What Does a DUI Really Cost?

Fines are the smallest part. This estimator adds the fines and fees set by state law to what three publishers say a DUI does to your insurance.

What's included, and where each number comes from

A first DUI's cost is mostly not the fine. Most of it is the insurance increase that follows for years. We include only amounts we could verify against a statute or DMV page, plus the insurance increase from our three-publisher comparison. Anything set by a court or a private program is left for you to enter.

State	Item	Amount
Texas	State DWI traffic fine (Transportation Code § 709.001)	$3,000
Texas	EMS and trauma care fine for intoxication convictions	$100
Texas	Reinstatement fee after a breath/blood test suspension (ALR)	$125
Texas	Criminal fine and court costs set by the court	you enter it
Texas	Insurance increase, full coverage (three publishers)	$75–$117 a month
California	Base fine, first DUI (Vehicle Code § 23536)	$390–$1,000
California	Penalty assessments added to the fine	you enter it
California	DMV reissue fee	$125
California	DUI program fees	you enter it
California	Insurance increase, full coverage (three publishers)	$73–$418 a month
Florida	Fine, first DUI (Florida Statutes § 316.193)	$500–$1,000
Florida	FR-44 reinstatement fee (only if you didn't already carry 100/300/50)	$150–$500
Florida	DUI school and other program costs	you enter it
Florida	Insurance increase, full coverage (three publishers)	$71–$130 a month

Insurance increases are each publisher's DUI figure minus its own clean-record figure (Insurify, MoneyGeek, and the average of the insurers Insurance.com lists). Published estimates of how long insurers surcharge a DUI mostly fall between three and five years; you can choose either.

Why insurance dominates

Even at the low end, three years of higher premiums usually cost more than the fine. In California the publishers disagree so much that the insurance part alone can range from a few thousand dollars to over $15,000 over three years — which is why comparing quotes after a DUI matters as much as anything a court orders.

We'll add more states as we verify their fines and fees.