Pennsylvania First Offense DUI

Pennsylvania First Offense Laws & ARD Explained in Easy to Understand Simple Terms

A first offense DUI charge in PA is going to trigger to separate cases. The first case is the criminal charge of DUI, which will be dealt with through the Pennsylvania court system. The second cases is the driver’s license suspension for the ‘per se’ violation of driving under the influence.

A Pennsylvania DUI first offense charge is a serious offense which should be taken seriously if you want to avoid having a DUI conviction appear on your criminal record in the state of Pennsylvania for life. DUI law is a very specialized area of law and a first offense DUI charge in PA will require the skills of an experienced PA DUI defense lawyer to have a successful outcome in a case.

Pennsylvania DUI First Offense Penalties

ARD Program

In some first offense DUI cases the first time offender will be given the option of attending the ARD program or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program in lieu of facing a first offense DUI charge in a PA courtroom. A first time DUI offender who is offered the ARD program as an alternative should not assume that they are getting off easy. To learn more about the ARD program and what will be required of you visit our Pennsylvania ARD Program page.

Fines

The fine amount for a first offense DUI in PA is $300 for anyone with a BAC level of .08% to .099%. A first offense DUI in PA with a BAC level of .10% to .159% will receive a minimum fine amount of $500 up to a maximum of $5,000 plus court costs. For a BAC level of .16% or greater the minimum fine is $1,000 up to a maximum of $5,000 plus court costs.

Jail Time

A first offense DUI in PA with a BAC level of .08% to .099% will receive a probationary period of up to 6 months. A first offense DUI with a BAC of .10% to .159% will receive a minimum of 48 consecutive hours in jail up to a maximum of 6 months. A BAC level of .16% or greater will result in a minimum of 72 consecutive hours in jail up to a maximum of 6 months.

Drivers License Suspension

A first offense DUI in PA with a BAC of .10% or less will not result in a driver’s license suspension as long as the driver meets the criteria outlined by the courts and the DOT. A BAC level of .10% or greater will result in a 12 month license suspension. First time offenders who’s license was suspended will be eligible to apply for an occupational limited license at the end of the first 60 days of their suspension period.

Chemical Test Refusal

A first offense refusal in PA will result in a 18 month driver’s license suspension and the person will be eligible for an ignition interlock occupational limited license after the first 60 days of their suspension period are over.

Pennsylvania SR22 Insurance Information

Before the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will issue you an occupational limited license (for first time offenders only), or before the DOT will fully reinstate your driver’s license following your suspension period you will be required to show proof of financial responsibility to the DOT in the form of an SR22 insurance filing.

Once you become eligible for a occupational limited license or to have your license reinstated following your suspension period you will need to do the following:

  • Signup for a Pennsylvania SR22 insurance policy.
  • Take a copy of your SR22 policy to one of Pennsylvania’s DMV office locations.
  • Pay the necessary reinstatement fees.

Once your license has been reinstated by the DOT you want to make sure that you do everything in your power to avoid having a lapse in your SR22 insurance coverage because if a lapse in coverage happens your insurance company is obligated to inform the Pennsylvania DOT of the lapse. Once the DOT finds out about the lapse they will cancel your driver’s license and send you a letter in the mail informing you of the cancellation. If this happens you will have to go through the process of reinstating your license all over again including bringing your Pennsylvania SR22 insurance policy current and pay an additional reinstatement fee.

To avoid a lapse in coverage it is important to select a Pennsylvania SR22 insurance policy with the lowest possible premium from the start. We have created a competitive quoting environment with the top SR22 insurance providers in the state of Pennsylvania.

Additional Pennsylvania DUI Resources