DUI FAQs

DUI, like all criminal convictions, stays on your record forever, unless you have it sealed or expunged.

DUI expungement or sealing is only possible in Florida for one case. You might be able to get the DUI reduced to Reckless Driving, or it’s possible that the charges will be dismissed. You also could win acquittal in court. If the DUI charge leads to a conviction, you cannot expunge it. Since you have to be adjudicated on a DUI in Florida, you could move to have it sealed.

Ideally, your lawyer would successfully negotiate to have the charged reduced to a lesser charge such as Reckless Driving. That’s possible if there’s an evidentiary problem (e.g. no probable cause for the initial traffic stop) or if the state can’t prove DUI. Usually the defense for DUI is based on a pretrial evidentiary problem for the state or lack of proof of faculty impairment.

If you blow over .08, your license is revoked, and it is suspended for 6 months. If you refuse to blow, your license is revoked, and it is suspended for 1 year. This type of license suspension is called an administrative suspension. Your DUI ticket is considered a temporary driving permit for the 10-day period which is discussed on this page. For information on additional convictions, start here.

Many wonder about the immediate issue of how to get a license back after a DUI. You start out with a 10-day temporary driver license following arrest.

You have a short window, just 10 days, to request an administrative hearing once you are released that will potentially allow you to get your license back after the DUI. At that hearing you can contest the suspension. A lawyer handles all the paperwork to request the hearing, since they need to issue subpoenas. It’s extremely important to contact a lawyer right away because of this 10-day window. A DUI is unlike any other crime due to this time restraint. A court-appointed lawyer is not able to assist you in this manner because they do not practice this area of the law.

Once you receive your hearing date in the mail, your temporary driving privilege is extended up to 30 days.

At the hearing, your lawyer will contest the legitimacy of the DUI license suspension itself.

Florida has a Zero Tolerance law for teen drunk driving, so license suspension results from just .02 BAL. Here are the penalties for anyone under the age of 21:

• First suspension – 6 months
• Second suspension – 1 year

Similar to the enhanced offense for older drivers, if teen drinking and driving occurs with the BAL at .05 or above, the individual must complete a substance abuse course before the driving suspension is lifted.

The three situations in which the crime is considered a DUI felony include:

• Conviction of a fourth DUI (at any point in life) or a third DUI within 10 years of the second offense is a felony.
• It is also considered a felony if the defendant seriously harms other people.
• DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide are categorized as felonies as well.

Usually a first or second offense is a DUI misdemeanor. Often a third DUI is also a misdemeanor. Furthermore, anyone who commits a misdemeanor DUI and destroys property or injures anyone is charged with a First Degree Misdemeanor, with a maximum fine of $1000 and 12 months of incarceration.

Many people wonder about the total cost of a DUI. Although it’s a rough figure, the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) places the average DUI cost at $8000 (an aggregate of legal fines, attorney’s fees, and auto insurance rate adjustments).

As stated (on the “What Happens for Your First DUI Offense?” page), for a first conviction of DUI, the penalties are manifold and subject to mandatory minimum sentencing. Punishment for a first DUI can include fines, community service, probation, imprisonment, impoundment of your vehicle, revocation of your license, and the completion of a DUI instructional course.

As stated (on the “What Happens for Your First DUI Offense?” page), a first DUI fine is a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $1000, assuming it is a standard offense. If a minor is onboard or with a BAL at .15 or above, the fine for a first DUI is a minimum of $1000 and a maximum of $2000.

In the state of Florida, a first conviction for DUI carries with it the below penalties. Note that although this list and those for additional offenses are thorough, you should contact me right away for a comprehensive explanation and additional parameters (including those for DUI Manslaughter and Chemical/Physical Test Provisions). Penalties include:

• Fines – You must pay the State of Florida between $500 and $1000 for standard offenses. If your blood alcohol level falls within the enhanced penalty range, you will be fined between $1000 and $2000.
• Community service – For a first conviction of DUI, you must perform community service totaling 50 hours. Alternately, the fine may be raised up to $500 ($10 per hour) to account for this requirement.
• Probation – Probation can last a maximum of twelve months, but that also includes any time that is spent in jail.
• Imprisonment – Needless to say, the most ominous penalty for a first DUI is incarceration. If convicted, you may be sentenced to a total of six months for a standard offense and up to nine months with the enhanced penalty. However, the court may decide that you can spend part or all that time in an addiction rehabilitation center.
• Impoundment – The consequences of a first DUI will also typically include impoundment of your vehicle for 10 days, provided that it is not the sole form of transportation for your family.
• License revocation – Your driver license will also be revoked after a first DUI conviction. The period of time during which you must forgo driving privileges will be between six and twelve months.
• Education – Another punishment for a first DUI is an informational course. You can potentially have your driver license reinstated during the revocation due to hardship, but that requires completion of the training program. After the revocation span has elapsed, you still must enroll in a DUI class in order to have your license reinstated.

Many people also wonder, “What happens if you get a DUI?” The accused party (the person arrested) is held in jail until their first court appearance. The judge will read the affidavit from the arresting officer to determine if there is probable cause. Usually the judge finds probable cause and then issues a bond, after which the defendant is given a bond and released, provided that the bond (a.k.a. bail) is paid.

You may wonder what to do when you get a DUI. You do not plead guilty or not guilty at your first court appearance, and you are not usually appointed a lawyer at that time. You can, however, hire an attorney to represent you for this initial stage.

In essence, the answer regarding what to do if you get a DUI is to act fast. A DUI is extremely time-sensitive (with only 10 days to request an administrative review hearing), so it is important you contact us immediately after release if you haven’t done so while in custody. The administrative penalties are assessed to your driver license, and you want to address those immediately.

Often those arrested for DUI wonder, “What does DUI stand for?” It is the acronym for driving under the influence of certain drugs and/or high quantities of alcohol. What does DUI mean? According to Florida law (s. 316.193, FSA), it is unlawful to operate a motor vehicle when your normal faculties are impaired.

Specifically, DUI meaning has been established by Florida lawmakers as a single criminal offense in which a person shows signs of physiological impairment or alcohol levels within the breath or bloodstream that are at or higher than .08%. Regardless whether a person is charged based on observation or specific measurement, the penalties are identical. Within the context of DUI definition, that percentage refers to a .08 blood/breath alcohol level (BAL). Florida law also creates a special category, with enhanced penalties, for anyone with a minor in the car or whose BAL measures .15 or above.