“DUI School” in Nevada: How it Works

DUI School in Nevada is an 8-hour drug and alcohol education course you are required to take after getting convicted of a first-time misdemeanor DUI. It may be completed as an online DUI class or in-person, and the typical price is around $100.

If you had a high blood alcohol level (BAC), you may also be ordered to complete the Coroner’s DUI program. This is where you view pictures of dead drunk driving victims as a deterrent to driving under the influence again.

If you fail to complete the Nevada DUI class by the deadline, you risk getting sentenced to jail for up to 6 months. However, judges may be willing to give you more time to finish the class if you tell the court in advance that you need an extension.

In this article our Las Vegas DUI defense attorneys discuss:

Man about to do DUI School at his computer.

A standard Nevada penalty for driving under the influence is a court education class.

1. What is DUI School in Nevada?

DUI School is an eight (8) hour education program on traffic safety and warning of the dangers of driving under the influence. Nevada judges order all first-time drunk driving offenders to take the class. Depending on the case, judges typically give you three to six months to complete the course (and other court requirements).

Most defendants take the class as an online DUI course rather than in a classroom. After you plead guilty (or “no contest”) to driving under the influence in Las Vegas, the court clerk will give you information about where and how you can complete the program.¹

If you are a second-time drunk driving offender, you are usually not sentenced to the eight-hour course. Instead, you may be ordered to complete a longer substance abuse and alcohol awareness education course. Meanwhile, if you are suffering from addiction, you may be eligible to do DUI Court, which is a very intensive rehabilitation program that spans years.²

Coroner’s DUI Program

You may be ordered to complete not only a Nevada DUI course but also a Coroner’s DUI Program. Judges typically impose this extra penalty if your BAC is 0.18% or higher.

The Coroner’s Program is done in person at the Coroner’s Office. You are required to view images of corpses of victims in drunk or drugged driving collisions. You do not witness an actual autopsy.³

2. What if my case gets reduced to reckless driving?

Even when your charge gets lessened to reckless driving as part of a plea bargain, judges usually still impose first-time drunk driving penalties including a DUI class.

3. What is it like?

Nevada online DUI school is a series of lessons followed by review questions and a final exam at the end. This online course is more intensive than traffic school.

The in-class program is a combination of:

lectures,
class discussions,
in-class exercises,
video presentations, and
a final exam.

The final exam is in multiple-choice format. If you do not pass, you can usually do one retake without having to pay extra. If you pass the course, you get a certificate of completion.⁴

Computer, where most DUI schools are conducted.

You can do DUI school online.

4. Can I take the class online?

Yes. You can elect to do the online course. This is a popular option because you can complete it at home at your own convenience.

If you do not have internet access, you have the option of completing the program in a regular classroom.

5. How long is it?

Nevada judges typically order the eight (8) hour program for a first-time misdemeanor DUI.

Occasionally the judge may order a 16- or 24-hour drug and alcohol course if your BAC was particularly high or there are other extenuating circumstances.

Classroom

In-person classroom programs are completed on one Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Online

The online course is meant to span eight hours of work. Unlike in the classroom, the online course can be paused and completed at your own pace.

6. What does it cost?

Costs for the course vary by school and program:⁵

DUI online school classes	Approximate cost
8 hour class (standard for a first offense)	$89 – $185
16 hour Level 2 Drug/Alcohol Class	$275
24 hour Level 3 Drug/Alcohol Class	$325
Clark County Coroner’s Program	$150

7. What if I live out-of-state?

These programs can be done online from any location with internet access.

If you are an out-of-state defendant without internet access, you may be able to do the class at a local classroom-style DUI program. You just have to get the Nevada court’s permission ahead of time. A large percentage of Las Vegas defendants are tourists. So Nevada judges do try to accommodate out-of-state defendants’ needs.

If you are ordered to do a coroner’s DUI program, you may have to return to Las Vegas unless the Nevada court preapproves an equivalent course in your home state.

8. What if I never finish the program?

If you have a good reason for not finishing the DUI class by the deadline, the judge may be willing to give you more time. This typically happens when you are:

too sick to take the class,
too busy with care-taking responsibilities to take the class, or
too impoverished to pay for the class

The judge is more likely to extend your deadline if you or your attorney informs the court ahead of time why you will not be able to complete the class. Judges are more hesitant to grant extra time after the deadline has passed.

Can I go to jail for not finishing DUI School?

Yes. When you enter a guilty plea for driving under the influence, the judge usually imposes a six (6) month suspended jail sentence. This means that you will avoid incarceration under Nevada DUI laws only so long as you complete all the other sentencing terms, including DUI School.

If you neglect to do the DUI class by the due date, the judge may impose this six-month sentence. That is why it is so important to tell the court ahead of time if you cannot do the class by the deadline. Judges appreciate advanced notice and are more likely to grant an extension if you give them a good excuse.⁶

9. Where can I find a class?

Refer to our comprehensive list of Nevada DUI Schools for the names, websites, locations, costs, and other information about driving safety programs in Clark County and throughout the state, including Henderson, North Las Vegas, Carson City, Elko, and Reno. Three of the more popular online programs are:

Make sure ahead of time that your particular court accepts the class you wish to do. Most courts give referrals to schools that they recognize.

10. What are the other drunk driving penalties?

In addition to the class, the typical penalties for a first-time conviction of driving under the influence in the state of Nevada are:

$400 – $1,000 in fines,
Victim Impact Panel (a MADD lecture),
An order to avoid further arrests and citations while the DUI case is open,
Six (6) month suspended jail sentence, and
185-day driver’s license revocation by the Nevada DMV (but you should be able to continue driving as long as an ignition interlock device is installed)

For sentencing information on other drunk/drugged driving offenses including drunk driving causing injury or death, refer to our article on Nevada penalties for driving impaired.⁷

Additional resources

For more information on DUI or help with alcoholism, refer to the following:

Alcoholics Anonymous – 12-step program for overcoming alcoholism.
Drunk Driving Overview – NHTSA page on drunk driving statistics and prevention.
Impaired Driving: Get the Facts – CDC fact sheet on impaired driving.
License Reinstatements – Nevada DMV page on driver license suspension for DUIs.
MADD – Non-profit organization devoted to stopping drunk driving.

Legal References:

NRS 484C.400.
Id.; NRS 484C.320 – .340.
See Scott Daniels, Coroner Program Aims to Stop Repeat Offenders on the Road, CBS Las Vegas Now; Clark County Coroner’s Program Brochure.
See, for example, Legal Rehab Services.
Id.
See NRS 484C.400.
Id.

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