Washington DUI Laws

A Washington State DUI is a serious charge to be convicted of. The penalties for a Washington DUI vary depending on how high an individual's blood alcohol concentration is and how many DUI offenses they have. However, even the first Washington State DUI is a very serious offense.

Any individual charged with a Washington State DUI must spend at least one full day in jail. This term can be extended for up to one year. An individual charged with a Washington State DUI may request 15 days of electronic home monitoring instead of the 24 hours in jail.

This will be at the expense of the individual. The fines for a first Washington DUI range from $865.50 to $5,000. An individual can have their license reinstated after a 90 day suspension and they must install, at their own expense, an ignition interlock device. An ignition interlock device is necessary no matter what number DUI offense it is.

The second Washington State DUI comes with a penalty of at least 30 days to one year in jail. In addition, the individual will be required to be confined to their home for a period of 60 consecutive days. The jail term is extended to a minimum of 45 days if the individual has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15% or more. A fine of $1,120.50 to $5,000 must be paid if convicted of a second Washington State DUI.

A third Washington State DUI offense carries the penalty of losing one's license for a period of three years. If the driver had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15% or higher, the suspension period is four years. The individual charged with a third Washington State DUI will spend at least 90 days in jail.

An additional period of 150 days of electronic home monitoring will most likely be required as well. The fines that must be paid for a third Washington State DUI offense range from $1970.50 to $5,000. If an individual is charged with a Washington DUI and their blood alcohol concentration is 0.15% or more, the minimum fee is $2,820.50.
Anyone convicted of a Washington State DUI will be punished harshly. The higher an individual's blood alcohol concentration is, the more likely that the person will have to spend time in jail or spend time being electronically monitored at home.

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