Hawaii DUI Laws & Penalties

Hawaii Drunk Driving Laws Explained in Easy to Understand Simple Terms

If you are given a Hawaii DUI citation, you need to take immediate action to protect your driver’s license and the privilege to drive by talking to a qualified lawyer. This is because the Administrative Driver’s License Revocation Office is going to start working to take your driving privilege away immediately. Failure to take action almost certainly means you will lose the chance to drive.

Hawaii Criminal Prosecution For DUI

A Hawaii DUI is considered a criminal case. There are two ways the courts can look at it. Either they can try you as being “impaired for the purpose of driving,” or they can convict you for violating the Hawaii DUI laws. Either way, a DUI in Hawaii will bring criminal charges. 

If the court is looking to try you based on the fact that you were driving impaired, they will try to show that your physical appearance indicated you were impaired. Other ways to prove this are to show that you failed a field sobriety test, a chemical blood test, or that your driving patterns indicated that you were under the influence of alcohol. You need the help of a skilled Hawaii DUI Lawyer in this case. Your lawyer will try to show that there is doubt about the testimony against you. If you are tried for breaking Hawaii DUI law, the evidence presented against you will be your body chemistry. If your blood alcohol level is .08 or higher, you are in violation of the Hawaii DUI law.

Penalties for DUI in Hawaii

If you are convicted of a Hawaii DUI, you can expect to face an immediate suspension of your license for ninety days. If you need to drive to work, the time will be reduced to thirty days, but you will then only be able to drive to and from work for a ninety-day period. You could also be sentenced to any of the following punishments. 

Hawaii First Offense DUI Penalties

  • $150 – $1,000 fine
  • Jail time 2-5 days
  • 72 hours community service
  • 14 hours of Alcohol Education required
  • Drivers license revocation of 3 months

Hawaii Second Offense DUI Penalties

  • Jail time of 5 – 14 days or 240 hours community service
  • Fines between $500 and $1,500
  • Drivers license revocation of 1 year
  • DUI School
  • Mandatory Alcohol Evaluation and Treatment

Hawaii Third Offense DUI Penalties

  • Jail time of 10 – 30 days or 240 hours community service
  • Fines between $500 and $2,500
  • Drivers license suspension for 2 to 5 years
  • DUI School
  • Mandatory DUI Class

Hawaii BAC Presumptions

  • BAC levels of .001% to .05% are not considered under the influence
  • BAC levels of .051% to .079% are not considered to be under the influence, but are admissible in court
  • BAC levels of .08% or greater are considered to be under the influence

Hawaii Implied Consent Law

  • Chemical testing is allowed. Blood, breath or urine as selected by the arresting officer
  • The officer must advise the defendant of the penalties for test refusal
  • Test results can carry anywhere from a 90 day license suspension to a 5 year revocation
  • The PBT test results may only be used to establish probable cause

Hawaii DUI Chemical Testing

  • The Department of Health is authorized to establish and govern all testing procedures
  • Blood draws for police testing must be performed by a licensed physician, registered nurse or other qualified person
  • The defendant has the right to have an independent test done by a qualified person of their choice. All independant testing expenses are the defendants responsibility
  • All test results must be made available to the defendant and the defendants Hawaii DUI attorney upon request

Hawaii DUI Insurance Considerations

No matter if you are a first time offender or a repeat offender, your Hawaii DUI will carry serious consequences for your insurance premiums. You will either find that you are dropped by your insurance provider, or you will find that your premium cost skyrockets. This can even affect your family members that are on your insurance policy.

DUI Arrest Help.com has partnered with the largest and most trusted SR22 insurance provider in the state of Hawaii and has worked out a special discount only available here for our website visitors.

You won’t be able to find a cheaper SR22 insurance policy in Hawaii for any less.

Additional Hawaii DUI Resources
  • Hawaii DUI First Offense – Detailed first offense information including punishments after a first offense DUI in Hawaii.
  • Hawaii DUI Classes – Get signed up to complete your required DUI class online today.
  • Hawaii SR22 Insurance – Learn everything you need to know about Hawaii SR22 filing requirements with the DMV and find out how you can save hundreds of dollars each year on your Hawaii SR22 insurance.
  • Hawaii DUI Lawyers – Contact one of our Hawaii DUI lawyers today to discuss your pending DUI case.
  • Hawaii Bail Bond Agents – Contact an Hawaii bail bond agent to get out of jail now.
  • Hawaii Non-owner Insurance – If you need an SR-22 filing, but don’t own a vehicle, you need to get a non-owner policy.