How Long Does a DUI Stay On Your Record?

Depending on the state, a DUI can stay on your record for five to 10 years. In some states, it's permanent.

Anna Baluch
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Updated April 15, 2024

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Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs is a serious offense that comes with a variety of legal and financial consequences. If you’re charged with a DUI, it can stay on your record anywhere from five to 10 years — and sometimes indefinitely — depending on where you live.

Having a DUI on your driving record can also lead to more expensive car insurance coverage. If you’ve been convicted of a DUI, it’s still possible to find affordable car insurance. But the key is to shop around and compare quotes online from multiple auto insurers to land the best policy for your needs.

Quick Facts
  • Depending on where your live, a DUI can appear on your record permanently.

  • In addition to alcohol or illegal drugs, you can be charged with a DUI if you take prescription medication that leads to impaired driving.

  • Legal ramifications of a DUI can include fines, jail time, and loss of your driver's license.

How long does a DUI stay on your driving record?

A DUI charge typically stays on your driving record between five and 10 years, though this varies by state. Sometimes, a DUI will remain on your driving record forever.

The table below shows the number of years a DUI stays on a driving record in each state. The data comes from the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, a nonprofit organization made up of 11 American alcohol companies that are committed to eliminating drunk driving and underage drinking.[1]

StateHow Long a DUI Stays on Driving Record
Alabama10 years
Alaska15 years
Arizona7 years
Arkansas5 years
California10 years
ColoradoPermanently
Connecticut10 years
DelawareForever
Florida75 years
Georgia10 years
Hawaii10 years
Idaho10 years
IllinoisPermanently
Indiana5 years
Iowa12 years
Kansas10 years
Kentucky10 years
Louisiana10 years
Maine10 years
Maryland5 years
MassachusettsPermanently
Michigan7 years
Minnesota10 years
Mississippi5 years
Missouri5 years
Montana10 years
Nebraska15 years
Nevada7 years
New Hampshire10 years
New Jersey10 years
New Mexico55 years
New York15 years
North Carolina7 years
North Dakota5 years
Ohio6 years
Oklahoma10 years
Oregon10 years
Pennsylvania10 years
Rhode Island5 years
South Carolina10 years
South Dakota10 years
Tennessee10 years
TexasPermanently
Utah10 years
VermontPermanently
Virginia10 years
Washington7 years
Washington, D.C.15 years
West Virginia10 years
Wisconsin10 years
Wyoming10 years

Source: Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility

Which driving offenses does a DUI include?

Approximately 32 people in the U.S. lose their lives in preventable drunk driving accidents every day,  according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.[2] For this reason, DUIs are considered very serious offenses. If they don’t lead to fatalities, they may be the cause of extensive property damage, accidents, and bodily injury.

It’s important to note that DUIs include driving under the influence of prescription medications and illegal drugs in addition to alcohol. Mixing drugs and driving is just as illegal as driving drunk.

Many states use the acronym DUI to refer to driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Some also use driving while impaired or intoxicated (DWI), operating a vehicle under the influence (OVI), or operating while impaired or intoxicated (OWI).

DWI vs. DUI: Is There a Difference?

DWI vs. DUI: Is There a Difference?

Impact of a DUI on your driving record

If you’re convicted of a DUI, you can expect the following consequences that negatively affect many aspects of your life.

Increased car insurance premiums

As soon as a car insurance company finds out you have a DUI on your record, it’ll automatically place you into the high-risk category. This means you’ll be charged higher premiums than a driver with a clean driving record. Unfortunately there’s no way around this, so be prepared to pay more for your car insurance than you did before you were convicted of a DUI.

The following table illustrates how a DUI can affect the average monthly liability-only rates of some national and regional insurance companies. Increases of 55% are common, but your rate may increase more or less, depending on the insurer, the state you live in, and your individual circumstances.

The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, April 1 at 12:00 PM PDT
Data reviewed by Konstantin Halachev
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Konstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
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  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Insurance CompanyClean RecordWith DUI
Auto-Owners3859
USAA4671
State Farm5484
GEICO5484
Allstate6398
Progressive81126
Dairyland84130
Nationwide85132
Travelers90140
Liberty Mutual96149
Farmers110171

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Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

A DUI conviction will result in serious legal and financial penalties. You can expect to pay $1,500 to $5,000 in attorney fees alone. Here are some other fees you might have to pay:[3]

  • Court fines: $150–$1,800 for a first-time DUI

  • Jail fees: Up to $300

  • Probation fines: Up to $1,200

  • Driver's license reinstatement fees: $20–$200

  • Ignition interlock device charges: Up to $1,500

  • Alternative transportation fees: $100–$1,000

You may also be required to pay driver responsibility fees to your state. These range from $1,000 to $2,500, depending on where you live. And, if the state canceled your vehicle registration due to a DUI conviction, you'll also need to pay registration fees to reinstate it.

In addition to these costs and jail time, you might have to participate in community service, complete an alcohol or drug treatment program, and undergo frequent blood alcohol testing. Your driver’s license may get suspended as well. The higher your blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of the incident, the more serious your penalties will be.[4]

Good to know

A BAC of .08 is considered legally intoxicated, according to the National Library of Medicine. You’re considered very impaired with a BAC between .08 and .40, and a BAC above .40 puts you at risk of coma or even death.

Limited auto insurer options

You’ll have fewer car insurance options once you’re convicted of a DUI for a few reasons. First, some auto insurance providers are simply unwilling to extend coverage to drivers with DUIs on their records. Second, other insurers don’t offer SR-22 or FR-44 forms, which you’ll need to file in most states to prove that you meet the minimum car insurance requirements after a DUI conviction. An SR-22 or FR-44 can help you get your license reinstated.

Future employment and housing

If you have a professional license so you can practice law or medicine, for example, your licensing board or agency might suspend it once they learn you have a DUI conviction. If it doesn’t suspend your license, it may place restrictions on how you can use it.

A DUI can also impair your chances of landing a job in the future, especially if your desired position requires a clean criminal history or prohibits DUIs altogether. In addition, if you wish to rent a property, a landlord or property management company may run a background check and deny your rental application due to your DUI.

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How to find car insurance with a DUI on your record

Despite the fact that your car insurance rates will increase with a DUI on your record, you can still find reasonably affordable options. Here’s how:

Compare quotes

Not all car insurance providers treat DUI convictions the same. That’s why it’s well worth your time and effort to shop around and compare auto insurance quotes from multiple companies. You’ll notice that some insurers charge lower premiums for drivers with DUIs on their records.

Look into nonstandard insurance

Nonstandard car insurance comes from insurance companies that focus on high-risk drivers. If you don’t own a car and drive someone else’s vehicle every once in a while, a non-owner car insurance policy might make sense.[5]

Wait it out

In many states, a DUI will fall off your driving record after five years. If you don’t mind using public transportation or have another way to get around, you might want to wait until your offense disappears from your record. Once it does, you may be eligible for cheaper auto insurance coverage.

Buy a policy through a state-run assigned risk pool

If you’re struggling to find coverage after a DUI conviction, you may have to buy a policy through your state-run assigned risk pool. Insurers participate in the risk pool voluntarily, and they must accept the drivers the state assigns to them. Since these policies are more expensive than those you’ll find at private insurance companies, this should be your last resort.[5]

Expunging a DUI from your record

In some states, it may be possible to clear a DUI from your public record through a process called expungement. In most cases, you’ll have to fill out an application, pay a fee, and appear in court for a hearing so that a judge can decide whether to approve or deny your request for expungement.

These states may allow you to expunge a DUI from your record. Note that some states have stricter expungement criteria than others.[6] If you have a DUI on your record and want to get it expunged, you’ll need to consult an attorney to find out if you’re eligible.

  • Alabama

  • Arizona

  • Arkansas

  • California

  • Colorado

  • Connecticut

  • Idaho

  • Indiana

  • Iowa

  • Kansas

  • Kentucky

  • Minnesota

  • Missouri

  • Montana

  • Nevada

  • New Hampshire

  • North Carolina

  • Oklahoma

  • Pennsylvania

  • Rhode Island

  • South Dakota

  • Utah

  • Wisconsin

  • Wyoming

How to find and view your driving record

Your driving record contains information such as points on your license, major traffic accidents and violations, license suspensions and revocations, DUI convictions, and more.

You can request an official copy of your driving record through the department of motor vehicles or driver’s licensing office in your state. In most cases, you’ll be able to do this online. If you prefer, you can make your request via mail or in person. It’ll likely cost you between $2 and $25, depending on where you live.

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DUI impact FAQs

Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about convictions for driving under the influence.

  • If you have a DUI conviction in one state, can you obtain a clean driver’s license in another?

    The Driver License Compact (DLC) is an agreement that lets states exchange information related to traffic violations. It ensures that your DUI conviction and the consequences that come with it will follow you, even if you go to another state. So, if your license is suspended in one state, it’ll likely be suspended in any other state that belongs to the DLC.[7]

  • Can you be arrested for driving under the influence of marijuana?

    No matter what state you’re in, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal. This holds true even where recreational marijuana is legal. If you get caught while driving under the influence of marijuana, you can be arrested.

  • What happens if you have multiple DUI convictions on your record?

    Multiple DUI convictions will result in additional or more serious legal, financial, and insurance consequences. Your state might even permanently revoke your license, meaning the department of motor vehicles (DMV) will cancel it so you can’t re-instate it or drive legally.[8]

  • What is the penalty for drunk driving?

    The penalties for drunk driving vary by state. In most cases, however, they include hefty fines, jail time, a required interlock ignition device, community service hours, and a license suspension or revocation.

  • Does a DUI count as a misdemeanor or a felony charge?

    In most states, a first-time DUI conviction is a misdemeanor. But if your DUI involves a fatality, you had a very high blood alcohol concentration, you were driving with children while under the influence, or you’ve had multiple convictions, it will be considered a felony.[9]

Sources

  1. Responsibility.org. "State Law: DUI Look-Back Periods."
  2. U.S. Department of Transportation. "Drunk Driving."
  3. American Addiction Centers. "The Financial Cost of a DUI."
  4. NOLO. "DUI or DWI Punishments and Penalties."
  5. Insurance Information Institute. "What if I can't find auto coverage?."
  6. FindLaw. "DUI Expungement Laws by State."
  7. FindLaw. "What Happens if I Have a Valid License In One State, But it Gets Revoked in Another State?."
  8. NOLO. "Driver's License Suspensions and Revocations."
  9. NOLO. "Is a DUI/DWI a Felony Offense?."
Anna Baluch
Anna BaluchInsurance Writer

Anna Baluch is a Cleveland-based personal finance and insurance expert. With an MBA from Roosevelt University, she enjoys writing educational content that helps people make smart financial decisions. Her work can be seen across the internet on many publications, including Freedom Debt Relief, Credit Karma, RateGenius, and the Balance. Connect with Anna on LinkedIn.

Ashley Cox
Edited byAshley CoxSenior Managing Editor
Headshot of Managing Editor Ashley Cox
Ashley CoxSenior Managing Editor
  • 7+ years in content creation and management

  • 5+ years in insurance and personal finance content

Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.

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Mark Friedlander
Reviewed byMark FriedlanderDirector, Corporate Communications
Mark Friedlander
Mark FriedlanderDirector, Corporate Communications
  • Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute

  • 20+ years in insurance and communications

As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.

Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

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