State Drunk Driving Laws

All states define driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above 0.08 percent as acrime, but specific laws and penalties vary substantially from state to state.

42 states, the District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands haveadministrative license suspension (ALS) on the first offense. ALS allows law enforcement toconfiscate a driver's license for a period of time if he fails a chemical test. Most of these states allowlimited driving privileges (such as to/from work).

All states have some type of ignition interlock law, in which judges require all or some convicteddrunk drivers to install interlocks in their cars to analyze their breath and disable the engine ifalcohol is detected. 19 states (and 4 California counties) have made ignition interlocks mandatory orhighly incentivized for all convicted drunk drivers, even first-time offenders.

Federal law mandates that states adopt open container and repeat offender laws meeting specificrequirements. Otherwise, a portion of Joseph Mchugh Lawyer the state's surface transportationfunding is transferred to the state DOT or State Highway Safety Office.

Alcohol exclusion laws allow insurance companies to deny payment for treatment of drunk drivers'injuries, but they have limited doctors' abilities to diagnose alcohol problems and recommendtreatment. Some states have repealed such laws.

NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on drunk driving laws other than what ispresented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.

Ala.

.15

90 days

Â

Mandatory for repeat convictions

Â

Pending review by NHTSA & FHWA

Pending review by NHTSA & FHWA

Yes

Alaska

.15

(at judges' disc.)

90 days

After 30 days

Mandatory for all convictions

Vehicle impoundment

Â

Â

Yes

Ariz.

.15

90 days

After 30 days

Mandatory for all convictions

Immobilization or impoundment

Yes

Â

Yes

Ark.

.15

6 months

Yes

Mandatory for all convictions

Vehicle confiscation

Â

Yes

Yes

Calif.

.15

4 months

After 30 days

Discretionary

Mandatory Joseph Mchugh Attorney for all convictions in Alameda, Los Angeles, Tulare andSacramento counties (pilot project)

Impoundment, vehicle confiscation

Yes

Â

Yes

Colo.

.17

3 Joseph Mchugh Lawyer months

Yes

Highly incentivized for all convictions

Â

Yes

Yes

Â

Conn.

.16

90 days

Yes

Mandatory for all convictions

Â

Â

Yes

Â

Del.

.16

3 months

Â

Mandatory for high BAC (>.15) and repeat convictions

Vehicle sanction and license plate impoundment

Â

Yes

Yes

D.C.

.20 and .25

2-90 days or until disposition

Yes

Discretionary

Â

Yes

Yes

Â

Fla.

.20

6 months for DUI

After 30 days

Mandatory for high BAC (>.15) convictions

Impoundment, vehicle forfeiture

Yes

Yes

Yes

12 months for refusal

After 90 days

Ga.

.15

1 year

Yes

Mandatory for repeat convictions

Vehicle confiscation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Guam

From .08 to .10

Â

Â

Â

Â

Yes

Yes

Â

Hawaii

.15

3 months

After 30 days

Mandatory for all convictions

Â

Yes

Yes

Yes

Idaho

.20

90 days

After 30 days

Discretionary

Â

Yes

Yes

Yes

Ill.

.16

6 months

After 30 days

Mandatory for all convictions

Impoundment, vehicle confiscation

Yes

Yes

Â

Ind.

.15

180 days

After 30 days

Discretionary

Vehicle confiscation

Yes

Yes

Â

Iowa

.15

180 days

After 30 days

Discretionary

Â

Yes

Yes

Â

Kan.

.15

30 days

Â

Mandatory for all convictions

Â

Yes

Yes

Yes

Ky.

.18

30 - 120 days

Yes

Discretionary

Impoundment

Yes

Yes

Yes

La. 1

.15 and .20

See footnote

Â

Mandatory for all convictions

Vehicle confiscation

Â

Â

Yes

Maine

.15

90 days

Yes

Highly incentivized for all convictions

(eff. 12/2013)

Vehicle confiscation

Yes

Yes

Â

Md.

.15

45 days

Yes, under certain circum-

stances

Mandatory for high BAC (>.15) convictions

Â

Yes

Yes

Â

Mass.

.20 (applies to ages 17-21)

90 days

Yes

Mandatory for repeat convictions

Vehicle confiscation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Mich. 2

.17

See footnote

After 45 days

Mandatory for high BAC convictions, restricted driving conditions

Vehicle confiscation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Minn.

.20

90 days

After 15 days

Mandatory for high BAC and repeat convictions

Impoundment, vehicle confiscation, special plates/

markings

Yes

Â

Yes

Miss.

Â

90 days

Â

Mandatory for all convictions

(eff. 10/2014)

Impoundment, vehicle confiscation

Â

Yes

Yes

Mo.

.15

90 days

After 0 days w/ interlock use (restricted)

After 30 days

(restricted)

Mandatory for repeat convictions

Vehicle forfeiture or impoundment (cities w/ 100,000+ allowed to enact ordinance)

Â

Yes

Yes

Mont.

.16

Â

Â

Mandatory for repeat convictions

Impoundment, vehicle confiscation

Yes

Â

Yes

Neb.

.15

90 days

After 30 days

Mandatory for all convictions

Vehicle immobilization, continuous alcohol monitoring

Yes

Yes

Yes

Nev.

.18

90 days

After 45 days

Discretionary

Â

Yes

Yes

Â

N.H.

.16

6 months

Â

Mandatory for high BAC convictions

Â

Yes

Yes

Yes

N.J.

.10

Â

Â

Mandatory for high BAC (>.15) and repeat convictions

Â

Yes

Yes

Yes

N.M.

.16 (w/ mand. jail on all offenses)

<21: 1 yr.;

>21: 6 mo.

Immediately w/ Ignition Interlock

Mandatory for all convictions

Immobilization of vehicle for driving while revoked

Yes

Â

Yes

N.Y.

.18

Yes

Yes

Mandatory for all convictions

Â

Yes

Yes

Yes

N.C.

.15

30 days

After 10 days

Mandatory for high BAC (>.15) and repeat convictions

Vehicle confiscation

Yes

Yes

Â

N.D.

.18

91 days

After 30 days

Discretionary

Vehicle confiscation, license plate removal

Yes

Yes

Yes

M.P.

Â

30 days -

<6 months

Â

Â

Â

Yes

Yes

Â

Ohio

.17

90 days

After 15 days

Discretionary

Impoundment, vehicle confiscation or immobilization, restricted plates

Yes

Â

Yes

Okla.

.15

180 days

Yes

Mandatory for high BAC (>.15), repeat convictions, and refusals

Â

Yes

Yes

Yes

Ore.

.15

90 days

After 30 days

Mandatory for all convictions and diversions

Â

Yes

Yes

Â

Pa. 3

.16

Â

See footnote

Mandatory for repeat convictions

Â

Yes

Yes

Yes

R.I.

.10 and .15

Â

Â

Judicial discretion on 2rd or subsequent conviction

Judicial discretion on 3rd or subsequent conviction

Yes

Â

Â

S.C.

.15

1 month (for >.15 BAC)

Yes

Mandatory for repeat convictions

Vehicle confiscation

Yes

Yes

Yes

S.D. 4

.17

See footnote

Yes

Discretionary

Â

Yes

Â

Â

Tenn.

.20

Â

Â

Mandatory for all convictions

Vehicle confiscation

Â

Yes

Yes

Texas

.15

90 days if .08 or greater; 180 days for refusal

Yes

Mandatory for repeat convictions

Vehicle confiscation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Utah

.16

120 days

Â

Mandatory for all convictions

Impoundment

Yes

Yes

Yes

Vt.

Â

90 days

Â

Discretionary

Impoundment, vehicle confiscation

Yes

Â

Yes

V.I.

Â

Variable

Yes

Â

Revoke license plate

Yes

Yes

Â

Va.

.15 and .20

7 days

Â

Mandatory for all convictions

Vehicle confiscation

Â

Yes

Yes

Wash.

.15

90 days

With an ignition interlock driver's license

Mandatory best dui attorney in Tempe for all convictions

Mandatory tow and 12 hour impound

Yes

Â

Â

W.Va.

.15

6 months

After 30 days

Mandatory for high BAC (>.15) and repeat convictions

Â

Â

Yes

Yes

Wis.

.17, .20 and .25

6 months

Yes

Mandatory for high BAC (>.15) and repeat convictions

Â

Yes

Yes

Yes

Wy.

.15

90 days

Yes

Mandatory for high BAC (>.15) and repeat convictions

Â

Â

Â

Yes

Total States

48 + D.C., 1 Terr.

42 + D.C., 2 Terr.

36 + D.C., 1 Terr.

Mandatory For

All (19)

High BAC (4)

Repeat (8)

High BAC & Repeat (8)

Disc.:

11 + D.C.

Varies

30 + 3 Terr.

26 + D.C., 3 Terr.

37