Professionals at Risk of Losing License with Criminal Charges

Criminal charges come with all sorts of long-term effects: Fines, jail time, probation, social stigmas, difficulties finding future employment, insurance rates increases, etc.

One of the big thing that many professionals don’t realize is that they could lose their professional license, throwing their entire career into jeopardy.

Which Professional Licenses are at Risk?

There are many careers which require that their members become certified in some way. Not all of those fields have harsh rules for individuals convicted of a criminal charge, but here are a few of the big ones:

  • Man signing professional licenseCommercial drivers – Any job that requires a Commercial Drivers’ License (CDL) can be put at risk with a conviction of a so-called “major violation”. These violations include: Being arrested for DUI, being cited for a traffic violation with blood alcohol content (BAC) above 0.04%, refusing an alcohol test in relation to a driving offense, being under the influence of any other controlled substance, committing a felony using a vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, or causing a fatality while driving. The first such “major violation” committed will result in a one-year suspension of a CDL, and the second violation will be a license revocation and permanent ban.
  • Doctors, nurses, and other licensed health care professionals – The rules here are even more strict. Arizona law requires that all health care professionals be proactive, and notify the licensing board of all felonies and misdemeanors which involve personal conduct potentially threatening to patient safety. Some of those arrests could be: Theft/shoplifting, DUI, assault, endangerment, disorderly conduct, prescription drug charges, etc. The board will review your case and determine if a punishment is necessary, but if a crime is discovered by the board and was not reported by the professional in question, the punishments will be much more severe, and will likely involve license revocation.
  • Real estate professionals – By far the most lenient of the three listed here, it is still not a worry-free situation. Your license cannot be revoked in these situations, but you are required by law to notify the Arizona Real Estate Department of any and all disciplinary actions and convictions within 10 days of judgment. Failure to do so can result in strict penalties.

These are merely a few examples, but there are dozens more, and it is not worth taking any sort of chance when it comes to your professional certification. If you are facing a criminal charge and are worried about your license, do not hesitate to get in touch with a skilled defense attorney immediately. Your future could very well be on the line.