DUI Penalties: The Most Common in Arizona

Looking for a DUI Lawyer in Mesa means that you have been caught driving with alcohol in your system. Arizona has some of the most strict DUI Laws in the United States, and being pulled over for such a thing can have hefty penalties and legal repercussions. Arizona is a zero tolerance state which means that no matter your blood alcohol level, you will be charged with a DUI. The only difference is the type of DUI penalty you will be charged with. In Arizona, there are many different kinds, some worse than others. Here are the most common DUI charges in Arizona.

The most common type of DUI penalty given is the First Offense Regular DUI. This offense calls for a mandatory minimum jail time of one day. It also includes fines and surcharges of around $2100 without the inclusion of jail costs from your one-day stay. Your driver’s license will also be suspended for a minimum of 90 days, and you will be required to install an ignition interlock device on your car for one year. Fortunately, a First Offense DUI is considered a misdemeanor in Arizona, and you will not be faced with criminal charges. You may be required to perform community service, or the judge may order alcohol screenings. This is the least brutal of charges you will be faced with when being caught driving under the influence of alcohol.

The next charge you might be faced with is a Second Offense Regular DUI within seven years. With this offense, you will be faced with a mandatory minimum jail time of thirty days and will have to pay fines of over $2500 not including jail costs. From there, it is relatively the same as a first offense regular DUI in that your license will be suspended for a period of 90 days and you will have to have an interlock device installed in your vehicle for a period of one year. Again, the judge could be in charge of making you perform community service or possibly order alcohol screenings.

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The next kind of DUI Penalty is much more severe than the previous two. If you have a blood alcohol level of over .15%, this will lead to Extreme DUI charges. A First Extreme DUI Charge will lead to similar penalties of the Second Offense Regular DUI charges. You will have to face thirty days of jail time and will be forced to pay $2500 in fines. Your driver’s license will be suspended for 90 days and you will also have to have an ignition interlock device installed on your vehicle for a minimum of one year. More inconveniently, the person will sometimes have to submit to regular alcohol screenings and wear an alcohol monitoring bracelet around their ankle.

A second Extreme DUI conviction happens within seven years of the first Extreme DUI Charge. Being charged with this will lead to 120 days of jail time and fees and fines of over $2500 which does not include jail costs. You will also lose your license for a year and you will have to have an interlock device installed in your vehicle for a minimum of 18 months. These are serious penalties that can be avoided if you do not drink and drive.

More severe convictions start off with the First Super Extreme DUI. If your BAC is over .20%, then you will be faced with 45 days in prison and will have to pay fines and surcharges of $2500 not including jail fees. You will also lose your license for a period of 90 days and will be forced to install an interlock device on your vehicle for a minimum of 18 months. These are severe criminal charges.

The last of the most common DUI charges that you may encounter in Arizona is the Second Super Extreme DUI. This happens within seven years of any DUI conviction, and you will have to spend a minimum of six months in jail. You will also be forced to pay over $2500 in fees, costs, and fines that do not include jail costs. Your driver’s license will be suspended for one year and you will have to have an ignition interlock device installed on your car for a minimum of two years.

Being convicted of a DUI can lessen the opportunities available to you later on in life. Some employers are more reluctant to hire applicants with criminal records, landlords less likely to rent, etc. A DUI conviction could completely preclude you from a job that requires driving. It could also become relevant to the moral character application of professional licenses for other career fields. To avoid these kinds of long-term obstacles, a defendant should explore all of their defense options. 

Seeing the penalties for each of these convictions should be enough for you to steer clear of driving under the influence of alcohol. But, if you are in need of an attorney in Mesa, then come to My AZ Lawyers, where we can help reduce or absolve your sentence. With our expert legal assistance, you won’t have to worry about those DUI Charges any longer. Contact us for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Super Extreme DUI a felony in Arizona?

Super Extreme DUI, along with Extreme DUI, is a misdemeanor criminal offense in Arizona. A DUI doesn’t become a felony unless certain factors are involved. They are driving under the influence with a child passenger, on a suspended, canceled, or otherwise restricted driver’s license, down the wrong way of a highway, or being arrested for DUI with current interlock orders or with 2 previous DUI convictions within the past 7 years. 

Can I avoid DUI penalties by refusing to take a breathalyzer test?

Refusing to take a breathalyzer test in Arizona can come with penalties that are, in some ways, stricter than those for the DUI itself. Arizona is what is known as an implied consent state. In implied consent states, drivers can be penalized simply for refusing to take a breathalyzer test, even if they are later found to be sober. The administrative driver’s license suspension for an implied consent violation is 1 year, while the suspension for a DUI may only be a few months. 

Will a DUI conviction affect my auto insurance policy?

Drivers convicted of DUI can expect their auto insurance rates to skyrocket. After the conviction, the driver is considered high-risk, and thus must obtain SR-22 auto insurance coverage to retain their driving privileges. This can often cost double or more what a standard auto insurance policy costs, which will cost the driver thousands of dollars over time. 

Can my vehicle be impounded if I am arrested for DUI in Arizona?

In Arizona, the driver’s vehicle will automatically be impounded if they are arrested at the Extreme (BAC of 0.15 to 0.19) or Super Extreme (BAC of 0.20 or higher) level of DUI. The vehicle will be held for a month before the driver can retrieve it. They will have to pay an administrative fee and a fee for each day it is in the lot- if they can’t afford to pay in full when their vehicle is eligible to be picked up, they could risk losing the vehicle to the impound lot. 

Will my penalties be less severe if I am convicted of reckless driving instead of DUI?

Plea bargaining in order to plead guilty to reckless driving instead of risking going to trial on DUI charges is a common defense strategy. Penalties like fines and license suspension tend to be lower, but most importantly, reckless driving doesn’t carry mandatory jail time as a DUI conviction does.