Florida law doesn’t set one all-in price for a DUI. For a standard first conviction the statutory fine is $500 to $1,000, and court costs, required DUI school, insurance, license fees and legal representation come on top, so your real total depends on your case.
What a DUI costs in Florida at a glance
Florida statutes set individual penalties and fees but no total. Insurance premiums and attorney fees vary from person to person, and no statute fixes them. You’ll see “average cost” figures published online. Those are estimates, and Florida law doesn’t set them.
The money comes from six places: the fine, court costs, required programs, your license, your car insurance and your lawyer. Each gets its own section below.
What is the fine for a first DUI in Florida?
For a standard first conviction under section 316.193, the fine is $500 to $1,000 and the jail maximum is six months. The statute lists no mandatory jail term for that basic situation. If your breath or blood result was 0.15 or higher, or a passenger was under 18, the fine is $1,000 to $2,000 and the jail maximum is nine months.
A first conviction also means:
- Probation of no more than one year.
- At least 50 hours of public service or community work. The court may substitute $10 per hour only if it finds the work would cause undue hardship because of where you live or work.
- No withheld adjudication, and no plea to a lesser offense when the test result was 0.15 or higher (section 316.656).
| Conviction | Fine (base) | Fine (.15+ or minor passenger) | Maximum jail | Mandatory jail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | $500 to $1,000 | $1,000 to $2,000 | 6 months (9 enhanced) | None listed |
| 2nd | $1,000 to $2,000 | $2,000 to $4,000 | 9 months (12 enhanced) | 10 days if within 5 years of a prior |
| 3rd within 10 years | Up to $5,000 | At least $4,000 | Up to 5 years (felony) | 30 days |
| 4th or later | At least $2,000 | At least $4,000 | Up to 5 years (felony) | 30 days if within 10 years of a prior |
The full penalty range, including jail and the enhanced fines, is laid out on our DUI penalties page.
What court costs add to a Florida DUI
Court costs are separate from the fine. These statewide costs apply to a DUI conviction:
| Item | Amount | Statute | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional Court Cost Clearing Trust Fund | $3 | 938.01 | Every conviction |
| Crimes Compensation Trust Fund | $50 | 938.03 | Every case, including a withhold; the court can’t waive it |
| Misdemeanor or criminal traffic cost | $60 ($225 for a felony) | 938.05 | Every guilty or no contest plea or finding of guilt |
| Crime Stoppers Trust Fund | $20 | 938.06 | Every conviction, including a withhold |
| DUI court cost | $135 | 938.07 | Added to every DUI fine |
| County crime prevention cost | $20 ($50 for a felony) | 775.083(2) | Every guilty or no contest plea or conviction |
| State attorney costs | At least $50 ($100 for a felony) | 938.27 | Every conviction, higher if supported |
| Alcohol or drug misdemeanor cost | $15 | 938.13 | Only in counties that adopted it by ordinance |
On a misdemeanor DUI, the statewide items total at least $338, before the fine, programs, insurance, attorney fees, impoundment expenses or anything else. Add $15 in a county that collects the section 938.13 cost. The court can impose higher prosecution or investigation costs when they’re supported, and the clerk’s cost sheet in your case gives the final figure.
Other required costs after a DUI conviction
Several requirements carry a price the statute doesn’t set:
- DUI school and evaluation. Every conviction requires a licensed DUI-program substance abuse course with a psychosocial evaluation. If the program refers you to treatment, you complete it and pay its reasonable costs. The statute sets no statewide price, so ask the provider.
- Monthly reporting probation. Required on every conviction.
- Vehicle impoundment. On a first conviction the court generally orders the vehicle impounded or immobilized for 10 days, and that can’t run at the same time as jail. Impoundment carries its own expenses.
- Ignition interlock. Required for at least six continuous months on a first conviction at 0.15 or higher or with a minor passenger. After a first DUI at 0.08 or higher it may be required for at least six months, and a second conviction carries at least one year (section 322.2715). You pay for the device, and the price varies by provider.
Your license and the fees to get it back
You can face two license actions. The court must revoke your license for at least 180 days and no more than one year on a first conviction (section 322.28). Separately, at arrest the officer suspends your license on FLHSMV’s behalf under section 322.2615. It’s six months for a first unlawful alcohol level and one year for a first refusal. If you’re otherwise eligible, you get a 10-day temporary permit.
That’s where the 10 day rule comes in. You can ask for a formal or informal review within 10 days after the date the suspension notice is issued. Asking doesn’t stop the suspension, and FLHSMV must schedule a formal hearing within 30 days after receiving the request. The deadline is covered in detail on our page about the 10 day rule.
A driver with no prior administrative suspension, DUI conviction or specified commercial-license disqualification may instead waive review and request a business-purposes restricted license for the administrative suspension. DUI school enrollment is required (section 322.271(7)).
Refusing the test now costs more too. Since October 1, 2025, a first refusal of a lawful breath or urine test after a DUI arrest is a second-degree misdemeanor, and a second or later refusal is a first-degree misdemeanor (section 316.1939; ch. 2025-121).
| Fee | Amount | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Formal or informal review | $25 | 322.21 |
| Hardship hearing petition | $12 | 322.21 |
| Reinstatement after suspension | $45, plus the license fee | 322.21 |
| Reinstatement after revocation | $75, plus the license fee | 322.21 |
| Additional DUI or refusal fee | $130 | 322.21 |
The $130 fee isn’t collected if the suspension or revocation is overturned.
What happens to your car insurance after a DUI
After a DUI guilty finding or plea, section 324.023 requires increased financial responsibility for at least three years: $100,000 for injury or death to one person, $300,000 for two or more people, and $50,000 for property damage. FLHSMV treats FR-44 insurance as the proof. The statute sets those limits but no premium.
Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation publishes sample average auto rates by county and encourages consumers to get a premium quote from an agent or insurer based on their own circumstances. The Department of Financial Services says insurers weigh driving history and may raise rates or refuse coverage. Because the requirement lasts at least three years, this cost can run long after the case closes.
What does a DUI lawyer cost in Florida?
There’s no statewide price. The Florida Bar says fees depend on the difficulty of the case, the time involved and the lawyer’s experience and skill, and that hourly rates vary. Ask how the fee is structured and exactly what it covers before you hire anyone.
Whether a lawyer is worth the fee is a personal decision, and no lawyer can promise a dismissal or any particular result. Our DUI defense page explains how we approach these cases.
How costs change with a second DUI
- A second conviction within five years of a prior means at least 10 days in jail, including at least 48 consecutive hours. Outside that window, that minimum doesn’t apply.
- The fine is $1,000 to $2,000, or $2,000 to $4,000 at 0.15 or higher or with a minor passenger.
- Ignition interlock runs at least one year.
- A second conviction within five years brings a license revocation of at least five years. You may petition for a business-purposes restricted license after 12 months (24 months if the revocation is longer than five years), if you’re under DUI-program supervision and have been drug-free and not driving for the preceding 12 months (section 322.271). It’s not automatic.
- A third DUI within 10 years, or any fourth DUI, is a third-degree felony.
How a DUI case starts in Broward County
If you’ve just been arrested, here’s what comes next. BSO’s Central Intake Bureau processes arrests at its main booking facility in the Main Jail in downtown Fort Lauderdale and at a remote booking site in Pompano Beach. BSO runs four jails, so you may be held at a different one.
Anyone still in custody must go before a judge within 24 hours of arrest. In Broward, first appearance is held in Room 4155 of the Broward County Courthouse West Tower, with video links to the facilities where BSO holds people. Hearings are at 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on weekdays, and 8:30 a.m. only on weekends and court holidays (AO 2026-28-Crim).
Misdemeanor DUI goes to the County Court Criminal Division, whose judges sit at the Central Courthouse and at the Hollywood, Plantation and Deerfield Beach courthouses (17th Circuit). The Clerk’s Traffic and Misdemeanor Division is in the Central Courthouse West Building, Room 1130, and a criminal traffic charge requires a court appearance (Broward Clerk). You can look up a case at browardclerk.org/Web2.
Why can a DUI bond seem high? The judge weighs the factors in section 903.046, including the offense, the evidence, community ties, employment, finances and prior record. The Broward order’s presumption favoring nonmonetary release covers only people who don’t pose a threat to public safety, and it excludes misdemeanor DUI. The statewide uniform bond schedule sets amounts for release before first appearance, and at first appearance the judge makes an individual bail decision (section 903.011). None of that means every DUI bond is high.
For the license side, Broward’s Bureau of Administrative Reviews office is in Lauderdale Lakes. FLHSMV says a formal-hearing request can be submitted by email without visiting.
FAQ
What’s the legal limit for DUI in Florida?
0.08 grams on a blood or breath test. You can also be charged if alcohol or drugs impaired your normal faculties, even at a lower reading. A reading of 0.08 or higher is prima facie evidence of impairment (section 316.1934).
Is a first DUI a felony in Florida in 2026?
Not by default. A third DUI within 10 years and any fourth DUI are felonies. A DUI causing serious bodily injury is a third-degree felony, and DUI manslaughter is a felony.
What’s the most common penalty for a first DUI?
The statute sets the range: a $500 to $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, up to a year of probation, 50 hours of community service, DUI school, a 10-day impoundment and a license revocation of 180 days to a year. Where a sentence lands depends on the case.
Is jail mandatory for a second DUI?
Only when it comes within five years of a prior conviction, and then it’s at least 10 days.
Can I get a hardship license after a second DUI?
Possibly, by petition after 12 months (24 months if the revocation is longer than five years) and with conditions, as described above. It isn’t automatic.
Talking to a Lawyer About Your Case
Adam D. Harmelin defends DUI and criminal cases in Broward County from his office in downtown Fort Lauderdale. If you have questions about the costs in your situation, you can call (954) 294-9372.
This article is general information about Florida law, not legal advice about your case.