{"id":7742,"date":"2025-04-29T08:06:55","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T08:06:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/?p=7742"},"modified":"2025-09-17T02:55:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T02:55:24","slug":"true-cost-dui-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/true-cost-dui-california\/","title":{"rendered":"The True Cost of a DUI in California"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Driving under the influence (DUI) is a costly criminal charge, resulting in fines or jail time, depending on the seriousness of the incident. Beyond those penalties, driver\u2019s license reinstatement fees and increased car insurance premiums with <\/a>SR-22 insurance<\/a> requirements add to the hefty cost of DUI in California. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve been charged with driving while intoxicated, learning more about the financial impact of a DUI conviction can help you create a savings strategy to limit its effect on your bank account. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step to controlling the financial fallout of driving while intoxicated is to understand what consequences to expect. The penalties for a California DUI are harsh<\/a> and in general, you can expect to pay: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Every case is different, but you can expect to pay approximately $20,000 in DUI penalties, even for a first-time misdemeanor offense. The costs increase for subsequent offenses, as repeated DUI in California<\/a> can become a felony charge<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you understand the DUI penalties and costs, you can start to set money aside for immediate fines and expenses, work out payment plans where possible, and shop for car insurance that meets SR-22 requirements and classes that fit your budget. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are some immediate costs to consider after you get a DUI charge in California<\/a>: bail, expenses for DUI attorneys, and towing and impound fees. These fees require your immediate attention so you can be released from custody and retrieve your vehicle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your bail amount will vary depending on your criminal history and how high your BAC was. If this is a first-time DUI, which is typically a misdemeanor, then your bail will be approximately $5,000. A bail bondsman can cover your bail for a fee that\u2019s approximately 10% of your total cost. You may have to pay additional processing costs before you can be released. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you\u2019ll want to retrieve your vehicle if it was towed\u2014the longer it sits in the tow yard, the more expensive it will be. Depending on the company, the towing charge might be $200, while the daily storage rate can be up to $50 (or even higher, depending on the area). <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your license is suspended via an Order of Suspension and Temporary License, you can drive for 30 days before the lengthy suspension goes into effect. At this point, the conservative cost of DUI in California is approximately $1,000, not including any potential DUI attorney fees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While the criminal proceedings continue (which can include plea bargaining or your DUI defense lawyer fighting the charge in court), there are additional civil costs you\u2019ll need to pay to start driving again. If your license was suspended, you\u2019ll need to reinstate it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have court costs and need to hire DUI attorneys, you must also start working out a payment schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n California drivers can have their license suspended by court order, whether they\u2019re directly convicted of a DUI charge or refuse a breathalyzer test. Depending on the circumstances, you will need to pay the following to reinstate your license: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The direct fee for reissuing a suspended license is relatively small. However, the driver\u2019s license reinstatement process includes multiple additional obligations that cost money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All of the above costs of driving while intoxicated in California are one-time fees after you\u2019ve been arrested for DUI. However, DUI costs include long-term, recurring expenses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have a DUI case on your record, your car insurance premiums can skyrocket. Insurance companies may increase your monthly premiums by 50% or more because you\u2019re classified as a high-risk driver. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The lingering impact of a DUI conviction on your premiums can last for years, even if you never have another DUI. It takes time for your driving record to become clean and for providers to consider you low-risk again. Along with the DUI itself, factors that can raise your premiums include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n All of these complications will be reflected in your insurance premium. One common strategy drivers use is shopping around for new insurance providers that offer affordable SR-22 insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n During your hearing or after a trial, your DUI defense lawyer can help you navigate sentencing, which could include fines or participating in a DUI program. The fine may be as high as $1,000 for a first-time offense, though fees and penalty assessments can easily double or triple the total DUI cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Court-mandated fees have strict deadlines, and you can incur additional penalties or even jail time for failure to pay. On top of court costs, additional legal consequences after being arrested for DUI and convicted include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some schools have payment programs, while others may require fees to be paid on a fixed schedule with little leniency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even a mild DUI misdemeanor with a blood alcohol level below .08 carries a hefty price tag that can take years to pay off. You face thousands of dollars in upfront costs, which are even harder to pay if a suspended driver\u2019s license makes it a challenge to get to work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your insurance provider can also drastically increase your car insurance premiums due to SR-22 documentation requirements, which mandate that insurance companies send proof to the DMV that you have at least the minimum required coverages, and your new high-risk status. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re trying to manage the unexpected cost of DUI in California, start strategizing about the long-term expenses. At Cost-U-Less Insurance, we help you get the right coverage so you can drive safely and fulfill your obligations to the state. Our SR-22 insurance services are designed to help California drivers stay covered and get back on the road again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact us today at (800) 390-4071<\/a> to speak to an agent or <\/a>visit a nearby office<\/a> for in-person assistance. You can also <\/a>get your free quote online<\/a> to start the process. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Driving under the influence (DUI) is a costly criminal charge, resulting in fines or jail time, depending on the seriousness of the incident. Beyond those penalties, driver\u2019s license reinstatement fees and increased car insurance premiums with SR-22 insurance requirements add to the hefty cost of DUI in California. If you\u2019ve been charged with driving while […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7743,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[695,704,723,737],"tags":[746],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7742"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7742"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7899,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7742\/revisions\/7899"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7743"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Introduction to Navigating the Costs of a DUI in California <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Initial Hit\u2014What Are the Immediate Expenses After Being Charged? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bail and Towing: The First Financial Punches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Do You Do About License Suspension and Vehicle Insurance? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What Are the DMV Costs and License Reinstatement Fees? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Spike to Your Insurance Premiums: Calculating Long-Term Costs <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What About Court Mandated Penalties and Program Expenses? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What Are the Long-Term Consequences on Your Wallet? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A DUI Case Can Cost You Thousands\u2014Protect Yourself with the Right Coverage! <\/h2>\n\n\n\n