First Offense DUI: What Happens to Your Licence
For most people the licence is the first real consequence — well before any court date. How long it is gone depends enormously on the state: from 30 days to 365.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
Two Suspensions, Not One
This is the distinction that costs people the most, and almost every general article blurs it. The administrative suspension comes from the licensing authority after a failed or refused chemical test. It typically takes effect within days of the arrest, entirely independently of the criminal case — and the window to challenge it is short, in some states only a week or so. The court-ordered suspension follows a conviction, weeks or months later.
The figures below are the court-ordered periods, with the administrative rule noted alongside where the source sets it out. If you have just been arrested, the administrative deadline is the one running against you right now.
| State | License suspension |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 90 days (3 months) 90 days court-ordered suspension upon a first DUI conviction (may be stayed if the person elects to install an approved ignition interlock device for the same 90-day period instead of a hard suspension). Separately, an administrative pre-conviction suspension for a chemical test failure/refusal can take effect roughly 45 days after notice under Alabama's implied-consent scheme, independent of the court's post-conviction order. Ala. Code § 32-5A-191(e)(1) · as of 2025-01-01 |
| Arizona | 90 days (3 months) 90-day administrative per se suspension imposed by the Arizona MVD following an arrest with a BAC of .08 or more (or a refusal), running from the 16th day after arrest for anyone who does not request/win a hearing. For qualifying first-time offenders who meet screening/interlock conditions, this may instead run as 30 days of hard suspension followed by 60 days of restricted (work/school/treatment) driving privileges. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 28-1385(H), (I) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| California | 180 days (6 months) 6-month (180-day) court-ordered license suspension imposed by the DMV following a first DUI conviction under Veh. Code § 23152, per § 13352(a)(1). This is separate from California's administrative per se (APS) suspension, which begins automatically about 30 days after arrest for a chemical test failure (or is contested at a DMV hearing requested within 10 days of arrest) and can run concurrently. Cal. Veh. Code § 13352(a)(1) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Connecticut | 45 days 45-day court-ordered license suspension upon a FIRST DUI conviction under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-227a, followed by a mandatory 1-year ignition interlock device (IID) restriction period after restoration. This is distinct from the ADMINISTRATIVE per se suspension imposed by DMV before any conviction (6 months for a first BAC ≥.08 test failure age 21+; 1 year for test refusal), which runs under a separate statute (§ 14-227b) and is not counted here. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-227a(g)(1) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Delaware | 1 year 12-month (365-day) court-ordered license revocation for a first DUI conviction under 21 Del. C. §4177A(a)(1), assuming BAC under .15 and no test refusal. Enhanced periods apply for higher BAC: 18 months if BAC .15-.19; 24 months if BAC ≥.20 or the person refused chemical testing. 21 Del. C. § 4177A(a)(1) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Florida | 180 days (6 months) For a first DUI conviction (no bodily injury) under Fla. Stat. §316.193, the court-ordered license revocation is at least 180 days and not more than 1 year (365 days) — the court sets the exact length within that range. 180 days is reported as the value because it is the statutory minimum guaranteed length. If the first offense involved bodily injury, the minimum revocation rises to 3 years. Fla. Stat. § 322.28(2)(a)1. · as of 2025-01-01 |
| Georgia | 1 year 12-month (365-day) driver's license suspension for a first DUI conviction with no prior DUI arrest-and-conviction in the preceding 5 years, per O.C.G.A. §40-5-63. Early reinstatement is possible after 120 days upon completion of a DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Program and payment of a restoration fee. Note the separate, SHORTER 5-year lookback used here (vs. O.C.G.A. § 40-5-63 · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Hawaii | See note Court-ordered license revocation for a first OVUII (Hawaii's DUI equivalent) offense — or any offense not preceded within a ten-year period by a prior conviction — is a discretionary RANGE, not a fixed term: no less than one year (365 days) and no more than eighteen months (about 548 days). The court sets the exact length within that range; no single fixed value exists in the statute. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 291E-61(b)(1)(B) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Iowa | 180 days (6 months) 180 days if the defendant submitted to chemical testing and has no previous OWI conviction or revocation; 1 year if the defendant refused testing on a first offense. A temporary restricted license is unavailable for the first 30 days of the revocation (test submitted) or 90 days (test refused). Iowa Code § 321J.4(1) · as of 2026-01-01 |
| Idaho | 90 days (3 months) 90 to 180 days, set by the court. Idaho Code § 18-8005(1)(d) requires a court-ordered suspension of 30 days absolute (no driving of any kind), followed by an additional 60 to 150 days during which the defendant may request restricted driving privileges — a total court suspension of 90 to 180 days. Idaho Code § 18-8005(1)(d) · as of 2025-07-01 |
| Kansas | 30 days 30 days, followed by a restricted-driving period. Under K.S.A. 8-1014(b)(1)(A), on a first occurrence of a failed test or an alcohol/drug-related conviction, the Kansas Division of Vehicles suspends driving privileges for 30 days, then restricts privileges thereafter (typically to ignition-interlock-only driving) as provided by K.S.A. 8-1015(b). If the test result was 0.15 BAC or greater, the first-occurrence suspension is 1 year followed by 1 year of interlock-restricted driving instead of the 30-day suspension. K.S.A. 8-1014(b)(1)(A) · as of 2026-01-01 |
| Kentucky | 180 days (6 months) 6 months (180 days) for a standard first-offense suspension. Under current law (KRS 189A.070(1)(a)2.a., effective July 1, 2020), a person convicted of a first DUI within a 10-year period has their license suspended for 6 months — reduced to 4 months if the person is issued an ignition interlock license and meets the 90-consecutive-day compliance requirement within the first 4 months. (Note: this replaced the older 30-to-120-day suspension range that some secondary sources still cite from pre-2020 law.) KRS 189A.070(1)(a)2.a. · as of 2025-01-01 |
| Louisiana | 1 year Upon conviction of a first-offense DWI, the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles suspends the driver's license for 12 months (365 days) under La. R.S. § 32:414(A)(1)(a); a restricted/hardship license with an ignition interlock device may be available. This is the post-conviction judicial suspension. La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 32:414(A)(1)(a) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Maryland | 180 days (6 months) This 180-day figure is Maryland's automatic ADMINISTRATIVE ('implied consent') suspension imposed directly by the MVA at arrest for a first-offense test result of 0.08 or more (not a court-ordered suspension); a test refusal carries a longer 270-day administrative suspension for a first offense. Maryland's DUI criminal statute (Transportation § 21-902) itself does not set a fixed number of days for a JUDICIAL license suspension upon conviction. Md. Code Ann., Transp. § 16-205.1(b)(1)(i)1.A · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Maine | 150 days (5 months) For a first OUI offense (no previous OUI offense within the preceding 10-year period), Maine law imposes a mandatory, non-suspendable court-ordered license suspension of 150 days, plus a minimum fine and, in some cases, jail time. This is a judicial (court-ordered) suspension, not merely an administrative one; the Secretary of State may add a further administrative suspension period under a separate provision if conditions (e.g., an alcohol program) are unmet. 29-A M.R.S. § 2411(5)(A)(2) · as of 2025-10-01 |
| Minnesota | 90 days (3 months) Minnesota revokes (rather than merely suspends) the driver's license; for a first DWI with no qualified prior impaired driving incident, the base revocation period is a minimum of 90 days. This can be shortened (e.g., to as little as 15-30 days) via a limited license or plea program, or lengthened for higher test results or other aggravating factors. Minn. Stat. § 171.178, subd. 4(1)(i) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Missouri | 90 days (3 months) Missouri's administrative license suspension for a first alcohol-related arrest with a BAC of .08% or higher and no alcohol-related enforcement contact in the prior 5 years, under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 302.525, totals 90 days: a 30-day hard suspension (no driving) automatically followed by a 60-day restricted-driving privilege period (requires proof of financial responsibility and an ignition interlock device). Mo. Rev. Stat. § 302.525.2(1) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Mississippi | 120 days (4 months) First-offense DUI conviction under Miss. Code Ann. § 63-11-30(2)(a) carries a court-ordered driver's license suspension of 120 days per the cross-referenced schedule in § 63-11-23(5)(a)(i). This is separate from the 90-day ADMINISTRATIVE (implied-consent) suspension imposed for a failed or refused chemical test under § 63-11-23; a hardship/restricted driving permit may be available during either suspension. Miss. Code Ann. § 63-11-23(5)(a)(i), as referenced by § 63-11-30(2)(a) · as of 2025-01-01 |
| Montana | 180 days (6 months) Montana suspends the driver's license for 6 months (180 days) upon a first DUI conviction under Mont. Code Ann. § 61-8-1002, per the suspension schedule in § 61-5-208(2)(b)(i). A probationary/restricted license may be available if the sentencing judge recommends one on the sentencing order. Mont. Code Ann. § 61-5-208(2)(b)(i) · as of 2025-01-01 |
| North Carolina | 1 year Mandatory court-ordered license revocation upon a DWI conviction with no grossly aggravating factors (i.e., a clean first offense) is 1 year (365 days), under G.S. 20-17(a)(2) as applied via G.S. 20-19(c1). (If a grossly aggravating factor under G.S. 20-19(d) applies — e.g., a prior impaired-driving conviction within 3 years — the revocation jumps to 4 years instead.) N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-19(c1) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| North Dakota | 91 days Administrative license suspension imposed by the Department of Transportation for a first DUI conviction is 91 days, if the driver's record shows no prior 39-08-01 violation within the preceding 7 years. (A higher-BAC first offense at or above 0.18% draws 180 days instead, per the same subsection.) N.D. Cent. Code § 39-06.1-10(8)(a) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Nebraska | 180 days (6 months) For a first-offense DUI conviction, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,197.03 orders the operator's license revoked for 6 months (180 days) from the date set by the court. If the court grants probation or suspends the sentence, the revocation period is instead cut to 60 days as a condition of that probation. An ignition interlock permit is required during the revocation. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 60-6,197.03 · as of 2025-01-01 |
| New Hampshire | 270 days (9 months) New Hampshire's minimum license revocation for a first DWI conviction under RSA 265-A:18, I(a) is 9 months (270 days), extendable at the court's discretion up to 2 years. Up to 6 months of the revocation can be suspended if the person completes the department-approved Impaired Driver Intervention Program (IDIP). N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 265-A:18, I(a)(6)(A) · as of 2025-01-01 |
| New Mexico | 1 year Court-ordered mandatory revocation of driving privileges upon a first DWI conviction under § 66-8-102 is 1 year (365 days), running from the date the conviction becomes final and all appeal rights are exhausted. This is distinct from the separate administrative pre-conviction revocation under the Implied Consent Act (§§ 66-8-105 to 66-8-111), and from any restricted ignition-interlock license the person may obtain during the revocation period. NMSA 1978 § 66-5-29(B), (C)(1) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Nevada | 185 days Nevada revokes driving privileges for 185 days for a first DUI offense (evidentiary test at or above the per se limit, or a detectable controlled/prohibited substance) under Nev. Rev. Stat. § 484C.210(2). A restricted license may become available after roughly half the revocation period. Nev. Rev. Stat. § 484C.210(2) · as of 2025-01-01 |
| New York | 180 days (6 months) Court-ordered license revocation for a first DWI/DWAI-drug/DWAI-combination conviction (VTL 1192(2), (3), (4), or (4-a)) is a minimum of six months (180 days) — this is a minimum, not a fixed period; courts can revoke for longer. A first Aggravated DWI conviction (high BAC, VTL 1192(2-a)) carries a minimum one-year (365-day) revocation instead. N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1193(2)(b)(12) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Tennessee | 1 year Court-ordered license revocation of one (1) year upon conviction for a first DUI offense, running from the date of judgment (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-403(a)(1)(F)). A restricted license is not available until the 1-year revocation period expires. Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-403 · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Utah | 120 days (4 months) 120-day driver license suspension for a person 21 or older convicted for the first time of DUI under Utah Code § 41-6a-502. Utah Code § 41-6a-509 · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Virginia | 1 year One-year mandatory license revocation upon conviction for a first DUI offense under Va. Code § 18.2-266, running from the date of judgment. Va. Code § 18.2-271 · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Washington | 90 days (3 months) 90-day license suspension for a first offense (no prior offenses within 7 years) with a breath/blood alcohol concentration under 0.15 — suspension runs until the person completes or enrolls in a 90-day 24/7 sobriety-monitoring program, with a hard minimum of 2 days. If alcohol concentration is 0.15 or above (still first offense), the sanction is instead a 1-year revocation with a minimum of 4 days before program enrollment relief applies. RCW 46.61.5055(9) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| West Virginia | 180 days (6 months) 6-month (180-day) court-ordered license revocation upon conviction for a first DUI offense, or alternatively a period of participation in the Motor Vehicle Alcohol Test and Lock Program in lieu of full revocation. W. Va. Code § 17C-5-2(e) · as of 2026-09-01 |
| Wyoming | 90 days (3 months) 90-day administrative license suspension by the Department of Transportation upon a first DUI conviction under W.S. 31-5-233. Wyo. Stat. § 31-7-128(b)(i) · as of 2026-09-01 |
32 of 51 jurisdictions shown. Median 180 days, from 30 days in KS to 365 days in VA. A missing state does not mean there is no rule — it means our source check has not cleared that entry yet. Penalties are amended often; each row carries its own date and citation. This is general information, not legal advice.
Why the Range Is So Wide
A tenfold spread between states is not an accident of drafting — it reflects genuinely different policy choices. Some states pair a short hard suspension with a mandatory ignition interlock, on the view that supervised driving beats an unsupervised year off the road. Others impose a long suspension with a restricted licence available part-way through. A raw comparison of the headline numbers therefore overstates how different the practical outcomes are, which is why each entry carries its own note rather than a bare figure.
What It Means Later
A first conviction keeps counting towards a second for a set number of years in most states — and in two states, for life. See how long a DUI stays on your record. If the incident also involved a collision, the civil claim runs on an entirely separate track from the criminal case; our drunk driving accident calculator covers that side.
Common Questions
How long is a licence suspended for a first DUI?
It ranges from 30 days in KS to 365 days in VA, with a median of 180 days across the 32 jurisdictions we have verified. There is no national figure worth quoting — the spread is more than tenfold.
What is the difference between the administrative and the court suspension?
They are separate proceedings and both can apply to the same arrest. The administrative suspension comes from the licensing authority after a failed or refused breath test and usually starts within days, often before any court date. The court-ordered suspension follows a conviction. Confusing the two is how people miss the short deadline to challenge the administrative one — which in several states is only a handful of days.
Can I drive at all during the suspension?
Often yes, but under conditions. Many states offer a restricted or hardship licence for work, school or treatment, and a growing number let an ignition interlock device replace part or all of a hard suspension. Where that applies it is noted in the state entry.
Does refusing the breath test avoid the suspension?
No — under implied consent laws refusal usually triggers its own suspension, and in many states a longer one than failing the test would have. Refusal can also be used as evidence at trial in some jurisdictions.
Will this count against me later?
For a set number of years in most states, and for life in a couple of them. How long a first conviction keeps counting towards a second is a separate question with its own state-by-state answer.
Are fines and jail time included here?
Not in this table, deliberately. Fines and jail exposure are usually ranges rather than fixed figures and vary with blood alcohol level, whether a child was in the car and other aggravating factors — publishing a single number for those would be misleading in a way a suspension period is not.
Why are some states missing?
Their entry has not cleared our source check yet. A blank means unverified, not unregulated — we would rather show the gap than print a penalty we cannot back with a citation.
Sources: the criminal or vehicle code and licensing authority of each state, cited row by row. General information, not legal advice. Settlement Insight is not a law firm and does not represent any party.