A first-offense DUI in Arizona commonly costs between $7,000 and $11,000 once fines, assessments, license fees, an ignition interlock device, higher insurance, and related expenses are added together — and a conviction is far more expensive than most people expect when they leave court. James Novak is a former Maricopa County prosecutor who now defends DUI charges exclusively in Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, and Phoenix. If you were arrested anywhere in Maricopa County and want to understand the full financial picture before you make any decisions, the firm’s DUI defense practice is a resource for sorting out what you are actually facing.
The total cost of an Arizona DUI is not a single fine. It is a stack of separate obligations imposed at different stages — by the court, by the Motor Vehicle Division, by an interlock provider, and by your insurer. A first-offense regular DUI commonly lands in the $7,000 to $11,000 range when every piece is added together, and that figure climbs sharply for extreme, super extreme, and aggravated charges.
The basic DUI charge is governed by A.R.S. § 28-1381, which applies when a driver is impaired to the slightest degree or has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher within two hours of driving. The categories below break down where the money actually goes.
For a first regular DUI, the base fine and mandatory state assessments together generally run $1,500 to $1,800. The base fine itself can be as low as $250, but Arizona layers required surcharges and fund assessments on top — including a prison construction and operations fund assessment — that drive the court total well higher. The fine and assessment figures increase with each prior offense within the seven-year lookback period and with higher BAC levels.
| DUI Type (First Offense) | BAC | Typical Fines & Assessments | Minimum Jail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular DUI (A.R.S. § 28-1381) | 0.08 – 0.149 | $1,500 – $1,800 | 1 day |
| Extreme DUI (A.R.S. § 28-1382) | 0.15 – 0.199 | About $2,500 | 30 days |
| Super Extreme DUI (A.R.S. § 28-1382) | 0.20 and above | $3,000+ | 45 days |
Extreme and super extreme charges fall under A.R.S. § 28-1382 and carry their own elevated fines and longer mandatory jail terms. You can read more about how these charges differ on the firm’s Extreme DUI page.
The court fine is often the smallest piece. The expenses that follow a conviction frequently add up to several times the fine itself:
James Novak is a former prosecutor with an engineering degree, which gives him a technical advantage in challenging the breath and blood evidence that determines whether these costs ever come due. To learn more about his background, visit the attorney page.
Costs escalate quickly with priors and aggravating factors. A second DUI within the seven-year lookback period carries higher base fines, a one-year license suspension, longer interlock requirements, and longer mandatory jail — all of which raise the total. An aggravated (felony) DUI under A.R.S. § 28-1383 — charged for a third offense within seven years, driving on a suspended or revoked license, or driving with a passenger under 15 — can reach fines, fees, and assessments well into the tens of thousands, on top of prison exposure and far steeper long-term insurance costs.
It may seem counterintuitive, but defense representation can reduce the overall cost of a DUI rather than add to it. Most of the largest expenses — the interlock year, the SR-22 surcharge period, the treatment hours, the jail costs — flow from a conviction. If a charge is reduced or dismissed, those obligations may never attach.
There are several points where an Arizona DUI case can be challenged: whether the traffic stop was supported by reasonable suspicion, whether the arrest was supported by probable cause, and whether the breath or blood testing was performed and calibrated correctly. A successful motion to suppress evidence can change the entire trajectory of a case. The Law Office of James Novak has defended hundreds of DUI cases across Maricopa County courts and weighs these issues from the outset.
A first-offense regular DUI in Arizona commonly totals about $7,000 to $11,000 once court fines and assessments, ignition interlock costs, SR-22 insurance increases, screening and treatment, towing and impound, and license reinstatement are added together. The court fine and assessments alone typically run $1,500 to $1,800.
Because the cost is not one fine but many separate obligations. Arizona layers mandatory state assessments on top of the base fine, requires an ignition interlock device after most convictions, and triggers SR-22 insurance and higher premiums for roughly three years. Together these often exceed the court fine several times over.
Yes. Extreme DUI (BAC 0.15 or higher) and super extreme DUI (BAC 0.20 or higher) under A.R.S. § 28-1382 carry higher fines, longer mandatory jail, and longer interlock requirements than a regular DUI, which raises the total cost substantially.
It may. Most of the largest DUI costs follow from a conviction. If the charge is reduced or dismissed — for example, through a successful challenge to the stop, the arrest, or the chemical testing — many of those costs may never apply.
If you are facing a DUI in Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Phoenix, or anywhere in Maricopa County, James Novak can help you understand the true cost of your case and how to fight it. As a former prosecutor with an engineering degree, he brings both insider knowledge of how DUI cases are built and a technical command of the breath and blood evidence behind them. Call (480) 413-1499 or contact the firm online for a free initial consultation. Available 24/7. Flat affordable fees, no hidden costs.