The High Cost of DUI in Utah

You may have heard that a DUI in Utah can cost around $10.000.00. That is probably not a bad estimate when you consider paying in lost time from work and paying for all the consequences that come with a DUI arrest. Of course, the cost of a DUI in one specific case will greatly depend on the circumstances of the DUI.

Is this a First Offense, Second Offense or Third Offense?

All fines and fees depend on how many times you have been arrested into consideration along with any extenuating circumstances like your blood alcohol content and who was in the car with you at the time of your arrest.

First Offense: At least $2150.00 if you are on the good side of the law.

Fines of at least $700.00 plus a surcharge making your fine about $1,400.00. Depending on the circumstances your fine could be as high as $2000.00.
Courts will generally allow you to pay a fine off over the period of probation which is usually 12 months.
Jail time of at least 48 hrs. Lets say the the average person loses $200.00 for 2 days of lost work time.
Impound fees start with a fee of $350.00 to the DMV plus a fee to the towing company, lets say the average is $200.00
Even on first time offenses the Judge or the DMV could require you to have an Interlock Device put on your car for 18 months at a cost of about $2000.00.
Mandatory Screening Assessment and treatment, this would be hard to give a calculated guess because of too many variables.

There is a 48 hour mandatory minimum sentence. The judge may sentence you to community service instead of jail time. Depending on the circumstances the Judge could sentence you up to 6 months in jail for a first time DUI offense. Your attorney can help you keep you sentencing to a minimum.

Second Offense: At least $6,200 in fines and charges.

Fines of at least $800.00 plus a surcharge making your fine at least $1,600.00 and as much as $2500.00.
Jail time of at least 10 days of jail time. Let’s put this at $2000.00 for the average person.
Impound fees start with a fee of $350.00 to the DMV plus a fee to the towing company, lets say the average is $200.00.
Mandatory Interlock Device – For 18 months your cost is about $2000.00.
Cost for mandatory classes and/or treatment. Of course, as a general rule this is hard to calculate in time and money.

Third Offense: High fines and high jail time costs are impossible to calculate in time and money.

Fines of at least $1,500.00 plus a surcharge making the fine at least $3000.00 or as much as $5000.00
This is at least a felony conviction which carries a 5 year prison sentence…untold costs.

Even if you do think you can win your case at trial, I have the experience and knowledge of DUI laws and penalties and know things that you do not. At the very least I may be able to negotiate a plea bargain.

Do not delay, call now! I can help with your DUI arrest.

Cara Tangaro, Utah DUI Defense Lawyer – 801-673-9984