DUI Penalties in Orange County

Our Orange County DUI defense attorneys fight to get your California drunk driving charges reduced or dismissed while saving your driver’s license. We conduct a thorough investigation and rely on expert forensic testimony to create the best defense possible for your case.

Orange County DUI penalties at-a-glance

DUI offense	Orange County penalties
First DUI in 10 years	3 years summary probation $390 – $1,000 plus penalties/costs 48 hours – 6 months in jail 3-month or 9-month DUI school MADD course ignition interlock device (IID) for 6 months
Second DUI in 10 years	3 – 5 years summary probation $390 – $1,000 plus penalties/costs 96 hours – 1 year in jail 18-month or 30-month DUI school IID for 1 year
Third DUI in 10 years	3 – 5 years summary probation $390 – $1,000 plus penalties/costs 120 days – 1 year in jail 30-month DUI school IID for 2 years

Orange County DUI penalties in detail

A first DUI, second DUI, and third DUI in a 10-year period are misdemeanors. The penalties handed down by the Court for a first time DUI in Orange County are not nearly as severe as Ventura County.

First time DUI in Orange County

• 3 years of summary probation
• $390 – $1,000 plus court costs and penalties which can amount to $2,000 or more
• 48 hours to 6 months in county jail
• A 3-month drug/alcohol program (30 hours) if your BAC was lower than .2%; otherwise, a 9-month drug/alcohol program (60 hours)
• Completion of a one-day MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) victim impact panel
• 6-month California driver’s license suspension, but you can usually continue driving with an ignition interlock device (IID) for those 6 months (if there is an injury, then the suspension period is 1 year)

Second time DUI in Orange County

• 3 to 5 years of summary probation
• $390 – $1,000 plus court costs and penalties which can amount to $2,000 or more
• 96 hours to one year in county jail – it is not uncommon for a 2nd time DUI offender in Orange County to receive a sentence of 45-90 days in county jail. However, this may often be converted to home confinement
• Completion of an 18-month or 30-month drug/alcohol program
• 1-year California driver’s license suspension, but you can usually continue driving with an ignition interlock device (IID) during that year (if there is an injury, then the suspension period is 2 years)

Orange County judges are much more likely to assign additional duties to a defendant to attend AA classes or community service.

Third time DUI in Orange County

• 3 to 5 years of summary probation
• $390 – $1,000 plus court costs and penalties which can amount to $3,000 or more
• 120 days to one year in county jail
• Completion of a 30-month drug/alcohol program
• 2-year California driver’s license suspension, but you can usually continue driving with an ignition interlock device (IID) during those 2 years (if there is an injury, then the suspension period is 3 years)

Orange County judges are much more likely to assign additional duties to a defendant to attend AA classes or community service.

Learn about felony DUI penalties in California, which comprise fourth-time DUI, DUI causing injury, and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

Our attorneys appear throughout the OC, including Aliso Viejo, Anahei, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda.

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