If you have been arrested for suspected driving while intoxicated in Texas, your first concern may be the possibility of jail time. While you may be sentenced to time in jail, the longest-lasting repercussions of your arrest may be the hit your pocketbook takes. At the Law Office of Alejandro Martinez, PLLC, we have helped many people understand the fines and fees they may be required to pay due to a DWI arrest and conviction.
Under some circumstances, the court may order you to attend an approved alcohol education program, for which you must bear the cost. Depending on the length of course ordered and the program provider, the fee for these courses may be at least $250.
As a condition of your conviction, your driving privileges may be suspended for up to two years. While unable to drive, you are responsible for the costs of your alternative transportation. Additionally, you will have to pay a reinstatement fee of $100 when the period of your suspension expires, as well as pay off any outstanding fees such as those from parking or traffic tickets unrelated to your arrest.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the maximum fine for a first drunk driving offense is $2,000. The fine you are ordered to pay may exceed that amount, however, if there are extenuating or aggravating factors. For example, you may be ordered to pay a maximum fine of $10,000 if you have a child under the age of 15-years-old in the vehicle with you at the time of your arrest. The court may also assess an additional fine of up to $500 if you had an open container in the vehicle when law enforcement stopped you.
The penalties, financial and otherwise, levied as a result of a DWI conviction can take a toll on people’s personal lives, as well as on their professional lives. More information on drunk driving penalties is available on our website.