Driving under the influence can get you hefty fines, or even prison time. In most states, the DUI law applies when a person is arrested for driving a vehicle or a watercraft while intoxicated. DUI is charged if your blood alcohol content is at or above 0.08%.
However, a person can be charged with a DUI offense even if they have blood alcohol content levels that are below 0.08%, as long as the ability to operate a motor vehicle is impaired.
How much is bail for DUI? The total bail amount for DUI depends on the surrounding circumstances of the crime, the criminal history of the defendant, previous DUI charges, etc.
The Bail for a DUI
The amount of bail for DUI is set by a judge, in a court, which allows the defendant to secure their release from jail and not be forced to remain in custody until their first court hearing. Several restrictions come with posting bail like:
- The defendant might be required to surrender their passport as an assurance to not leave the country until the case is heard.
- The defendant may be required to take an alcohol test and present the results in court.
The bail amount is set on a bail schedule, and the judge will consider all the circumstances of the DUI arrest. Once the total bail amount has been set, a family member can pay the total bail amount on your behalf and you will be released from jail until your court date.
If you do not have enough money to pay the total bail amount, you can hire a bail bond agent. A local, reputable ball bondsman is going to charge you a nonrefundable fee that is equal to 10% of the total bail amount in exchange for posting bond on your behalf. Once the bail bond agent has posted bond, you will be released from jail until your court date.
If you know your total bail amount and are curious how much you will need to pay a bail bond agent to post bond on your behalf, use our DUI bail bond calculator.
Bail Amounts
The bail in a DUI case is normally determined by the type of offense:
- The bail amounts for a DUI misdemeanor can range anywhere from $500 to $1,000.
- Someone charged with a DUI felony can see bail amounts as high as $50,000.
- In many states, an additional $10,000 will be added to your total bail amount if your blood alcohol content was higher than .15%.
Anytime you are arrested for DUI, the bail amount will be high. But the total bail amounts and potential punishments rise drastically if the person arrested has high alcohol levels in their bloodstream, is involved in a serious road accident where another person or vehicle is damaged, was driving at a reckless speed, participated in a hit-and-run accident, etc.
And since all states have different DUI laws, some of them require the DUI defendants to have mandatory attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous, enroll in an alcohol education program, wear an alcohol monitoring device, or install an ignition interlock device.
Talk to a Defense Attorney
If you or a family member has been arrested for drunk driving, you need to contact a defense attorney and work on a legal strategy that will aim to reduce the potential punishment.
Most DUI offenders end up paying fines to the court, doing community service, and installing an ignition interlock device in their vehicle. Make sure to reach out to a lawyer and a bail bond company if you have been arrested on DUI charges.