Calculating the cost of your DWI

On Behalf of | May 4, 2020 | DWI/DUI Defense

While your first DWI can be expensive, your second or third are even more so. Here are the real monetary costs that you are facing when you get a DWI.

Fines – Your first DWI can bring fines from $500 to $1,200. If you are charged with an aggravated DWI, which means your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is .16% or more, the fines can be between $750 and $2,000. When you have a second or third DWI, your fines continue to mount at $750 to $2,000.

Court and bail costs – Your bail costs will be different in every situation, but for a DWI they could be anywhere from $100 to over $2,000. On top of that, you will have to pay fees if you go to court.

DWI driving school – You may have to enroll in driving education classes, which can cost over $1,000.

Ignition interlock device – In New Hampshire, you will likely be required to install an ignition interlock device into your vehicle if you have an aggravated DWI, if this is not your first DWI or if you are a juvenile. Installation of the IID can cost between $50 and $100.

Legal expenses – The costs of your legal aid can vary depending on the lawyer you go with and whether you go to court. The average cost of a DWI lawyer is between $700 and $4,000.

License feesReinstating your license can be different depending on if it was suspended or revoked. Typically, the fees are $50 for a juvenile and $100 for an adult.

Impound fees – Costs to get your car back can vary greatly. You can generally expect to pay at least a couple hundred dollars, if not a thousand for towing expenses as well.

Increased insurance – Getting a DWI is undoubtedly going to make your insurance costs increase.

Costs for alternative transportation – When you have a suspension or revocation, you probably still need to be able to get around. This means that you will have to pay extra costs for transportation like ridesharing services, metro or bus transit.

While you can’t predict exactly how expensive your DWI will be, it will probably cost you a pretty penny. On top of that, there are non-monetary loses, like strain on your relationships and trouble with work.