Idaho DUI Penalties

A DUI arrest in Idaho will initiate two separate court hearings. The first is a criminal court case, where the defendant may face penalties ranging from jail time, fines, mandatory alcohol education classes, and so on. Furthermore, the second case is an Idaho Transportation Department hearing, where the accused will have their license suspended, unless a request for an appeal is made at least seven days after the date of initial arrest.

The Idaho DUI law is based off of both the “per se” law, and the “under the influence” law. The first one states that an individual can be arrested and charged for drunk driving if their blood alcohol level (BAC) is .08 percent or higher. A driver does not need to actually be impaired to be charged under this concept. The second law states that an individual who is driving under the influence of an intoxicant is considered to be impaired from safely driving a motor vehicle. This concept is solely based on the drivers appearance, their driving pattern and there field sobriety test result. Unlike the “per se” law, body chemistry has nothing to do with the “under the influence” law.

First DUI Offense Penalties

The penalties for a first time DUI offense in the state of Idaho can be: A fine of up to $1,000, a jail sentence for a minimum of two days up to a maximum of six months, driving privileges being suspended for a minimum of 180 days, a mandatory alcohol evaluation, a mandatory attendance to a Victim’s Panel, as well as a one to two year probation.

Second DUI Offense Penalties

The penalties for a second DUI offense in the state of Idaho can be: A fine of up to $2,000, a jail sentence for a minimum of ten days to a maximum of one year, a one year suspension of driving privileges, a mandatory alcohol evaluation, an ignition interlock device being installed in the offender’s vehicle, and a two year probation.

Third DUI Offense Penalties

A third DUI offense is considered a felony and will result in a fine of up to $50,000, an incarceration for a minimum of thirty days to a maximum of five years, the offender’s driving privileges being revoked for one year up to five years, and finally, supervised felony probation.

Though the consequences of a DUI in Idaho may seem daunting, a skilled Idaho DUI lawyer can help an offender in avoiding or at least minimizing the overall penalties resulting from their charge. It is strongly advisable that if you are arrested and charged for a DUI in the state of Idaho, that you contact a DUI defense lawyer immediately.