Florida DUI Penalties

From the date of an individual’s arrest for DUI in Florida, they have ten (10) days to submit a request to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for a special hearing. If no special request is made by the DUI defendant or by their attorney, the result will be an automatic suspension of the defendant’s driver’s license for a minimum of six (6) months and a maximum of (18) months.

Florida DUI Conviction

In order to be convicted of DUI in Florida, it must be proven that at the time the defendant was driving they were either obviously impaired (driving erratically, ignoring traffic signals, failing a field sobriety test, etc.) or had a blood alcohol level (BAC) of .08% or more. In either case, the consequences of being convicted of DUI in Florida are the same.

Florida DUI Penalties

First time convicted Florida DUI offenders can expect fines of $250 to $500, fifty (50) hours of community service, a maximum of nine (9) months in jail, (10) day impoundment of the vehicle the defendant was driving at the time of arrest, and/or suspension of driver’s license for a minimum of six (6) and a maximum of twelve (12) months. Penalties increase if the defendant is under twenty-one (21) years of age, was involved in an accident resulting in serious bodily harm to another individual, was operating a commercial vehicle at the time of arrest or is a repeat DUI offender. These harsher penalties can include up to five (5) years in jail, fines of up to $5000, mandatory DUI school attendance, mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device and the revocation of the convicted DUI offender’s driver’s license. It is therefore highly recommended that anyone arrested for an alleged DUI offense in Florida seek the assistance of a qualified DUI attorney as soon as possible after arrest to ensure the protection of their rights.