How much does a Tampa DUI cost?

(and how much will you save if your case is dismissed or reduced to a lesser charge)?

The typical Tampa DUI costs for a conviction can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. That’ why it’s critical for you to invest the time, energy, and finances necessary to hire a DUI attorney who will do everything possible to fight your Tampa DUI charges. Use the calculator below to see exactly how much a DUI conviction would cost, versus how much you’ll save if your attorney can get your DUI dismissed or reduced to a Reckless Driving offense.

How much will you save if you avoid a DUI conviction?

How much will you save if you avoid a DUI conviction?

Calculate the costs of a DUI conviction versus the costs of a Reckless Driving conviction to see how much you will save if a lawyer can get your charge reduced or dismissed.

Which charge would you like to compare?

TOTAL EXPENSE

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FINES

DUI. The fines for a DUI conviction can range between $500.00 and $5000.00, depending on your BAC and the number of prior convictions. The average fine for a 1st offense is about $1000. Reckless driving. The fines for a Reckless Driving Conviction are between $0.00 to $1000.00. The average fine is about $500.00

Fines ENTRY

COURT COSTS

Court costs for a DUI range between $450 - $1000. Court costs for Reckless Driving are slightly less.

Court Costs - Calculation

DUI SCHOOL

DUI School is usually required for both DUI and Reckless Driving offenses. If this is your first arrest, the Level I school is $288.50. If this is your second arrest, the Level II program costs $433.50

DUI SCHOOL - CALCULATION

EVALUATION AND TREATMENT

Depending on the facts of your case, you may be required to do several weeks or even several months of follow-up alcohol counseling, usually once per week at a rate of $25 to $50 per half hour.

EVALUATION CALCULATION

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Typically the judge will require 50 hours of community service for both DUI's and Reckless Driving convictions. You may often buy some or all of the hours out at the rate of $10.00 per hour.

COMMUNITY SERVICE CALCULATION

IGNITION INTERLOCK

DUI convictions: For first offenses, the ignition interlock system must be installed in your car for at least 6 months if your BAC was over .15. The cost is $87.00 for the installation, and an additional $72.50 per month for monitoring ($522.00). If you have previously been convicted of DUI, the interlock may be required for 2 years or more. ($1827.00) Reckless driving: Not required. ($0.00)

IGNITION INTERLOCK CALCULATION

VEHICLE IMPOUNDMENT

For a DUI conviction, your car will be impounded for 10 days for a first offense. The cheapest rates can be about $5-$10 per day. Since your car will be impounded, you'll probably need to rent a car, so add an additional $50.00 per day ($550.00 total). If you've previously been convicted, your car may be impounded up to 90 days. ($4950.00 total). For a Reckless driving conviction, the impoundment is not required.

IMPOUNDMENT CALCULATION

BUSINESS PURPOSES ONLY LICENSE

If you are convicted of a DUI, the DMV will charge a variety of administrative and reinstatement fees when you obtain a work purposes license, from $225.00 for a first offense to $500 or more. If you are convicted of Reckless driving, your license won't receive an additional suspension, so you won't pay any fees.

BUSINESS PURPOSES CALCULATION

FR-44 INSURANCE

This is the BIG one. If you are convicted of a DUI, you’ll be required to carry FR-44 insurance ($100,000.00 of bodily injury liability coverage per person, $300,000.00 bodily injury coverage per occurrence, and $50,000.00 worth of property damage coverage). FR-44 insurance usually quadruples your rates. On average, it costs an extra $5000.00 per year and is required for 3 years after a DUI conviction. If you can get the charge reduced to Reckless Driving instead, the FR-44 insurance is not required.

FR-44 CALCULATION

Sending

THE BOTTOM LINE: Not including legal fees, a typical first-time DUI conviction costs around $18,254.00, and a Reckless Driving conviction costs around $1,957.00. If a lawyer can get your case reduced from a DUI to a Reckless Driving, you'll save at least $16,297.00 over the next 3 years.

The Wilcox Law Firm accepts all major credit cards and will work with your budget to set up a payment plan so you can afford the Tampa DUI defense attorney you deserve. To contact a Tampa DUI lawyer and begin preparing the defense for your case, call (813) 940-4300 TODAY.

NEXT STEP: Schedule an Appointment to Discuss Your Case

If you’ve been arrested for DUI, no matter how bad the case looks, do NOT plead guilty without talking to a lawyer specializing in DUI defense. It may be possible to get your charges reduced (maybe even dismissed), but you’ll never know unless you talk to a DUI expert.

DUI cases are serious, with penalties harsher penalties than many felony cases. Additionally, the “hidden cost” of DUI insurance can easily easily cost you $30,000, $40,000, even $50,000! (Good news: You can avoid almost all of that if your DUI lawyer gets the DUI dropped or reduced!)

Many of the issues in DUI cases are extremely time sensitive, so you must act quickly.

If you want your best chance of avoiding a DUI, call an experienced Tampa DUI attorney today.

Tampa DUI Attorney Elliott Wilcox has handled thousands of DUI cases. A member of the National College for DUI Defense, a founding member of the DUI Defense Lawyers Association, and a life member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Elliott's practice is dedicated exclusively to helping drivers accused of Driving Under the Influence (DUI). To talk with Elliott about your available options to continue driving and avoiding a DUI, schedule a phone appointment or call (813) 940-4300 today!

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The Wilcox Law Firm
620 East Twiggs Street, Suite 304
Tampa, Florida 33602

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