Pennsylvania has three types of penalties for driving under the influence. If you face a DUI, the potential penalties for a conviction vary based on your blood alcohol content at the time of arrest.
Review the Pennsylvania penalty tiers for DUI before your court date.
General impairment
This category applies to BAC from 0.08% to 0.099%. If convicted with no prior offenses, you may receive:
- A fine of $300
- Probation for up to six months
- Court-ordered rehabilitation for substance use disorder if appropriate
- Court-ordered alcohol driving safety school
Subsequent offenses may result in extended license suspension, thousands of dollars in fines and possible jail time.
High impairment
You can receive these charges for BAC of 0.10% to 0.159% when arrested. The first offense for high impairment can carry:
- A fine of up to $5,000
- License suspension for one year
- Up to six months in prison
- Court-ordered ignition interlock device
Subsequent high impairment offenses can result in a prison sentence of up to five years along with other penalties.
Highest impairment
These charges apply to BAC of 0.16% and above and carry a minimum fine of $1,000 and minimum jail time of 72 hours. You can also receive the highest impairment charges for DUI involving a controlled substance or breath test refusal.
Pennsylvania encourages drug and alcohol offenders to seek treatment for addiction. You may qualify for a diversion program in lieu of jail time, which typically requires probation, court appearances, random drug testing, therapy and other treatment modalities designed to support a sober, crime-free future.
