender driver's license or permit to the court after a guilty verdict/judgment under subsection (1)(a) or (1)(d).42-2-138(1)(f)

Common questions about driving under restraint in Colorado

Is driving under restraint a felony or a misdemeanor in Colorado?

Driving under restraint is a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense in Colorado under C.R.S. § 42-2-138.

Driving under restraint due to alcohol-related restraint: class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense (C.R.S. § 42-2-138(1)(d)(I)) · Failure to surrender license after conviction: class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense (C.R.S. § 42-2-138(1)(f))

What are the penalties for driving under restraint in Colorado?

Penalties for driving under restraint in Colorado depend on how it is classified — from a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense up to a class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense — with the ranges set by C.R.S. § 42-4-1701; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Colorado statute covers driving under restraint?

Driving under restraint is governed by C.R.S. § 42-2-138 (Driving under restraint - penalty - definitions).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.