Applying for a Good Cause Exception

This page includes information to help you learn about the good cause exception process. It includes an overview of the application process, information about application requirements, and articles to help you with particular aspects of the process. You may also want to see our FAQ page.

Feel free to contact the Board staff with any questions. Our Contact Information page will tell you how to get in touch with us.

Good cause exception application process

Below is an outline of the process of applying for a good cause exception.

Tips and Avoiding Common Problems

The following recommendations should help you complete your application package and avoid delays. By following these tips, your length of your appeal should be minimized.

Address changes. Inform the Board staff of any address changes; in fact, you should consider letting the Board know immediately. The Board will send correspondence to your last known address. If it does not know of an address change, you may not receive important information. Failure to notify the Board of an address change is not grounds for rescheduling a hearing.
Review application instructions. Before submitting your application, reread the application instructions and make sure you have met all the application requirements. An incomplete application will delay your appeal.
Copies and faxes. The only form you cannot send by fax is the application form; the Board staff will not accept a copy or fax of the application form. Although you can send copies of other documents, you will decrease the chance of a delay in your appeal by keeping all application materials together. You should keep copies of all documents you send in case they are lost in the mail. Also, you should send copies of court documents rather than originals; we may not be able to return the originals later.
Personal statement. Be specific in the personal statement that addresses all your arrests. If your statement is vague, the Board may ask for a more detailed statement, and your appeal will be delayed. Alternatively, the Board may decide that you failed to provide enough information for the Board to grant you a good cause exception. The personal statement is an opportunity for you to present, in detail, how you have been rehabilitated. Also, make sure your statement is legible. Finally, do not omit any arrest on your record, even if it does not appear on the DPS denial or suspension letter or did not result in a conviction or trial.
Police report. If you are required to submit a police report, be sure you submit the entire report and not just the ticket or citation. The police report will include a narrative that presents the arresting officer's account of what happened. If you submit only the citation, without the narrative, your appeal will be delayed.
Accuracy of criminal history. If you believe your criminal history records are inaccurate, contact the Department of Public Safety (DPS) or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to challenge them. The Board almost always will assume that the information in your criminal history records is accurate. For charges that took place within Arizona, call DPS at (602) 223-2222 to challenge your record or to get a copy of your criminal history. For charges that took place outside of Arizona, call the FBI at (304) 625-5590.
Vacated or set-aisde convictions. If you had a conviction vacated or set aisde, feel free to send a copy of the court order. This document will show the Board that you do not have any outstanding sentencing obligations. However, an order to vacate or set aside a conviction is not the same as a dismissal, even though the order may use the word "dismissed."

Articles

Soon, this web site will include a list of articles intended to help applicants through the good cause exception process. These articles will provide more in-depth information than appears elsewhere on this web site or in the application instructions. A list of tentative topics appears below.

Application requirements
- Court documents: information on what kind of court documents you are required to provide.
- Personal statements: information on how best to meet the Board's written-statement requirement.
Expedited reviews
Administrative hearings