DUI / DWI Defense Attorneys
Click on the map to find an attorney in any state
DUI DWI Laws
All 50 states and the District of Columbia have per se DUI Laws defining it as a crime to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above a proscribed level, 0.08 percent.
License suspension or revocation traditionally follows conviction for alcohol-impaired driving. Under a procedure called administrative license suspension, licenses are taken before conviction when a driver fails or refuses to take a chemical test. Because administrative license suspension laws are independent of criminal procedures and are invoked right after arrest, they've been found to be more effective than traditional post-conviction sanctions. Forty-one states and the District of Columbia have administrative license suspension laws.
Forty-five states permit some offenders to drive only if their vehicles have been equipped with ignition interlocks. These devices analyze a driver's breath and disable the ignition if the driver has been drinking.
In 30 states, multiple offenders may forfeit vehicles that are driven while impaired by alcohol.
Forty-three states and Washington D.C. have laws prohibiting the driver, passengers or both from possessing an open container of alcohol in the passenger compartment of a vehicle.
|
State |
BAC Defined as illegal per se |
Administrative license suspension 1st offense?1 |
Do penalties include interlock / forfeiture?3 |
Open container laws |
|
| Alabama DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
no |
no/no |
driver / passenger |
|
Alaska DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 30 days |
yes/yes |
driver |
| Arizona DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 30 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
| Arkansas DWI DUI Laws |
0.08 |
120 days |
yes |
yes/yes |
-- |
| California DUI Laws |
0.08 |
4 months |
after 30 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
| Colorado DUI DWAI Laws |
0.08 |
3 months |
yes |
yes/no |
-- |
|
Connecticut DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
yes |
no/no |
-- |
|
Delaware DUI Laws |
0.08 |
3 months |
no |
yes/no |
-- |
|
District of Columbia DUI Laws |
0.08 |
2-90 days |
yes |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
| Florida DUI Laws |
0.08 |
6 months |
after 30 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
State |
BAC Defined as illegal per se |
Administrative license suspension 1st offense?1 |
Do penalties include interlock / forfeiture?3 |
Open container laws |
|
| Georgia DUI Laws |
0.08 |
1 year |
yes |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
Hawaii DUI Laws |
0.08 |
3 months |
after 30 days |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
|
Idaho DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 30 days |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
| Illinois DUI Laws |
0.08 |
3 months |
after 30 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
| Indiana DUI OWI Laws |
0.08 |
180 days |
after 30 days |
yes/no |
driver4 |
| Iowa DUI DWI Laws |
0.08 |
180 days |
after 90 days |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
| Kansas DWI DUI Laws |
0.08 |
30 days |
no |
yes/no |
driver |
|
Kentucky DUI Laws |
0.08 |
-- |
-- |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
Louisiana DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 30 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
Maine DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
yes |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
State |
BAC Defined as illegal per se |
Administrative license suspension 1st offense?1 |
Do penalties include interlock / forfeiture?3 |
Open container laws |
|
| Maryland DUI Laws |
0.08 |
45 days |
yes |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
| Massachusetts OUI DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
no |
no/no |
driver / passenger |
| Michigan DUI OUIL Laws |
0.085 |
-- |
-- |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
| Minnesota DWI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 15 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
Mississippi DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
no |
yes/yes |
-- |
| Missouri DWI Laws |
0.08 |
30 days |
no |
yes/yes |
-- |
|
Montana DUI Laws |
0.08 |
-- |
-- |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
Nebraska DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 30 days |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
| Nevada DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 45 days |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
| New Hampshire DWI Laws |
0.08 |
6 months |
no |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
|
State |
BAC Defined as illegal per se |
Administrative license suspension 1st offense?1 |
Do penalties include interlock / forfeiture?3 |
Open container laws |
|
| New Jersey DWI DUI Laws |
0.08 |
-- |
-- |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
|
New Mexico DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 30 days |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
|
New York DUI Laws |
0.08 |
variable6 |
yes |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
North Carolina DUI Laws |
0.08 |
30 days |
after 10 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
North Dakota DUI Laws |
0.08 |
91 days |
after 30 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
| Ohio DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 15 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
| Oklahoma DUI Laws |
0.08 |
180 days |
yes |
yes/yes |
driver |
| Oregon DUI DUII Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 30 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
| Pennsylvania DUI Laws |
0.08 |
-- |
-- |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
Rhode Island DUI Laws |
0.08 |
-- |
-- |
yes/yes |
driver |
|
State |
BAC Defined as illegal per se |
Administrative license suspension 1st offense?1 |
Do penalties include interlock / forfeiture?3 |
Open container laws |
|
|
South Carolina DUI Laws |
0.08 |
-- |
-- |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
South Dakota DUI Laws |
0.08 |
-- |
-- |
no/no |
driver / passenger |
|
Tennessee DUI Laws |
0.08 |
-- |
-- |
yes/yes |
driver7 |
| Texas DWI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
yes |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
Utah DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
no |
yes/no |
driver / passenger |
|
Vermont DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
no |
no/yes |
driver / passenger |
| Virginia DUI Laws |
0.08 |
7 days |
no |
yes/yes |
|
| Washington DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
after 30 days |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
West Virginia DUI Laws |
0.08 |
6 months |
after 30 days |
yes/no |
-- |
| Wisconsin OWI DWI DUI Laws |
0.08 |
6 months |
yes |
yes/yes |
driver / passenger |
|
Wyoming DUI Laws |
0.08 |
90 days |
yes |
no/no |
driver |
1Information pertains to drivers in violation of the BAC defined as illegal per se for all drivers, not the special BAC for young drivers.
2Drivers usually must demonstrate special hardship to justify restoring privileges during suspension, and then privileges often are restricted.
3A multiple offender's vehicle may be seized and disposed.
4In Indiana, the open container restriction only applies if the driver has a BAC of 0.04.
5The 0.08 per se BAC law in Michigan contains a sunset clause which states that the legal BAC will revert to 0.10 on October 1, 2013.
6In New York, administrative license suspension lasts until prosecution is complete.
7In Tennessee, the open container law does not prohibit any municipality, by ordinance, or any county, by resolution, from prohibiting passengers from possessing an open container.
DUI LAWS & DWI LAWS (credit to www.hwysafety.org) as of July 2004
Florida DUI Blood Breath Alcohol Test Rules
Anderson Haydu Appellant Brief Venue Suspension Hearing
Illinois DUI Law 2009 Alcohol Device License Suspension
Massachusetts New 2006 DWI DUI OUI Drunk Driving Laws and Penalties
Arkansas DWI DUI Drunk Driving Laws
California DUI Laws - Section 23216 - Legislative Intent
California DUI Laws Section 23225
California DUI Laws Section 23229.1 Limo - Under 21
California DUI Laws Section 23213 Rehabilitation - Vehicles on Premises
California DUI Laws - Sec. 23152
California DUI Laws - Offenses Defined
California DUI Statute Under 21 Section 23500 et.al.
California DUI Penalties - Over 21
California DUI Penalty Statutes
Colorado DUI Roadblocks Block Basic Rights
When Drunk Driving Deterrence Becomes Neo-Prohibition
Illinois New DUI BAIID Law 2008
Effect of DUI Conviction on Illinois Driver
Indiana OWI Law Made Simple pt.3
Indiana DUI OWI Laws - Americas DUI Attorneys Website
Indiana OWI Law Made Simple - Pt. 1
Massachusetts DUI Drunk Driving Penalties Chart
Michigan Drunk Driving Defense
Michigan DUI OUIL Drunk Driving Laws
Minnesota DWI Laws and Penalties
Missouri DWI Laws - America's Top DWI Attorneys Website
New Hampshire DWI Laws - Americas DWI Attorneys Website
New Jersey DWI Laws and Penalties
2006 New Jersey DWI Laws and Statutes
New Hampshire DWI Laws - America's Top DWI Lawyers
North Carolina DWI Laws Stiffen
Pennsylvania DUI Laws and Penalties
2006 DUI Laws for Refusals nationwide
Texas DWI Laws and Penalties - America's Top DWI Lawyers Website
Virginia DUI Law - America's DUI Attorneys
Wisconsin DUI - Illinois Drivers License
Washington DUI Laws and Penalties Sentencing Grid
Beat Illinois DUI Breath Tests
Field Sobriety Tests in Illinois: valid Psychophysical Tests or Voodoo Science?
Arizona DUI Fines and Penalties
California DUI Laws Section 23158 - Breath Alcohol Tests
California DUI Laws Section 23127 Mandatory Minimum Penalties
California DUI Laws - Section 23153
California DUI Laws Section 23220
California DUI Laws Section 23221 Drinking in Motor Vehicle
California DUI Laws section 23222
California DUI Laws - Section 23223 Possession of Open Container
California DUI Laws Section 23224
California DUI Laws Section 23229 Open Container-Exceptions
California DUI Laws- Section 23226 - Open Container Passenger
California DUI Laws - Section 23125 - Enforcement Off the Highway
Drunk Driving Laws Out of Control
Colorado DUI Laws - America's Top DUI Attorneys TM
Getting a Colorado Driver License After DUI Revocation Suspension
Florida DUI Laws, Florida DWI Laws, Florida DUI Penalties
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT A FLORIDA DUI
Oklahoma DUI Laws - Oklahoma DUI Penalties
MOTION TO SUPPRESS VIDEO TAPE OF TEXAS DWI
Washington State DUI Laws, DWI Laws, Drunk Driving Laws
Iowa OWI Laws - Americas Top DUI OWI Attorneys Website
The DUI attorneys and DWI lawyers listed on this site include nationally published authors on DUI laws and DWI laws. These Drunk Driving Defense Attorneys have appeared in over 75 local television stations and 229 newspapers nationwide.
Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence
This product provides an insider's perspective on the evolving technologies and procedures associated with the evidence associated with driving under the influence (DUI) charges. Leading defense attorneys guide the reader through the key stages and steps involved in successfully defending a client accused of driving while under the influence.
