The consequences for DUI offenses in Georgia are severe. Consistently, our state legislators have passed new and tougher DUI penalties every year for a number of years. More and more discretion is being removed from the judge to determine an appropriate court penalty for a DUI offense.
Consequences for DUI Offenses
- Administrative License Suspension
- Court Penalties
- License Suspension
- License Reinstatement Expenses
- Increased Insurance Costs
- Public Disclosure
Administrative License Suspension
Your license can be taken away from you before you ever go to court. For more information, visit our Administrative Suspension page.
Court Penalties
The range of penalties depends upon a number of factors. The judge will set your sentence but he must generally remain within the range established by the legislature.
These ranges depend upon the nature of the offense.
- Driver was 21 years old or older
- Driver was under 21 years of age
- Driver was a school bus driver in a school bus
- There were children in the vehicle
Within the statutory range, the court's decision may vary depending upon the number of lifetime DUI's, whether an accident or injuries or deaths were involved, and the personal pecadillios of the judge.
License Suspension/Revocation
Even if your license has already been suspended on account of an Administrative License Suspension or previous driving or drug offenses, a DUI conviction can add to those suspensions. In addition, a DUI conviction in combination with other driving offenses may result in your being declared to be a habitual violator and result in a long term suspension of your license.
License Reinstatement Expenses
You will pay substantial costs to reinstate your license. The Department of Public Safety charges hundreds of dollars to reinstate a license suspended on account of a DUI. In addition, you will pay the costs of complying with the various schools, counseling programs, and equipment installation and rental required to even have the privilege of paying to have your license reinstated.
Increased Insurance Costs
You can expect that a DUI conviction will cause your car insurance costs to go up substantially. In addition, your current insurance may be cancelled on account of such a conviction. A DUI conviction is also be a factor considered in determining your ability to get health and life insurances and the costs of such coverage.
Public Disclosure
A DUI conviction is a public record. In some cases, the clerk of court will be required to run a notice of your conviction with your picture in the newspaper in the county where you live.
