The Cost of a DUI

The Monetary Cost of a DUI

For a first offense DUI with no aggravating factors such as an accident or property damage, the true monetary cost to someone who is charged with a DUI has been estimated to be between $10,000 and $20,000. Some of these costs include:

• Bail bondsman's fee;
• Court fines;
• Chemical assessment fee;
• Mandatory DUI school;
• Home alcohol monitoring equipment/daily fee;
• Car towing and/or impound fees;
• License reinstatement fee;
• Laboratory analysis of second test sample (if requested);
• Attorney’s fees;
• Increased insurance premiums: typically several thousand dollars, but the cost varies by insurance carrier and underwriting factors such as age, driving history and amount of coverage;
• Court transcripts;
• Expert fees if you and your attorney decide to retain an expert witness for your case;
• Income loss due to court appearances; and
• Alternate transportation costs.

Collateral Consequences

If you lose your job or professional license (pilot, school bus driver, etc) the cost of a DUI can actually be much higher. You may also be denied entrance into Canada and/or other countries.