Nevada DUI: Penalties and Criminal Charge Defense

The penalties under Nevada DUI laws for a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol, can have serious consequences for your life – both in terms of the cost of fines and penalties that you will have to pay, as well as because of your loss of mobility due to license suspension. There are a number of different levels of DUI penalties and fines that can be assessed by the state of Nevada, and there are a number of defenses against the potential DUI conviction that you may be able to pursue if you have been arrested or charged with a DUI. 

Nevada DUI Penalties and Defenses

While each county in Nevada has its own separate DUI laws, which may have different or slightly higher penalties for DUI, the basic penalties for DUI in Nevada are as follows. 

• A first offense for DUI carries a mandatory fine between $400 and $1000, as well as two days to six months in jail, or at least 96 hours of community service assigned in lieu of a prison sentence.  Your license will be suspended for ninety days, and you may have to appear before a victim impact panel to hear first hand how drunk driving accidents have affected people who were involved in them.  In addition, you may be required to have a vehicle ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle, which can cost several thousand dollars. An ignition interlock device is similar to a breathalyzer and prevents your car from starting until you have proven that your BAC is below the legal limit, 

• The penalties for second and subsequent DUIs in the state of Nevada continue to build on the first time DUI penalties and can be significantly more harsh.  A second offense within seven years after your initial first DUI offense results in fines between $750 and $1000, while a third offense will cost you $2,000 to $5,000 in fines.  Second offenses receive 10 days to six months in prison, while third offenses can result in a sentence of one to six years in prison.  License suspensions range from one year for a second offense, to three years for a third and subsequent offense.  

You can defend against these charges by proving that you were stopped for unlawful or unconstitutional reasons, or by proving that the devices or tests used to measure your sobriety were improperly or incorrectly administered.

Getting Help

If you have been charged with a DUI in Nevada and you wish to take steps to defend yourself, or you wish to better understand the penalties you face, you should strongly consider speaking with a lawyer.