There is no single national price for a DUI. With its default answers, our calculator's typical first-offense estimate runs from $10,207 in Wyoming to $28,388 in Illinois. The fine is only one part of that, and in none of our 50 state estimates is it the largest part.
This guide walks through every cost category, explains how they vary by state, and tells you what to expect at each stage. Use it alongside our DUI Total Cost Calculator to get a number specific to your state and situation.
The Hidden Structure of DUI Costs
DUI costs fall into three categories: immediate costs (bail, tow, impound), short-term costs (attorney fees, fines, court costs, DUI school), and long-term costs (insurance increases, ignition interlock, lost wages during suspension). The long-term costs arrive months or years later, so they are the easiest to leave out of a budget.
Our calculator shows each of these as its own line, so you can see where the money goes in your state.
Fines and Court Fees
Statutory fines vary widely. Texas sets a maximum of $2,000 for a first DWI with no statutory minimum. Arizona's first-offense minimum in fines and assessments is $1,250. California's base fine is $390 to $1,000, and it is the same range for a first, second, and third offense.
Court costs, assessments, and surcharges are charged on top of the fine. They are set by state and local rules, and our calculators include them as an estimate rather than a published figure.
Attorney Fees
In our calculator's estimates, attorney fees are among the three largest lines in every state. Our attorney fee figures are market estimates, not published rates: the midpoint of our range for a first offense runs from $3,250 to $6,250 across the states, and it is $4,500 in the median state. The estimate rises when an accident is involved.
What an attorney can do depends on the facts of your case and your state's law. When you speak with one, ask what they expect to be able to do in your case and exactly what their fee covers, including whether it covers the license hearing.
SR-22 Insurance
SR-22 is a certificate your insurance company files with your state's motor vehicle agency confirming you carry the minimum required insurance. It is not a separate kind of insurance. The cost comes from the premium increase that follows a conviction.
Three years is the most common SR-22 filing period in our data: 38 of the 45 states that use SR-22 filings require it for three years. Alaska is listed at five years for a first offense, Iowa, Missouri, and Texas at two, and Kansas, North Dakota, and Ohio at one. Ohio shortened its period to one year in April 2025. New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Minnesota do not use SR-22 filings.
The real cost is the premium increase. Our increase figures for each state are market estimates, not published rates: the typical increase is 90% in the median state, and it runs from 55% to 135% across the states. On the $1,600 annual premium our total-cost calculator assumes, a 90% increase adds $1,440 a year, or $4,320 over three years.
Use our SR-22 Insurance Cost Calculator to estimate your state-specific increase.
Ignition Interlock Device (IID)
An IID is a breathalyzer installed in your vehicle that requires you to pass a breath test before the car will start. You lease it from a vendor and pay a monthly fee plus installation and removal. Our calculators use a market estimate of the monthly fee for each state.
Arizona, Washington, Virginia, and several other states require IID for all DUI convictions including first offenses. In California, a court-ordered IID of up to 6 months is one of three options the statute allows for a first offense. Texas does not require IID for a standard first DWI. Florida requires IID for first offenses only if BAC was 0.15 or higher.
Use our Ignition Interlock Cost Calculator for a state-specific estimate. It adds the months your state requires to its estimates of the installation and removal fees.
License Suspension and Lost Wages
For working adults who depend on driving, a license suspension can be one of the most expensive parts of a DUI. A 180-day suspension does not just inconvenience you, it affects your ability to get to work, run errands, and maintain your normal life.
Lost wage estimates depend heavily on your income and where you live. In a city with reliable public transit, the financial impact is lower. In a rural area where a car is required for every trip, it is higher.
Our calculator estimates lost wages from your income and the working days in the suspension, counting only its first year. It assumes a smaller loss where your state offers a hardship or restricted license that can let you drive to work.
DUI School
Your court or your state's motor vehicle agency may require an alcohol education or treatment program, and finishing it can be a condition of getting your license back. Costs depend on the state and the length of the program. Our calculators include a market-estimate range for each state.
Bail, Towing, and Impound
These are the first costs you face. Whether you pay bail, and how much, depends on your state's pretrial rules and on the court. Our calculators include a bail figure that is a market estimate, not a published schedule.
Towing and impound fees depend on the tow company and local rules. Storage fees can grow the longer the vehicle stays in the lot, so it is worth retrieving it as soon as you are able to.
Total First-Offense DUI Cost by State: Key Examples
| State | Term | Our Typical Estimate | Felony Threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | DUI | $22,689 | 4th offense in 10 years |
| Texas | DWI | $23,698 | 3rd offense |
| Florida | DUI | $17,706 | 3rd offense in 10 years |
| New York | DWI | $20,091 | 2nd offense in 10 years |
| Arizona | DUI | $21,295 | 3rd offense in 7 years |
| Colorado | DUI | $21,734 | 4th offense |
The estimates are our calculator's typical first-offense figures with its default answers (no accident, a 0.10 BAC, an income of $25,000 to $50,000, no CDL). Your costs will vary. Use the DUI Total Cost Calculator to get a detailed breakdown for your specific state and situation.
Second and Third Offenses
Repeat offenses carry heavier penalties, but how much heavier depends on the state. In most states the fine range is higher and the license suspension longer for a second offense, and some states that do not require an interlock for a first offense require one for a second. With its default answers, our calculator's typical second-offense estimate has a median of $25,681 across the 50 states, against $17,615 for a first offense.
The offense at which a DUI becomes a felony also varies. In New York, Connecticut, Indiana, and Oklahoma it can be the second offense. In many states it is the third, and in others the fourth. A felony charge carries heavier penalties than a misdemeanor.
Use our Second DUI Cost Calculator for a second-offense breakdown.
What You Can Do to Reduce Costs
Talk to a defense attorney early. In states where DWAI or other lesser charges exist, an attorney can tell you whether a plea to one is realistic in your case. In any state, they can explain which penalties are mandatory and which are up to the judge, and handle the license hearing.
Ask about DUI school. If your state requires an alcohol education or treatment program, ask an attorney whether starting it early makes sense in your case.
Ask about the license hearing as soon as you can after the arrest. In states with an administrative license hearing, the deadline to request one can be short, and it is separate from the criminal case. Check the paperwork you were given at arrest, or ask an attorney, right away.
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. DUI laws and costs vary by state and individual circumstances. Consult a licensed DUI attorney in your state for guidance on your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a first DUI cost in the United States?
There is no official national figure. Our calculator adds up fines and court fees, attorney fees, the insurance increase over at least three years, ignition interlock, DUI school, license reinstatement, lost wages during a suspension, bail, and towing. With its default answers, its typical first-offense estimate runs from $10,207 in Wyoming to $28,388 in Illinois, and the median of our 50 state estimates is $17,615. These are our estimates, not a published statistic.
What is the biggest cost in a DUI case?
It depends on the state and on your situation. With its default answers, the largest line in our calculator's first-offense estimate is lost wages during the license suspension, attorney fees, or the insurance increase, depending on the state, and the fine is never the largest line. Our attorney fee figures are market estimates: the midpoint of our range runs from $3,250 to $6,250 across the states, and it is $4,500 in the median state.
How long does a DUI affect your car insurance?
It depends on your state and your insurer. In the 45 states that use SR-22 filings, the filing period in our data runs from one year (Kansas, North Dakota, and Ohio) to five years (Alaska), and three years is the most common, in 38 of the 45. How long a surcharge stays on your policy is up to your insurer, and it can last beyond the filing period.
What is the difference between a DUI and a DWI?
They are names states use for impaired driving. Texas and New York use DWI. California, Florida, and most other states use DUI. Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin use OWI (Operating While Intoxicated), and Maine and Massachusetts use OUI. In most states the name is simply the label for the state's main offense, but some states also have a lesser charge with its own name: New York and Colorado have DWAI, Michigan has OWVI, Maryland has a lesser 'impaired' offense, and in Oklahoma DWI is the lesser offense and DUI the main one.
Can a DUI be expunged from your record?
It depends on the state. Our data shows some form of relief for a DUI in 21 states, including California, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Kansas. In some it is a true expungement and in others it is sealing, a set-aside, or an annulment. Waiting periods run from none (Arizona's set-aside, once the sentence is complete) to 15 years (Maryland, for a probation before judgment). Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Georgia, Washington, and Oregon do not allow a DUI conviction to be expunged. What relief hides, and whether the DUI still counts as a prior offense if you are arrested again, depends on the state's law.