What Penalties will I face under a Houston DWI conviction?

The penalties you face under Houston DWI law vary depending on factors such as:
•    The number of prior DWI convictions
•    The presence of a minor under age of 15 in your car

Find an experienced DWI attorney as soon as possible so he can help you defend yourself, and minimize your losses.

The following are common Texas DWI penalties:

Conviction for First offense:
•    Fines up to $2,000. If you have a child under the age of 15 in your car while you were driving these fines will jump up significantly.
•    Jail time ranging from 3 days to 6 months.
•    Suspension of driving license ranging from 3 months to a year.
•    A fee of $1,000-$2,000 per year for 3 years if you want to maintain your driving license.

Conviction for First offense with Blood Alcohol concentration of 0.15 or greater:
•    A fine of $4,000 and higher if a child under 15 was in your car.
•    365 days in Jail
•    Suspension of Driver’s license for up to 3 months to a year.
•    A fee of $1,000-$2,000 per year for 3 years if you want to maintain your driving license.

Conviction for Second Offense:
•    A fine of $4,000 and higher if a child under 15 was in your car.
•    30 to 365 days in Jail
•    Suspension of Driver’s license for up to 3 months to 2 years
•    An annual fee of $1,000, $1,500 or $2,000 for maintaining the driving license.

Conviction for Third Offense:
•    A fine of $10,000
•    Jail time for a minimum of two years
•    Suspension of Driver’s license for up to 3 months to 2 years
•    An annual fee of $1,000, $1,500 or $2,000 for maintaining the driving license.

For people who have had a prior conviction, or they have had a BAC of 0.15, there is a compulsion to install an Ignition interlock device in their car. This device requires the driver to breathe into it to test his/her BAC. If the blood alcohol concentration is above the programmed limit, their car won’t start.