| Pennsylvania DUI Law | | | | consequences. There is a mandatory jail term of 48 |
| In the state of Pennsylvania, you can be charged with | | | | hours up to 6 months and fines of $500 to $5,000. A |
| driving under the influence, driving while impaired, or | | | | tier three first offense has penalties of a twelve month |
| driving after imbibing as a result of drinking alcohol prior | | | | license suspension period, a mandatory 72 hours in jail, |
| to operating your vehicle. Each of these offenses | | | | and fines of $1,000 to $5,000. A tier one second |
| carries serious penalties including jail time, fines, | | | | offense has penalties of a twelve month license |
| mandatory alcohol treatment, and the loss of your | | | | suspension, twelve months of using an ignition interlock |
| driving privileges. If you are arrested for any of these | | | | device, 5 mandatory days in jail, and fines of $300 to |
| offenses, it is important that you contact a | | | | $2,500. A tier two second offense carries a |
| Pennsylvania DUI lawyer immediately after your arrest. | | | | mandatory 30 days of jail time, $750 to $5,000 in fines, |
| Working with a skilled Pennsylvania DUI attorney is | | | | twelve months of ignition interlock device use, and a |
| your best chance of getting a fair trial and having a | | | | twelve month driver's license suspension. A tier three |
| successful outcome. | | | | second offense carries penalties such as a mandatory |
| Pennsylvania DUI Laws | | | | 90 days in jail, fines of $1,500 to $10,000, 12 months of |
| If you are arrested for DUI, DWI, or DAI in | | | | ignition interlock device use, and a 12 month license |
| Pennsylvania, there will be two separate cases started | | | | suspension period. |
| against you. One is a criminal case where you will face | | | | A tier one third offense will result in a mandatory 10 |
| criminal charges for the offense. Conviction on these | | | | days in jail, fines of $500 to $5,000, a 12 month license |
| charges can result in serious penalties being imposed | | | | suspension period, and 12 months of using an ignition |
| against you. The second case is an administrative | | | | interlock device. A tier two third offense carries |
| case with Pennsylvania's Department of | | | | penalties of a mandatory 90 days in prison, fines of |
| Transportation. This state licensing agency will seek to | | | | $1,500 to $10,000, license suspension for 18 months, |
| take away your driving privileges due to any of these | | | | and use of an ignition interlock device for 12 months. A |
| alcohol-related offenses. You can be prosecuted in | | | | tier three third offense will result in a mandatory one |
| one of two ways for an alcohol offense in | | | | year jail term, license suspension of 18 months, use of |
| Pennsylvania. One is the common law method of | | | | an ignition interlock device for 12 months, and fines of |
| showing that you were under the influence of alcohol | | | | $2,500 to $10,000. A tier one fourth offense will result |
| at the time of your arrest. The prosecutor in your case | | | | in penalties of a mandatory 10 day jail term, $500 to |
| may introduce evidence of your appearance, driving | | | | $5,000 in fines, 12 months of ignition interlock device |
| patterns, and sobriety test results to show that you | | | | usage, and a 12 month license suspension. A tier two |
| were impaired by alcohol. There is also a "per se" law | | | | fourth offense will result in a mandatory one year of |
| in Pennsylvania as in many other states. This per se | | | | imprisonment, fines of $1,500 to $10,000, license |
| law means that you can be prosecuted based solely | | | | suspension for 18 months, and use of an ignition |
| on the results of any chemical testing. In this type of | | | | interlock device for 12 months. A tier three fourth |
| case, the prosecutor does not need to show that you | | | | offense will result in a mandatory one year in jail, |
| were impaired. The prosecutor only has to show that | | | | $2,500 to $10,000 in fines, 18 months of license |
| your blood alcohol content level met or exceeded the | | | | suspension, and 12 months of ignition interlock device |
| legal BAC limit of 0.08%. | | | | usage. Because these penalties are severe, it is |
| Pennsylvania DUI Criminal Penalties | | | | important that you contact a Pennsylvania DUI lawyer |
| The penalties imposed for an alcohol-related offense in | | | | immediately to be sure that you have the best chance |
| Pennsylvania depend on the person's blood alcohol | | | | of defending yourself against serious DUI charges. |
| content level and the number of prior offenses an | | | | Pennsylvania Driver's License Penalties |
| offender has accumulated. Pennsylvania has a tiered | | | | If you are arrested for DUI or DAI, it will trigger the |
| system of penalties based on the blood alcohol | | | | Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to |
| content of an offender. Tier one involves a blood | | | | suspend your license. This is separate from any |
| alcohol content of 0.08% to 0.99%. The second tier is | | | | license suspension period imposed by the court. |
| for offenders with a BAC level of .10% to .15% and | | | | Refusal to submit to chemical testing will also trigger a |
| the third tier deals with serious offenses with a BAC | | | | license suspension, even if you were not driving under |
| of 0.16% or more. A tier one first offense is considered | | | | the influence. Consult with a qualified Pennsylvania DUI |
| an ungraded misdemeanor and will result in a | | | | attorney who can explain the consequences of refusal |
| maximum probation period of 6 months and a $300 | | | | and the consequences of a failed chemical test. |
| fine. A tier two second offense has more serious | | | | |