North Carolina DWI Laws & Drunk Driving Penalties


Overview of the penalties upon conviction of DWI in North Carolina

North Carolina DWI Laws, BAC limits, fines, jail times, IID requirements, suspension/revocation periods and SR22 insurance requirements for first time and repeat offenders with multiple DUI's.

If you've been charged with DWI in North Carolina, the law allows only 10 days for a North Carolina DWI Lawyer to make a request with the North Carolina DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) for a hearing to help save your drivers license.

What are the penalties for DWI in North Carolina?

The penalties for driving while intoxicated in North Carolina will depend upon the exact circumstances of each particular case and the number of previous offenses (if any) a person has.

NC DWI Penalties

North Carolina is a state with a 10 year 'washout period' also known as a 'look back period'

NOTE: BAC Restrictions for DWI offenders
An alcohol concentration restriction will be required when a license is restored following a revocation for DWI or when a limited driving privilege is issued following a DWI conviction. On the first restoration, the alcohol concentration restriction will be 0.04. On a second or subsequent restoration, the alcohol concentration restriction will be 0.00.

1st DWI Offense / Conviction - Misdemeanor

The penalty upon conviction of a first DWI offense in North Carolina:

2nd DWI Offense / Conviction - Misdemeanor

The penalty upon conviction of a second DWI offense in North Carolina:

3rd DWI Offense / Conviction - Felony

The penalty upon conviction of a third DWI offense in North Carolina:

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Implied Consent (Chemical Testing) Laws

North Carolina Chemical Testing Laws

It is an offense to refuse to submit to a chemical test in North Carolina and implied consent laws are enforced.

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

Chemical Test Refusal

The fact a person refused to submit to a chemical test will be admissible in evidence in a court of law at any subsequent trial for DWI and will be used to help secure a DWI conviction.

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What is the legal alcohol limit in North Carolina

The maximum legal BAC (blood alcohol content) limits in North Carolina for driving are as follows:

ADULT DRIVERS - BAC LIMIT = 0.08%
In the State of North Carolina it is an offense for adult drivers to drive any regular motor vehicle with 0.08% or more, by weight, of alcohol in his/her blood.

DRIVERS UNDER 21 - BAC LIMIT = 0.00% - ZERO TOLERANCE
In the State of North Carolina it is an offense for drivers under the age of 21 (minors) to drive any motor vehicle with 0.00% or more, by weight, of alcohol in his/her blood.

COMMERCIAL DRIVERS - BAC LIMIT = 0.04%
In the State of North Carolina it is an offense for drivers who drive commercial vehicles to drive any commercial motor vehicle with 0.04% or more, by weight, of alcohol in his/her blood.

It is an offense to refuse to submit to a chemical test in North Carolina and implied consent laws are enforced.

Cities in North Carolina

Albemarle, Apex, Asheboro, Asheville, Beaufort, Boone, Brevard, Burlington, Camp Lejeune, Carthage, Cary, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Clinton, Concord, Cornelius, Dunn, Durham, Eden, Elizabeth City, Elizabethtown, Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Franklin, Fuquay Varina, Gastonia, Goldsboro, Graham, Greensboro, Greenville, Henderson, Hendersonville, Hickory, High Point, Hillsborough, Jacksonville, Kernersville, Kinston, Kitty Hawk, Laurinburg, Lenoir, Lexington, Lillington, Lincolnton, Louisburg, Lumberton, Manteo, Marion, Matthews, Mocksville, Monroe, Mooresville, Morehead City, Morganton, Morrisville, Mount Airy, Murphy, Nags Head, New Bern, Newland, Newton, North Wilkesboro, Oxford, Pinehurst, Pittsboro, Raleigh, Reidsville, Roanoke Rapids, Rockingham, Rocky Mount, Roxboro, Rutherfordton, Salisbury, Sanford, Shallotte, Shelby, Smithfield, Southern Pines, Southport, Spartanburg, Statesville, Sylva, Tarboro, Thomasville, Wake Forest, Washington, Waynesville, Whiteville, Wilkesboro, Wilmington, Wilson, Windsor, Winston Salem, Yadkinville.


Counties in North Carolina

Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Camden, Carteret, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cherokee, Chowan, Clay, Cleveland, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Davidson, Davie, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Graham, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Halifax, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Iredell, Jackson, Johnston, Jones, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Martin, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Orange, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, Rockingham, Rowan, Rutherford, Sampson, Scotland, Stanly, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Tyrrell, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Watauga, Wayne, Wilkes, Wilson, Yadkin, Yancey.


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