DUI law in Arizona is best described with 5 distinct categories.  These categories are a basic summary of DUI law in the state of Arizona.

Arizona DUI law 5 categories:

  1. It is illegal in Arizona to be in control of a vehicle or drive a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or any combination.
  2. It is illegal in Arizona to actually drive or be in control of a vehicle if your BAC (blood alcohol concentration) is .08 or higher.  This includes a 2 hour window of time after your BAC has been .08, meaning if you have a BAC of .08 then even if your BAC lowers to .05 in 1 hr it is still not legal to drive because you have not waited the mandatory 2 hours since your BAC was .08.
  3. It is illegal in Arizona to drive with any illegal drugs in your body (cocaine, marijuana, etc…).
  4. In Arizona, the term “Extreme DUI” is used to classify anyone who drives with a BAC of .15 or greater.
  5. If you possess a CDL (commercial driver license) it is illegal to drive with a BAC of .04 or greater.


Again, these are a basic outline of Arizona DUI law.  You can be charged with any one of the offenses or a combination of them. 


Normally when pulled over for suspicion of DUI in Arizona the officer will request you take a breath test.  If you submit and your BAC is .08 or greater you will be charged with both of the first 2 DUI categories listed above.


In addition Arizona DUI law specifies that these are normally misdemeanor offenses so long as there are no accidents, bodily injury, property damage, etc…  They can be charged as felonies if any of the above is committed or if prior DUI offenses exist along with any of the following:


-suspended driver license

-minor in the vehicle (age cutoff is normally calculated at 15)


Felonies in Arizona usually carry a mandatory prison sentence.


This was a brief update and outline of the current DUI law in Arizona.  We will update this information as changes occur.

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