OWI, DUI, DWI, OVI: What’s The Difference?

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Although individual state regulations can vary significantly, the legal limit for drinking and driving in nearly all 50 states is .08 blood alcohol content (BAC), with the exception of Utah, where it is .05.

Aside from that fact, the name of the offense and other specifics in each state differ.

Breakdown of Drunk Driving Abbreviations

• OWI = Operating While Intoxicated
• OVI = Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated
• OMVI = Operating a Motor Vehicle while Impaired
• DUI = Driving Under the Influence
• DUII = Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants
• DUII-CS = Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants: Controlled Substances
• DWI = Driving While Intoxicated
• OUI = Operating Under the Influence of intoxicating liquor
• DWAI = Driving While Ability Impaired
• ADWI = Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated

All of these abbreviations mean the same thing — that the person driving was suspected of doing so while impaired by alcohol and/or drugs.

Why Do States Use Different Terms for the Same Offense?

Each state writes its own traffic and criminal statutes, and the terminology in those laws reflects choices made by individual state legislatures, often decades apart. Two of the most common variations come down to a single word: “driving” versus “operating.”

States that use “operating” (OWI, OVI, OUI) typically define the offense more broadly. In Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, and Maine, a person can be charged even if the vehicle was not moving, because “operating” can include sitting in the driver’s seat with the engine running or the keys in the ignition. States that use “driving” (DUI, DWI) generally require some evidence that the vehicle was in motion, though the practical difference varies by how courts in each state interpret their statutes.

The word “intoxicants” in Oregon’s DUII reflects a legislative choice to explicitly cover both alcohol and controlled substances under a single statute, rather than creating separate charges. Other states handle the same distinction through separate code sections.

State-By-State Impaired Driving Charge Abbreviations

Alaska - DUI

Alabama - DUI

Arkansas - DWI

Arizona - DUI

California - DUI

Colorado - DUI

Connecticut - DUI

Delaware- DUI

Florida - DUI

Georgia - DUI

Hawaii - DUI

Iowa - OWI

Idaho - DUI

Illinois - DUI

Indiana - OWI

Kansas - DUI

Kentucky - DUI

Louisiana - DWI

Massachusetts - OUI/DUI

Maryland - DUI

Maine - OUI

Michigan - OWI

Minnesota - DWI

Missouri - DWI

Mississippi - DUI

Montana - DUI

North Carolina - DWI

North Dakota - DUI

Nebraska - DUI

New Hampshire - DWI

New Jersey - DWI

New Mexico - DWI

Nevada - DUI

New York - DWI

Ohio - OVI

Oklahoma - DUI

Oregon - DUII

Pennsylvania - DUI

Rhode Island - DWI

South Carolina - DUI

South Dakota - DWI

Tennessee - DUI

Texas - DWI

Utah - DUI

Virginia - DUI

Vermont - DUI

Washington - DUI

Most states require a hardship license or an ignition interlock restricted license after you install your IID. Check our state requirements page for specific information on how to get your license back with an ignition interlock device (IID). 

No matter what the charge is, if you need a car breathalyzer, LifeSafer is the best ignition interlock company when it comes to service and convenience.