Section 40-5-57.1. Suspension of licenses of persons under age 21 for certain offenses; suspension of licenses of persons under age 18 for certain point accumulations; reinstatement of license following suspension

   (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the driver's license of any person under 21 years of age convicted of hit and run or leaving the scene of an accident in violation of Code Section 40-6-270, racing on highways or streets, using a motor vehicle in fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, reckless driving, any offense for which four or more points are assessable under subsection (c) of Code Section 40-5-57, purchasing an alcoholic beverage in violation of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of Code Section 3-3-23, or violation of paragraph (3) or (5) of subsection (a) of Code Section 3-3-23, or violation of Code Section 40-6-391 shall be suspended by the department as provided by this Code section; and the driver's license of any person under 18 years of age who has accumulated a violation point count of four or more points under Code Section 40-5-57 in any consecutive 12 month period shall be suspended by the department as provided by this Code section. A plea of nolo contendere shall be considered a conviction for purposes of this subsection. Notice of suspension shall be given by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested; or, in lieu thereof, notice may be given by personal service upon such person. Such license shall be surrendered within ten days of notification of such suspension. Notice given by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested, mailed to the person's last known address shall be prima-facie evidence that such person received the required notice.

(b) A person whose driver's license has been suspended under subsection (a) of this Code section shall:

   (1) Subject to the requirements of subsection (c) of this Code section and except as otherwise provided by paragraph (2) of this subsection:

      (A) Upon a first such suspension, be eligible to apply for license reinstatement and, subject to payment of required fees, have his or her driver's license reinstated after six months; and

      (B) Upon a second or subsequent such suspension, be eligible to apply for license reinstatement and, subject to payment of required fees, have his or her driver's license reinstated after 12 months; or

   (2) (A) Upon the first conviction of a violation of Code Section 40-6-391, with no arrest and conviction of and no plea of nolo contendere accepted to such offense within the previous five years, as measured from the dates of previous arrests for which convictions were obtained to the date of the current arrest for which a conviction is obtained, have his or her license suspended for a period of six months unless the driver's blood alcohol concentration at the time of the offense was 0.08 grams or more or the person has previously been subject to a suspension pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, in which case the period of suspension shall be for 12 months.

      (B) Upon the second conviction of a violation of Code Section 40-6-391 within five years, as measured from the dates of previous arrests for which convictions were obtained to the date of the current arrest for which a conviction is obtained, have his or her license suspended for a period of 18 months.

      (C) Upon the third conviction of any such offense within five years, as measured from the dates of previous arrests for which convictions were obtained to the date of the current arrest for which a conviction is obtained, be considered a habitual violator, and such person's license shall be revoked as provided for in Code Section 40-5-58.

(b.1) In any case where a person's driver's license was administratively suspended as a result of a violation of Code Section 40-6-391 for which the person's driver's license has been suspended pursuant to this Code section, the administrative license suspension period and the license suspension period provided by this Code section may run concurrently, and any completed portion of such administrative license suspension period shall apply toward completion of the license suspension period provided by this Code section.

(c) (1) Any driver's license suspended under subsection (a) of this Code section for commission of any offense other than violation of Code Section 40-6-391 shall not become valid and shall remain suspended until such person submits proof of completion of a defensive driving program approved by the department and pays the applicable reinstatement fee. Any driver's license suspended under subsection (a) of this Code section for commission of a violation of Code Section 40-6-391 shall not become valid and shall remain suspended until such person submits proof of completion of a DUI Drug or Alcohol Use Risk Reduction Program and pays the applicable reinstatement fee.

   (2) The reinstatement fee for a first such suspension shall be $210.00 or $200.00 if paid by mail. The reinstatement fee for a second or subsequent such suspension shall be $310.00 or $300.00 if paid by mail.

(d) A suspension provided for in this Code section shall be imposed based on the person's age on the date of the conviction giving rise to the suspension.

Code 1981, § 40-5-57.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1997, p. 760, § 15; Ga. L. 2000, p. 951, § 5-20; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1457, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 3; Ga. L. 2001, p. 184, §§ 2-2, 3-2; Ga. L. 2001, p. 208, §§ 2-2, 3-2; Ga. L. 2002, p. 415, § 40; Ga. L. 2004, p. 471, § 3; Ga. L. 2005, p. 334, §§ 17-13, 17-14/HB 501; Ga. L. 2009, p. 679, § 4/HB 160; Ga. L. 2012, p. 72, § 3/SB 236.