Know the penalties for Oklahoma DUI

Individuals who receive a conviction for driving under the influence are subject to significant legal penalties in Oklahoma. The state imposes DUI charges for motorists impaired by any amount of an illegal substance or with blood alcohol content of at least 0.08%.

Oklahoma residents can receive DUI charges even if the vehicle is not in motion. The court can convict a driver if he or she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol and in the driver’s seat at the time of arrest. Before facing an Oklahoma DUI court date, drivers should understand the potential consequences of a conviction.

Driver’s license penalties

Even when an individual has no DUI history, he or she will receive a 180-day license suspension. This increases to a year for the second offense and three years for the third offense.

A first-time offender must install an ignition interlock device upon license reinstatement only if he or she refused a breath test or had measured blood alcohol content above 0.15%. However, Second-time offenders must use an IID for four years after the suspension period ends, and the requirement for a third offense is five years.

Jail time

Oklahoma has established a mandatory minimum jail sentence for DUI. For the first offense, the person will receive at least 10 days and up to one year in jail. For subsequent offenses, the mandatory minimum sentence is one year. The maximum sentence is five years for a second offense and 10 years for a third offense.

Individuals can avoid jail time if they agree to a medical assessment for substance use disorder. The offender must follow the recommendations of the assessment, which may include classes, outpatient treatment or residential treatment.

Fines and court costs

Individuals who have no previous DUI convictions can expect to pay up to $1,000 in fines for the first offense. This threshold increases to $2,500 for the second offense and $5,000 for the third offense.