DUI Penalty in Georgia

The Law Office of Lawrence Kohn

DUI laws and penalties vary from state to state and sometimes even from county to county. If you’ve been arrested for a DUI in the Peach State, the following facts may help you determine whether or not you want to hire a DUI defense attorney.

First Conviction Penalties (in a 5-year period)

You could face between 10 days and 12 months in jail. The minimum sentence is 24 hours in jail and the rest can be probated by the judge or suspended. In many cases, plan on spending the 24 hours in jail for a first offense. Your fine will be between $300 and $1,000 plus surcharges. You may complete 40 hours of community service and have to receive a clinical drug and alcohol evaluation for dependency. You’ll have to enroll in DUI school and take a Risk Reduction course. Your driver’s license will also be suspended for 1 year. If you had a DUI due to alcohol and you took the Risk Reduction course, your license can be reinstated after 120 days under a limited driving permit. If your DUI was drug-related, you can get your license back in 6 months and there’s no limited permit available.

Second Conviction Penalties (in a 5-year period)

The minimum jail sentence is 72 hours in jail. You spend between 90 days and 12 months in jail. You will be assigned community service for 30 days (240 hours) and will face fines between $600 to $1,000 plus surcharges. You must also take a Risk Reduction course at DUI school and receive a clinical evaluation for drug and alcohol dependency. An ignition interlock device will be installed in your vehicle. Your license will be suspended for 18 months and no permit is available. However, with the ignition interlock, you can get your license back after 12 months. You must surrender all of your license plates and your picture will be published in your local newspaper.

Third Conviction Penalties (in a 5-year period)

Expect to serve 120 days to 12 months in jail. All but 15 days can be suspended or probated by the judge. Your fine will be between $1,000 and $5,000 plus surcharges. You must serve 30 days (240 hours) of community service and enroll in a Risk Reduction course. You will also receive a clinical evaluation for drug and alcohol dependency. An ignition interlock will be installed in your car. Your license will be suspended for 5 years with no permit available. You may receive a probationary license after 2 years. Your picture will be published in your local newspaper and you must surrender all license plates.