Arizona DUI Laws

Arizona places drunk driving under the state per se law. If your blood alcohol level is at or above the legal limit within two hours of operating a motorized vehicle, you will be arrested on a DUI. Arizona also uses impairment while driving for prosecution of a DUI. DUI in Arizona is a serious offense but “extreme” DUI or DWI, having a Blood Alcohol Content twice the legal limit, is even more serious.

The BAC for Arizona is .08% or higher. A BAC of .15% or higher is considered extreme DUI. The BAC for commercial drivers, this is anyone hauling merchandise or people, is .04%. A DUI in Arizona is classed as a misdemeanor. If you receive two or more convictions in a five year time frame, had a passenger in the car under 15 years old, or were driving under a suspended license, the DUI becomes a felony. The penalties for a DUI will depend upon the circumstances of the arrest.

Your first offense will result in $250.00 fine plus a $500.00 DUI surcharge. You will also be charged a $10.00 Probation surcharge, a $500.00 Prison Construction Assessment fee plus a $500.00 Xtra DUI assessment fee. This brings the total expenses to $1750.00 for the first offense. In addition, you may serve from 24 hours to 10 days in jail. Your license will be suspended from 90 days to 360 days and the court may force you to install an Ignition Interlock Device at your own expense.

Your second offense becomes more costly. Your base fine is $500.00 with a DUI surcharge of $400.00. The Probation surcharge remains a $10.00 fee. You will be assessed $1250.00 Prison Construction fee and $1250.00 for the Xtra DUI charge. These total costs are $3410.00for the second offense. The jail time you may have to serve will goes from a minimum of 30 days to 90 days. You will have to serve a minimum of 30 days for Community Restoration and your license will be suspended for one year. You will have to pay to have the Ignition Interlock Device installed on your vehicle. With the second offense, you will be ordered to complete an alcohol or drug screening, education, or treatment program.

The third drunk driving conviction is deemed an aggravated DUI if it occurs within 84 months (7 years) of a prior DUI. You will be assessed $750.00 in base fines, $600.00 for the DUI surcharge, $10.00 Probation surcharge. A $1500.00 fee for the Prison Construction Assessment, a $1500.00 Xtra DUI Assessment, and a $250.00 DUI Abatement fee will also be assessed to you. The cost of these fines is $4610.00 for a total on your third offense. You will serve a minimum of four months in jail besides loosing your license for one year. You will be ordered to install the Ignition Interlock Device on your car at your own expense as well as attend alcohol or drug screening classes, or a treatment program.

If you are arrested for an extreme DUI, .15% or more BAC, you will be convicted of a criminal misdemeanor. Your first offense will result in a $500.00 fine with an 80% surcharge in the amount os$900.00 and a $250.00 DUI assessment fee. On top of these fees you can add a $1,000.00 extreme DUI assessment fee. This is amounts to $2,400.00 in fines for the first extreme DUI offense. You will also loose your license for 90 days to one year. You will be ordered to pay for the installation of the Ignition Interlock Device on all of your vehicles at your own expense. For any license suspension due to a DUI, the driver must obtain SR-22 insurance in order to have their license reinstated. The drunk driving laws apply to all motorized vehicles, watercraft, and aircraft.