Legal costs and timelines, in plain numbers. Not a law firm.
DUI, in numbers
DUI costs and consequences, in real numbers.
Every figure sourced and dated. Updated 2026-09-01.
The number that matters is not the fine. A first DUI's all-in cost averages $10,000 to $25,000 once attorney fees, classes, interlock devices, and insurance are counted. The fine itself is $100 to $5,000 by state.
The insurance tail is the expensive part
Premiums rise an average of 74% after a conviction, roughly $4,500 to $7,500 over the penalty period. License suspension typically runs 6 months to 1 year on a first offense, and the conviction sits on your driving record 5 to 10 years.
First offense and trying to understand what happens next?
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Sources for every figure on this page
$10,000 to $25,000: FindLaw / DUIFinders 2026: all-in cost of an average first DUI (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
$100 to $5,000: BAC Levels 2026: first-offense fine range by state (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
74%: DUIFinders 2026: average car-insurance premium increase after a DUI conviction (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
$4,500 to $7,500: DUIFinders 2026: total surcharge over the typical 3-to-5-year penalty period (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
5 to 10 years: ConsumerShield 2026: driving-record duration in most states (permanent in eight, incl. Texas and Florida) (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
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