Information on Arizona’s DUI and Ignition Interlock Laws

Arizona has both administrative and criminal penalties for those arrested for DUI (Driving Under the Influence). You must attend to both to drive legally after a DUI arrest.

Administrative Per Se Law: This happens at the scene of your arrest if you fail a breath test (i.e. have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher), or refuse to take one. The law allows for immediate suspension of your license but you are given a 15 day grace period during which you can drive to get your affairs in order.

Criminal DUI Penalties:  These are applied if you are convicted by a court or plead guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol.

First offense: You will be jailed for not less than 10 consecutive days and fined not less than $1

,250. You will also be required to undergo alcohol screening/education/treatment and to equip any vehicle you operate with a certified ignition interlock device (LifeSafer is a provider of certified ignition interlock devices in Arizona), and be ordered to perform community service.

Second and subsequent offenses: You will be jailed for not less than 90 days and fined not less than $3,000 and your license will be revoked for 12 months. You will also be required to undergo alcohol screening/education/treatment and to equip any vehicle you operate with a certified ignition interlock device, and be ordered to perform community service.

Extreme DUI applies to a person with an alcohol concentration of 0.15 or higher.First offense: You will be jailed for not less than 30 consecutive days with no eligibility for probation or suspended sentence and fined not less than $2,500. You will also be required to undergo alcohol screening/education/treatment and be ordered to perform community service and to equip any vehicle you operate with a certified ignition interlock device.

Second and subsequent offenses: You will be jailed for not less than 120 days, fined not less than $3,250 and your license will be revoked for 12 months. You will also be required to undergo alcohol screening/education/treatment and to equip any vehicle you operate with a certified ignition interlock device, and be ordered to perform community service.

Aggravated DUI applies to a person who commits a DUI while their license is suspended, revoked or canceled; commits a third DUI in 84 months; commits a DUI while a person under 15 is in the vehicle; or commits a DUI or refuses to submit a blood alcohol content test while under an ignition interlock device requirement.

You will be sent to prison for not more than two years and, in addition to any other penalty required by law, your license will be revoked for one year. You will also be required to undergo alcohol screening/education/treatment and to equip any vehicle you operate with a certified ignition interlock device, and be ordered to perform community service.