It takes hard work, education, and a lot of effort to acquire many professional licenses. After you have obtained one, your livelihood is usually based on the profession in which you are licensed. Professional licensing is to be taken seriously, and an arrest can jeopardize being able to hold on. Often, stipulations concerning a criminal record come along with the responsibility of being a licensed professional.
Common Professional Licenses That an Arrest May Endanger
Being arrested and charged with a crime can threaten your career, livelihood, and family life. If you are a licensed professional and have been accused of a crime, you may wonder if your arrest will affect your license. The best way to have those questions answered is to contact an attorney for advice. In the meantime, continue reading as we discuss some common professional licenses that may be revoked because of criminal convictions.
Health Care Professionals
In Arizona, healthcare professionals must notify the licensing board of misdemeanors involving conduct. The licensing board will decide whether the behaviors could endanger your patients and will determine whether your license will be revoked. Shoplifting, endangerment, assault, disturbing the peace, theft, DUI, charges involving prescription drugs, and others require reporting to the licensing board.
Realtors
Realtors may not have their licenses revoked, be they must notify the Arizona Department of Real Estate (AZ DRE) within ten days of being convicted. The AZ DRE will consider the nature of the crime, its severity, and aggravating factors. The realtor may be required to undergo further training or meet certain conditions to retain their license. Certain convictions, such as crimes of moral turpitude, will see that the realtor’s license is permanently suspended.
Jobs Requiring an Arizona Fingerprint Clearance
Professions that require Arizona Fingerprint Clearance will be endangered by a felony or often misdemeanor conviction. A conviction may prevent employees from pursuing careers such as teaching, secondary health education, clinical assistance, childcare, vocational school, driving school, jobs in corrections, shelters for domestic violence victims, and so on.
The Arizona Fingerprint Clearance is a broad umbrella with many different careers licensed within it. Of course, you will want to consult with an attorney specializing in professional licensing to find out how your specific crime will affect your career.
Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
CDL drivers can face suspension for up to a year for a first-time major conviction. These crimes include being under the influence of controlled substances, registering more than 0.04% blood alcohol content (BAC), refusing an alcohol test, vehicular felonies, driving a vehicle that causes a fatality, leaving the scene of an accident, and many more. If you receive a second major violation, your CDL license will be revoked, and you will be ineligible to regain it.
Careers with the Board of Education
Careers in the field of education are also threatened by criminal convictions, depending on the nature of the crime. For instance, crimes of moral turpitude may bode poorly for someone in a position of trust. Someone employed by the board of education may be able to retain their job, even after a criminal conviction. But, the crime’s circumstances will be considered, and whether to revoke or retain a job will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
What Should You do if Facing a Conviction That Threatens Your Professional License in Arizona?
The list of licenses that can be suspended or revoked is long and often complicated. Stewart Law Group License Defense Attorneys are ready to fight for you if you have been charged with a crime that may affect your professional licensing. The time to determine the course of your life is now. Call for a free consultation. We can help reduce a criminal case’s impact on your career by having the charges dropped, reduced, or going to trial.
