Michigan OWI OWVI DUI Laws

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Michigan OWI DUI Forum | SR22 Insurance Requirements

The maximum prescribed legal BAC limit in Michigan is 0.08% per se
(effective from Sep 30th 2003)

(If you’ve been charged with Michigan OWI, the law allows 14 days for your Michigan OWI - DUI Lawyer to make a request with the Drivers Assessment and Appeals Division for a hearing to save your driving license)

DUI (Driving Under the Influence), OWI (Operating While Intoxicated), and OWVI (Operating While Visibly Impaired) are all terms used to describe drunk driving charges in the state of Michigan.

BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT CALCULATOR Calculate your BAC using our calculator, know your legal drunk driving limits and stay safe!!

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Michigan OWI Laws and BAC limits

ALL DRIVERS - BAC LIMIT = 0.08%
In the State of Michigan it is crime for ANY driver to drive with a BAC (blood alcohol content - concentration) of 0.08% and above.

COMMERCIAL DRIVERS - BAC LIMIT = 0.04%
It is a crime for commercial vehicle operators to drive with a BAC (blood alcohol content - concentration) of 0.04% or above.

MINOR (under the age of 21) - BAC LIMIT = 0.02%
It is a crime for persons under 21 years of age to drive with a BAC (blood alcohol content - concentration) of 0.02% or above.

It is a crime to refuse to submit to a chemical test in Michigan and implied consent laws are enforced.

Penalties for OWI - Drunk Driving in Michigan

Michigan is a state with a ten-year ‘washout period,’ also known as a 'look back period', this means that a prior conviction is not admissible after ten years. If it is ten years and one day since a driver was convicted of DUI, that driver will be considered a first-time offender. If a driver commits a DUI within ten years of the first DUI, they are considered guilty of a second offense and are subjected to harsher punishments.

First OWI - Drunk Driving Conviction - MISDEMEANOR

Operating While Intoxicated means the alcohol or drugs in your body substantially affected your ability so you could not operate a motor vehicle safely. It can also mean that your bodily alcohol content was at or above 0.08. This can be shown by a chemical test.

The penalty for a first OWI - drunk driving conviction in Michigan:

• $100 to $500 fine
• up to 93 days in jail
• up to 360 hours community service
• 30 days drivers license suspension (then 150 day restricted driving privileges)
• possible vehicle immobilization
• possible ignition interlock restricted drivers license
• 6 points added to driving record
• SR22 insurance requirement

Second OWI - Drunk Driving Conviction - MISDEMEANOR

The penalty for a second OWI - drunk driving conviction in Michigan:

• $200 to $1,000 fine
• 5 days to 1 year in jail
• 30 to 90 days community service
• 1 year drivers license revocation
• license plate confiscated
• possible vehicle immobilization (90 to 180 days - if vehicle not forfeited)
• possible vehicle forfeiture
• 6 points added to driving record
• possible ignition interlock restriction for a period of 1 year upon license re-instatement
• SR22 insurance requirement

Third OWI - Drunk Driving Conviction - Felony

The penalty for a third OWI - drunk driving conviction in Michigan:

• $500 to $5,000 fine
• 1 to 5 years imprisonment or probation with 30 days to 1 year in jail
• 60 to 180 days community service
• minimum 5 year drivers license revocation
• license plate confiscated
• vehicle immobilization (1 to 3 years - if vehicle not forfeited)
• possible vehicle forfeiture
• registration denial
• 6 points added to driving record
• ignition interlock restriction for a period of 1 year upon license re-instatement
• SR22 insurance requirement

Penalties for OWVI - Drunk Driving in Michigan

Operating While Visibly Impaired (OWVI) means that because of either alcohol or other drugs in your body, your ability to operate a motor vehicle was visibly impaired.

First OWVI - Drunk Driving Conviction - Misdemeanor

The penalty for a first OWVI - drunk driving conviction in Michigan:

• up to $300 fine
• up to 93 days in jail
• up to 360 hours community service
• 90 days drivers license restriction (180 days if impaired by controlled substance)
• possible vehicle immobilization
• 4 points on driver record
• SR22 insurance requirement

Second OWVI - Drunk Driving Conviction - Misdemeanor

The penalty for a second OWVI - drunk driving conviction in Michigan:

• $200 to $1,000 fine
• 5 days to 1 year in jail
• 30 to 90 days community service
• minimum 1 year drivers license revocation
• license plate confiscation
• vehicle immobilization (90 to 180 days - if vehicle not forfeited)
• possible vehicle forfeiture
• 4 points on driver record
• possible ignition interlock restriction for a period of 1 year upon license re-instatement
• SR22 insurance requirement

Third OWVI - Drunk Driving Conviction - Felony

The penalty for a third OWVI - drunk driving conviction in Michigan:

• $500 to $5,000 fine
• 1 year to 5 years imprisonment or probation with 30 days to 1 year in jail
• 60 to 180 days community service
• minimum 5 year drivers license revocation
• license plate confiscation
• vehicle immobilization (1 to 3 years - if vehicle not forfeited)
• possible vehicle forfeiture
• registration denial
• 4 points on driver record
• ignition interlock restriction for a period of 1 year upon license re-instatement
• SR22 insurance requirement

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Implied consent LAWS

It is a crime to refuse to submit to a chemical test in Michigan and implied consent laws are enforced.

Penalties for refusing to submit to a chemical test in Michigan

In Michigan, if the accused refuses to take a chemical test of their blood, breath or urine, their drivers license will be suspended/revoked.

First chemical test refusal

• 1 year drivers license suspension
• 6 points added to driving record
• SR22 insurance requirement

Second (and subsequent) chemical test refusal

• 2 years drivers license suspension
• 6 points added to driving record
• SR22 insurance requirement

If you refuse to take a Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) at the roadside, this will be classed as a civil infraction and you can be fined up to $150 plus court costs.

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Michigan Auto insurance (High Risk DUI SR22 Insurance)

Michigan auto insurance quotes ENTER ZIP CODE:

Michigan SR-22 auto insurance is usually required for a period of 3 years after a DUI - OWI - drunk driving - alcohol related driving conviction and can be very expensive if you go with the wrong provider.  Some insurance companies will not even do an SR22 insurance filing. Get a FREE SR22 DUI auto insurance quote and compare rates to find the best deal, simply enter your ZIP code above and you can be comparing prices for Michigan auto insurance in a matter of minutes.

Minimum liability insurance requirements for private passenger vehicles in the state of Michigan

The minimum mandatory liability insurance coverage required in the state of Michigan for private passenger vehicles is (20/40/10). This equates to the following liability coverage:

• $20,000 bodily injury liability (BIL) per person
• $40,000 for two or more people in one accident
• $10,000 property damage liability (PDL) coverage

You must also carry personal injury protection (PIP) and property protection insurance (PPI).

What is (BIL) Bodily Injury Liability insurance?

(BIL) Bodily Injury Liability insurance coverage will pay for serious and permanent injury or death to other people when a crash is caused by the insured. An auto insurance company will pay for injuries up to the limits specified in an insurance policy and will provide legal representation for the insured in the event someone tries to sue them.

What is (PDL) Property Damage Liability insurance?

(PDL) Property Damage Liability insurance coverage pays for damages an insured driver or members of an insured drivers family cause (and are liable for) to other people's property in a crash involving a motor vehicle.

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FREE DUI / DWI Case evaluation & by local Michigan Lawyer

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Protect your rights! Talk to a local DUI lawyer Michigan DUI cases tend to move quickly through the system, and there may be important deadlines that affect your right to assert certain defenses or call witnesses. It’s important that you understand the process your Michigan drunk driving case will follow and the important requirements and deadlines before you take any action—but you can’t afford to delay. Talk to a local Michigan Drunk Driving Attorney as soon as possible to gather important information such as: • What penalties do you face if convicted of DUI in Michigan? • What are the indirect penalties, such as increased insurance rates and diminished job opportunities in Michigan? • Does Michigan have a mandatory ignition interlock device law? • Was your breathalyzer or blood alcohol content (BAC) test properly administered in accordance with Michigan laws and procedures ? • When and how can you get your driver’s license reinstated in Michigan? It’s easy to make mistakes under pressure, so make sure that you have the information you need to make good, educated decisions during this process. Contact a local Michigan criminal defense attorney specialising in Michigan drunk driving laws today.

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Disclaimer: While every effort is made to keep all information up to date, the Michigan drunk driving laws change frequently and the information provided should not be construed as legal advice. Drinkdriving.org shall not be held responsible for any actions a person may take as a result of information gathered from this web site. Consultation with a local Michigan DUI lawyer is recommended in all cases.

Useful Michigan OWI Links:

OWI - OWVI - Drunk Driving Laws in Michigan

Michigan Drivers Manual

Michigan SR22 Insurance Requirement

Michigan Department of Transportation

Michigan State Courts

Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation

Michigan OWI - DUI Lawyers

Michigan OWI - DUI discussion forum

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