Florida DUI

The penalties arising out of a DUI conviction in the state of Florida may vary depending on the particular circumstances of your case. Probation can be one of the penalties you can get for a DUI in Florida. In case you get DUI probation, you would be required to report to a probation officer periodically or at least once a month. The purpose of this constant contact with your probation officer is a way of keeping a check on you to ensure you adhere to the terms of your probation.

In addition to probation, DUI School bay be another possible penalty. This requires you to attend and complete a 12-hour class, mostly for the first time offenders. Another component of DUI School is known as a psycho-social evaluation. This helps the state in determining if you have a problem with alcohol or an alcohol addiction.

A jail sentence jail is another of the penalties that could result out of your DUI conviction. A jail time could well last up to last up to six months. Normally you may not receive that type of sentence on a first-time DUI but that is a possibility under Florida law in case your breath test shows a result of above a 0.15.

In some jurisdictions you may be asked to go through a victim impact or victim awareness program. In this mostly four hour class the person speaking has either been a victim of a DUI or has a family member who had been a victim to drunk driving.

In addition, depending on your BAC result, you may face a fine between $500-$1000, a driving license revocation of 6 months to a year, an vehicle impound or immobilization of 10 days, in most jurisdictions you may be made to pay a cost of prosecution, which means that you are paying the state for prosecuting you on the DUI charge and depending on the breath test result you may have to install a interlock ignition device. This device requires you blow into it in order to start your car and may require you to randomly blow into it at other points to ensure your BAC is within the legal limits.

Florida DUI Penalties

If you get a DUI conviction in Florida, you might be facing a variety of life impairing consequences. For that reason a DUI conviction cannot be taken lightly, as it will affect many areas of your life. Florida law does not allow for someone to expunge a DUI conviction. Once you are convicted of DUI, your criminal record will show permanently. A DUI conviction record can lead to limited employment, housing, and education opportunities. In addition to a criminal record, a DUI conviction in Florida may give the following sentences:

First DUI Offense

Fine $500-$1000

License revocation 6 months – 1 year

Imprisonment 0 – 6 months

Vehicle Impoundment At least 10 days

Probation: Normally Typically 1 year

Second DUI Offense

Fine $1000 – $1,500

License revocation 5 years (if within 5 years of the prior)

Imprisonment 10 days – 9 months

Vehicle Impoundment Approximately 30 days

Probation 1 year

Ignition Device Approximately 1 year-depending on the breath test result

Third DUI Offense

Fine $2,000 – $5,000

License revocation Approximately 1 year(but could be 10 yrs depending on priors)

Imprisonment 30 days – 5 years

Vehicle Impoundment Approximately 90 days

Probation up to 5 years

Ignition Device Approximately 2 years