Colorado DUI law is similar to other states in that there are 2 seperate actions involved 1 with the DMV and one with the courts.  In Colorado though there is a lesser charge than DUI that is used in some cases called DWAI which stands for Driving While Ability Impaired and most often it’s used for people with BAC levels of .05% or lower. 

Colorado participates in the per se law which again is a seperate charge based on the fact that the person consumed a specific level of alcohol (.08%). It has nothing to do with the drivers ability to operate the motor vehicle, but simply due to the blood alcohol level.  The per se law carries minimum drivers license penalties along with it.

1st Offense DUI in Colorado Carries The Following Punishments:

-Fine up to $1,000 by the courts

-Jail sentence from 5 days up to a maximum of 1 year

-Community service requirement from 48-96 hours

-Drivers License suspension for 1 year

-$40 cost to re-instate license and another $25 to obtain a new license

-Alcohol education classes based on assessment level

-Auto insurance increases usually of about 30% (SR-22 insurance).

2nd Offense DUI in Colorado Carries The Following Punishments:

-Court fines of up to $1,500

-90 days to 1 year in jail with a normal minimum of 10 days.

-60-120 hours of community service

-Drivers license revoked for 1 year with no opportunity to operate a motor vehicle for the entire year

-$40 cost to re-instate license and another $25 to obtain a new license

-Alcohol education classes based on assessment level

-Most auto insurance carriers will cancel your policy.  You will have to try and re-instate your auto insurance when you get your drivers license back after the 1 year revocation period.  At that time you’ll have to carry SR-22 insurance for 3 years.

This is a brief run down of Colorado DUI law and what to expect after a 1st and/or 2nd DUI offense in Colorado.  As always if you are facing a DUI charge in Colorado please seek the counsel of a qualified DUI lawyer in your area. 

Check back here as we’ll update this page as Colorado DUI law changes.

 

 

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