New Hampshire DUI Penalties

Drunk driving is not looked upon lightly by the state of New Hampshire. Being so serious in nature, it is no surprise that the resulting penalties for a DUI charge in New Hampshire may include fines, imprisonment, the re-completion of driving school and so on.

In accordance with New Hampshire DUI law, an individual can be prosecuted for a DUI if they are either operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, or are violating the state’s “per se” law. The “per se” law defines an individual as legally intoxicated if the individual’s blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08 percent or higher. New Hampshire has determined that once a person’s BAC reaches .08 percent or higher, they are not able to properly and safely operate a vehicle, regardless of the presence or lack of any evidence of impairment.

On a rather unique note, New Hampshire is a member of the “Interstate Driver’s License Compact”. The Interstate Driver’s License Compact states that if an individual receives a DUI in the state of New Hampshire, and they are from another state, that DUI will be reported to that individual’s home state. Reporting a DUI violation to the state in which the offender’s driver’s license was issued allows additional penalties, such as license suspension or revocation, to be imposed by the offender’s home state.

First Offense

The penalties for a first time DUI may be: a fine of $350 to $2,000, a license suspension of 90 days to 2 years, and a mandatory re-completion of driving school. However, if the DUI was “Aggravated” (BAC of .16+ percent or aggressive action), the individual may be faced with a jail sentence of one year and a license suspension of 1 to 2 years.

Second Offense

The penalties for a second DUI offense are very strict and may include a jail sentence of up to one year, a fine of $500 up to $2000, a license suspension for 3 years, and a 7 day re-completion of driving school.

Third Offense

Fortunately, a third DUI offense is still considered a misdemeanor, and therefore the resulting penalties may be: a jail sentence of up to one year, a fine between $500 and $2000, a 7 year suspension of the offender’s drivers license, and a 30 day completion in a substance abuse treatment program.

A DUI charge in New Hampshire is a strenuous issue to deal with, and the resulting penalties may remain on the offender’s record for some time. Thus, it is strongly advisable, that if you are arrested and charged for a DUI in the state of New Hampshire, that you contact a DUI defense lawyer immediately.