Wisconsin License Restrictions
Sometimes the DMV may place a restriction onto your Wisconsin drivers license to limit your driving privileges to operating a certain type of vehicles or to prohibit you from driving unless certain conditions are met. The need for a restriction to be placed onto your driver license is usually caused by a health condition that you may have or a shortcoming of your driving skills. Teenagers must also be mindful of Wisconsin probationary drivers license restrictions that are part of the graduated license system and need to be observed until a full unrestricted license is achieved.
License Restriction Codes
In order to minimize the amount of space occupied by a restriction on your Wisconsin driver license, all restrictions are coded. You can find a list of Wisconsin drivers license restriction codes below, however keep in mind that this list is not full. If you have a question about a restriction that does not appear here, please do not hesitate to contact the DMV directly. Some of these license restrictions apply only to commercial drivers licenses, so if you currently hold a regular licensed, your chances of encountering them are quite slim.
- 1 GLS Corrective lenses
- 2 HAD Hearing aid or outside mirror
- 3 ATR Automatic transmission
- 4 ATS Automatic turn signals
- 5 DAY Daylight driving only
- 6 ALB Artificial limb(s)
- 7 FIN Financial responsibility
- 8 NFH No freeway or interstate highway
- 9 HCT Complete hand controls
- 10 LOM Left outside mirror
- 11 ROM Right outside mirror
- 12 ASA Adequate seat adjustment
- 13 SED "S" School bus endorsement on class D only
- 14 PEC "P" Passenger endorsement on class C only
- 15 PBC "P" Passenger endorsement on classes B & C only
- K CIO No operation in interstate commerce
- L VAB Vehicles without air brakes
Restrictions are usually placed onto your drivers license or Wisconsin drivers permit at the time when you submit your initial application. In order to remove a restriction from your drivers license, you will need to prove that the condition that called for this restriction in the first place no longer applies. For example, if you have a restriction that allows you to operate only vehicles equipped with automatic transmission and you want to get rid of it, you are required to pass a Wisconsin drivers license test in a vehicle equipped with manual transmission.
Probationary License Restrictions
You may be aware of the fact that every first time license applicant has to go through Wisconsin's graduated drivers license program. The program mandates that every applicant must take a Wisconsin permit test, obtain a drivers permit, gain some driving experience and then apply for a probationary drivers license. During the probationary license stage, the DOT keeps a close watch on the licensee's driving record and if the licensee if found to be a reckless driver, the DOT may revoke the driving privilege.
The following Wisconsin probationary driver's license restrictions apply to drivers under the age of 18 years:
- Curfew. The nighttime driving restriction prohibits you from operating a vehicle unsupervised between midnight and 5 a.m. Traveling alone is allowed between your house and school/work. In all other cases, a supervising driver must be seated in the front seat next to you. You may check out the requirements for the supervising driver in our Wisconsin permit restrictions article.
- Passenger restrictions. No more than one passenger is allowed to be present in the vehicle. Members of licensee's immediate family are excluded from this rule.
These probationary license restrictions need to be observed for at least six months, however the probationary driver's license must be held for at least two years before you can go ahead and obtain a full unrestricted driver license.
One thing that concerns probationary license holders of all ages is the number of points that you receive for committing a traffic violation while operating under a provisional license. For the second and every subsequent offense, you receive double points. Should you accumulate too many points, your driving privilege is revoked (you may obtain more information on the subject in the Wisconsin drivers license manual).
Although Wisconsin drivers license restrictions may seem as a nuisance to some, they are really there to protect you and other drivers around you. The DMV treats license restrictions very seriously and so should you, if you want to keep driving on state roads.
