Houston DWI Fines Attorney

The Law Offices of Matt Horak

After a person has been charged with DWI in Texas and has been convicted, he/she will face a variety of devastating legal consequences.  In some cases, people may be sentenced with a small fine or probation.  In other cases, the sentences may be more severe and life-altering.  Below, the standard sentencing for 1^st, 3nd and 3^rd time DWI convictions is detailed:

1^st DWI Conviction

• Jail time:  minimum 72 hours or 6 days if vehicle has open container.
• Fines:  up to $2,000, Texas also imposes a surcharge on top of court issued fines, which is $1,000 per year for three years or $2,000 a year for three years if the person’s BAC was over .16%.
• Vehicle Impoundment:  Not for first time offenders
• DWI School:  12 hour DWI Education Program
• Community Service:  24 hours to 100 hours

2^nd DWI Conviction

• Jail time:  minimum 72 hours up to one year.
• Fines:  up to $4,000, Texas also imposes a surcharge on top of court issued fines, which is $1,500 per year for three years or $2,000 a year for three years if the person’s BAC was over .16%.
• Vehicle Impoundment:  Not for second time offenders
• DWI School:  32 hour Repeat DWI Offender Education Program
• Community Service:  80 hours to 200 hours

3^rd DWI Conviction

• Jail time:  2 years to 10 years.
• Fines:  up to $10,000
• Driver’s License Suspension:   6 months to 2 years
• Criminal Classification:  Automatic Felony