Colorado DUI: First DUI Consequences

If you’ve recently been arrested for the first time for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Colorado, you immediately have a lot of important questions that need to be answered:

  • Am I going to lose my driver’s license? While you will hear you are going to lose your license for 9 months or 12 months, what happens is you have a “no drive” period of either 30 or 60 days and then you can drive with an Interlock.
  • Will I have to serve time in jail? It depends. If this is your first DUI conviction then you may be asked to serve a jail sentence if either your blood test result or your Intoxilyzer result was .20 or higher.  Otherwise, there is a minimum mandatory jail time for a second conviction and a third conviction.
  • Do I have to pay fines?  Yes. There are court costs and fines with a DUI.
  • Will I now have a criminal record? Unfortunately, yes. You will have the DUI or DWAI or DUID on your record for the rest of your life.

These are all valid concerns, and to help answer some of these questions, we’ll take a look at what the penalties are for a first DUI offense in the state of Colorado.

DUI Penalties – First Offense

  • Jail – Minimum 5 days/Maximum 1 year
  • Fine – Minimum $600/Maximum $1000
  • Community Service – Minimum 48 hours/Maximum 96 hours
  • Probation – Minimum none/Maximum 2 years

DUI, or driving under the influence, means that a driver is substantially affected by drugs or alcohol, or a combination of both. DUI requires a blood alcohol concentration or breath alcohol of .08% or more. Someone driving under the influence is considered to be substantially incapable of driving safely.

In addition, if your blood alcohol concentration is .17% or higher you will be designated as a Persistent Drunk Driver (PDD), even if this is your first offense. A PDD designation means that you will be treated by the Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles as a repeat offender or aggravated offender, facing a longer period of having to use the Interlock.

After you have served either 30 days or 60 days of your license suspension, you may qualify to have an ignition interlock device installed on your vehicle. Every time you get behind the wheel of your car, you will have to breath into the device. Only if your breath does not register any alcohol vapor will your vehicle’s ignition turn on. Of course, the cost of renting the device, installing the device and the monthly fees for the use of the device are your responsibility.

A conviction of a DUI is considered a General Misdemeanor. This offense will remain on your record for life. Any employer or landlord doing a background check will be able to discover its existence.

Contact Ann Toney Today

If you have been arrested on the suspicion of DUI, your smartest move is to hire an experienced attorney who specializes in fighting DUI convictions. Ann Toney is an expert in Colorado DUI laws, and her practice focuses solely on DUI and DWAI cases. Contact her for a free, confidential consultation at 303-399-5556, or through her online contact page.