If you are facing a DUI, you need to make sure you know what is at stake in your case. This depends on the DUI penalties in your state. In Pennsylvania, the consequences of a DUI conviction can be severe, and this makes it critical to work with an experienced DUI attorney to fight your case by all means available.
Keep reading to learn about Pennsylvania’s DUI penalties, the additional consequences of a DUI in Pennsylvania, and how an experienced DUI defense lawyer can help:
Pennsylvania’s DUI Penalties
Pennsylvania law establishes three tiers of DUI offenses, and the penalties are different in each tier. If you have a prior conviction on your record, this can increase the stakes in your DUI case as well. The penalties that apply in most cases are as follows:
General Impairment (BAC of 0.08% to 0.99% or No BAC Reading)
- First Offense: Up to six months of probation, a $300 fine, alcohol highway safety school, and mandatory substance abuse treatment.
- Second Offense: Five days to six months of jail time, a $300 to $2,500 fine, up to a 12-month driver’s license suspension, one year of ignition interlock, alcohol highway safety school, and mandatory substance abuse treatment.
- Third (or Subsequent) Offense: Ten days to two years of prison time, a $500 to $5,000 fine, up to a 12-month driver’s license suspension, one year of ignition interlock, and mandatory substance abuse treatment.
High BAC (BAC of 0.10% to 0.159%)
- First Offense: 48 hours to six months of prison time, a $500 to $5,000 fine, up to a 12-month driver’s license suspension, alcohol highway safety school, and mandatory substance abuse treatment.
- Second Offense: 30 days to six months in prison, a $750 to $5,000 fine, up to a 12-month driver’s license suspension, one year of ignition interlock, alcohol highway safety school, and mandatory substance abuse treatment.
- Third Offense: 90 days to five years in prison, a $1,500 to $10,000 fine, up to an 18-month driver’s license suspension, one year of ignition interlock, and mandatory substance abuse treatment.
Highest BAC (BAC of 0.16% or Above)
- First Offense: 72 hours to six months in prison, a $1,000 to $5,000 fine, up to a 12-month driver’s license suspension, alcohol highway safety school, and mandatory substance abuse treatment.
- Second Offense: 90 days to five years in prison, a $1,500 to $10,000 fine, up to an 18-month driver’s license suspension, one year of ignition interlock, alcohol highway safety school, and mandatory substance abuse treatment.
- Third Offense: One to five years in prison, a $2,500 to $10,000 fine, up to an 18-month driver’s license suspension, one year of ignition interlock, and mandatory substance abuse treatment.
As we said, these are the penalties that apply in most cases. If you caused an accident or your case involves any of a variety of other “aggravating factors,” the stakes could be even higher.
Additional Consequences of a DUI in Pennsylvania
Along with these penalties, getting a DUI in Pennsylvania can lead to a variety of other serious consequences as well. These consequences can prove extremely costly, and they can impact your life for years (or even decades) to come. When you hire a DUI attorney to represent you, your attorney will be able to help you fight to avoid additional consequences, including:
- Academic consequences
- Career consequences
- Professional licensing consequences
- Military consequences
- Immigration consequences
While most DUIs are eventually eligible for expungement in Pennsylvania, by the time your DUI is eligible to be expunged, it will have already had a major impact on your life. This makes it critical to fight to avoid a conviction if at all possible.
How a DUI Defense Law Firm Can Help You Avoid Unnecessary Consequences
If you are facing the life-altering consequences of a drunk driving arrest in Pennsylvania, there are several ways a DUI defense law firm can help you. For example, depending on the facts of your case, an experienced DWI lawyer may be able to help you:
- Enter into a diversion program that allows you to have your DUI dismissed without going to trial
- Assert your constitutional rights to get your DUI dismissed before trial
- Negotiate a plea bargain that reduces your charge to a “wet reckless.”
- Fight to secure a “Not guilty” verdict at trial
- If necessary, challenge your DUI conviction on appeal
To find out what options you have available, you should speak with an experienced DWI lawyer as soon as possible. We offer free consultations, and we can arrange for you to speak with a lawyer the same day in most cases.
FAQs: What to Expect if You Need to Hire a DUI Defense Lawyer
What are the penalties for a DUI conviction in my state?
In Pennsylvania, potential penalties in DUI cases include probation, jail time, fines, a driver’s license suspension, mandatory ignition interlock device installation, alcohol highway safety school, and mandatory substance abuse treatment. The specific penalties you are facing depend on the facts of your case.
How much jail time can you get for a DUI?
For a first-time DUI in Pennsylvania, you could be facing anywhere from no jail time to six months behind bars. If this is not your first DUI, you could be facing up to five years in prison.
Will my driver’s license be suspended after a DUI arrest?
Whether your driver’s license will be suspended after a DUI arrest in Pennsylvania depends on the circumstances of your case. While first-time offenders may not be at risk of having their driver’s license suspended (depending on their BAC), a driver’s license suspension is possible in all other cases.
How long does a DUI stay on your driving record?
In Pennsylvania, a DUI will stay on your driving record indefinitely. While your DUI may eventually become eligible for expungement, it will be up to you to file for expungement and successfully navigate the expungement process.
Schedule a Free Consultation with DUI Attorney Brian C. Jordan
If you are facing a DUI in Pennsylvania, we encourage you to contact us promptly to discuss your case in confidence. Call 570-373-9343 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with DUI attorney Brian C. Jordan.