In Florida, you can be convicted of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) if you drive a motor vehicle with an unlawful blood alcohol level (BAL) .08% or above.
Penalties for a first DUI offense can include:
- Between $500 and $1,000 fine (with a BAL of .015% higher or minor in the vehicle, fine between $1,000 and $2,000).
- Driver’s license revocation for 180 days to 1 year.
- DUI school
- Mandatory 50 hours of community service, or an additional fine of $10 for each hour of community service required by the court.
- Probation – not to exceed one year.
- Not more than 6 months in jail (with a BAL of .015% or higher or minor in the vehicle, up to 9 months in jail).
- Impoundment of immobilization of vehicle for 10 days, unless the defendant’s family has no other means of transportation.
DUI Diversion Programs: An Alternative To Going To Jail
Were you aware there are ways you can dismiss DUI charges? Florida offers several different DUI diversion programs designed to help certain types of DUI offenders avoid permanent marks on their record. One program includes the “DUI Pretrial Diversion” and is a great way to avoid going to trial for your DUI case. If you are eligible to attend this program and successfully complete it, your DUI case will be dismissed.
While DUI diversion programs can be more costly than other types of diversion programs, you can have your record expunged of your DUI case upon the completion of said program.
The DUI diversion program includes various steps including:
- Community Service Hours
- DUI Level 1 School
- Treatment / Counseling Recommended by the Program
- Completion of Victim Impact Class
- Random Urine Screenings
- 10 Day Vehicle Impoundment
Even though the program sounds complicated, it is worth completing. This way, you do not have DUI charges on your permanent record for employers and banks to see.