Florida DUI Laws & Drunk Driving Penalties


Overview of the penalties upon conviction of DUI in Florida

Florida DUI 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 DUI in Florida, the law allows only 10 days for a Florida DUI Lawyer to make a request with the Florida DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) for a hearing to help save your drivers license.

What are the penalties for DUI in Florida?

The penalties for driving under the influence in Florida will depend upon the exact circumstances of each particular case and the number of previous offenses (if any) a person has.

FL DUI Penalties

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

1st DUI Offense - Misdemeanor

The penalty upon conviction of a first DUI offense in Florida:

NOTE: COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES
Persons convicted of driving a CMV (commercial motor vehicle) while under the influence will be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for 1 year, this will be in addition to the penalties above.

ENHANCED PENALTIES:
If convicted of driving under the influence with a BAC of 0.15 or above or while a minor under the age of 18 was in the vehicle the penalties will be as follows:

Fine: $1,000 to $2,000
Jail: up to 9 months in jail
Ignition Interlock: not less than 6 months ignition interlock (IID) restriction upon license reinstatement

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2nd DUI Offense - Misdemeanor

The penalty upon conviction of a second DUI offense in Florida:

NOTE: COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES
Persons convicted a second (or subsequent) time of driving a CMV (commercial motor vehicle) while under the influence will be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for life, this will be in addition to the penalties above.

ENHANCED PENALTIES:
If convicted of driving under the influence with a BAC of 0.15 or above or while a minor under the age of 18 was in the vehicle the penalties will be as follows:

Fine: $2,000 to $4,000
Jail: up to 12 months in jail
Ignition Interlock: not less than 2 years ignition interlock (IID) restriction upon license reinstatement

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3rd DUI Offense - Third Degree Felony

A third DUI conviction in Florida is a felony if it occurs within 10 years of prior convictions.

The penalty upon conviction of a third DUI offense in Florida:

ENHANCED PENALTIES:
If convicted of driving under the influence with a BAC of 0.15 or above or while a minor under the age of 18 was in the vehicle the penalties will be as follows:

Fine: not less than $4,000

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4th DUI Offense - Third Degree Felony

A fourth DUI conviction in Florida is a felony at any time after the first 3 convictions.

The penalty upon conviction of a fourth DUI offense in Florida:

ENHANCED PENALTIES:
If convicted of driving under the influence with a BAC of 0.15 or above or while a minor under the age of 18 was in the vehicle the penalties will be as follows:

Fine: not less than $4,000

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Implied Consent (Chemical Testing) Laws

Florida Chemical Testing Laws

It is an offense to refuse to submit to a chemical test in Florida and implied consent laws are enforced. Refusal will lead to drivers license revocation which will be in addition to any penalties received for DUI.

Chemical Test Refusal Penalties - Florida

First Chemical Test Refusal

Second (and subsequent) Chemical Test Refusal

A chemical test refusal is admissible as evidence in DUI criminal proceedings.

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What is the legal alcohol limit in Florida

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

ADULT DRIVERS - BAC LIMIT = 0.08%
In the State of Florida 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.

COMMERCIAL DRIVERS - BAC LIMIT = 0.04%
In the State of Florida it is an offense to drive any motor vehicle that requires a commercial drivers license with 0.04% or more, by weight, of alcohol in his/her blood.

DRIVERS UNDER 21 - BAC LIMIT = 0.02%
In the State of Florida it is an offense for drivers under the age of 21 (minors) to drive any motor vehicle with 0.02% or more, by weight, of alcohol in his/her blood.

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

Cities in Florida

Altamonte Springs, Apopka, Arcadia, Atlantic Beach, Bartow, Boca Raton, Bonita Springs, Boynton Beach, Bradenton, Brandon, Brooksville, Cape Coral, Casselberry, Clearwater, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Coral Gables, Coral Springs, Crestview, Crystal River, Dade City, Dania, Daytona Beach, Deerfield Beach, Deland, Delray Beach, Destin, Dunedin, Englewood, Eustis, Fernandina Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Fort Pierce, Fort Walton Beach, Gainesville, Green Cove Springs, Gulf Breeze, Hallandale, Hialeah, Hollywood, Homestead, Hudson, Inverness, Islamorada, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Jupiter, Key Biscayne, Key Largo, Key West, Kissimmee, Lake City, Lake Mary, Lake Wales, Lake Worth, Lakeland, Largo, Leesburg, Live Oak, Longwood, Lutz, Maitland, Marathon, Marco Island, Melbourne, Merritt Island, Miami, Miami Beach, Milton, Mount Dora, Naples, New Port Richey, New Smyrna Beach, Niceville, North Fort Myers, North Miami Beach, North Palm Beach, Ocala, Okeechobee, Orange Park, Orlando, Ormond Beach, Oviedo, Palatka, Palm Bay, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm CIty, Palm Coast, Palm Harbor, Panama City, Pensacola, Perry, Plant City, Pompano Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Port Charlotte, Port Richey, Port Saint Lucie, Punta Gorda, Quincy, Rockledge, Safety Harbor, Saint Augustine, Saint Petersburg, Sanford, Sanibel, Sarasota, Satellite Beach, Sebring, Seminole, Shalimar, Spring Hill, Stuart, Tallahassee, Tampa, Tarpon Springs, Tavares, Tavernier, Titusville, Venice, Vero Beach, West Palm Beach, Weston, Winter Haven, Winter Park, Winter Springs.


Counties in Florida

Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dade, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St Johns, St Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, Washington.


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