A first-offense DUI in Utah realistically costs between $8,000 and $10,000 once you add court fines, the ignition interlock, screening and education, towing, license reinstatement, attorney fees, and several years of higher insurance premiums. That is the honest answer to how much a DUI costs in Utah, and it assumes a clean, uncomplicated first offense. Add a crash, a refusal, a commercial license, or a prior conviction and the number climbs quickly, often past $20,000.
Here is where the money goes.
What a First-Offense DUI Costs, Line by Line
- Court fines and surcharges: $1,383 to $1,390 minimum
- Substance abuse screening and education: $255 to $620
- Ignition interlock device over 18 months: $1,300 to $2,000
- Towing and impound: $400 to $700
- License reinstatement: a few hundred dollars
- Attorney fees: $1,200 to $5,000
- Bail bond fee: $68 to $1,000
- Insurance increases over three to five years: $3,000 to $6,000
None of this accounts for lost wages during jail time, career fallout, or the longer-term weight of a criminal record.
Court Fines and Surcharges
Utah sets a mandatory minimum fine of $700 for a first-offense DUI conviction.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-505 On top of that, the court adds a $630 surcharge and a court security fee of $60 in justice court or $53 in district court.2Utah Department of Justice. DUI Statutory Overview That brings the floor to between $1,383 and $1,390. Judges can impose more than the minimum when circumstances warrant it.
Repeat offenses escalate. A second DUI within ten years carries a minimum fine of $800, and a third or subsequent offense jumps to at least $1,500, each with the same surcharges stacked on top.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 41-6a-505
Ignition Interlock Device
After a conviction, Utah requires an ignition interlock device on your vehicle. For drivers 21 and older the requirement lasts 18 months. Drivers under 21 face three years.
Installation runs $35 to $200 depending on the provider and your vehicle. Monthly monitoring and calibration add another $70 to $100. Over 18 months, the device alone costs roughly $1,300 to $2,000. The interlock has to be professionally calibrated on schedule, and missed appointments can extend the requirement or trigger additional penalties.
Substance Abuse Screening, Education, and Treatment
Every DUI sentence includes a mandatory substance abuse screening, which runs $80 to $350. The screener recommends what comes next. At a minimum you will be directed to a 16-hour education course costing $175 to $269. If the screening flags a deeper problem, the court can order intensive outpatient treatment or inpatient rehab, which can cost several thousand dollars. You pay for all of it.
License Suspension and Reinstatement
A first-offense DUI conviction for a driver 21 or older triggers an automatic 120-day license suspension. Refuse the chemical test and the suspension jumps to 18 months.3Utah Driver License Division. DUI Suspension Times Repeat offenses and under-21 convictions carry longer suspensions, extending to two years or more in some circumstances.
Once your suspension ends, the Driver License Division charges a reinstatement fee for each action on your record.4Utah Driver License Division. Reinstate a License Budget at least a few hundred dollars to get your license back.
Then there is the cost of not being able to drive. Public transit, rideshares, and favors from friends add up fast. Over 120 days the transportation costs alone can reach several hundred dollars. Over an 18-month refusal suspension, the number climbs much higher.
Towing and Impound
Your vehicle gets towed the night of the arrest, and the meter starts right away. Under Utah’s 2026 non-consent towing fee schedule, the authorized hourly rate for a standard passenger vehicle is $211 per hour. Storage at the impound lot runs $42 to $47 per day for a standard vehicle outside or inside, and $63 to $90 per day for larger vehicles.5Utah Department of Transportation. 2026 Non-Consent Towing Fee Schedule Every day you leave the car sitting adds to the bill, so retrieving it quickly matters.
Between the tow itself and even a few days of storage, expect $400 to $700 or more to get your car back, and higher if administrative fees apply.
Attorney Fees and Bail
A DUI defense attorney in Utah typically charges $1,200 to $5,000 for a first offense, depending on experience and whether the case goes to trial. Cases involving accidents, injuries, or prior convictions push fees higher, sometimes past $10,000. You can represent yourself, but a conviction carries consequences that follow you for years, and most people decide the fee is worth it.
Before the case begins you may need to post bail. A first-offense Class B misdemeanor DUI typically starts around $680 and can reach $5,000 or more for a felony charge. If you use a bail bondsman, their non-refundable fee runs 10% to 20% of the total bail. On $5,000 bail, that is $500 to $1,000 you never get back regardless of outcome.
Insurance Premium Increases
This is where a Utah DUI does the most long-term financial damage. The Driver License Division requires an SR-22 filing, a certificate from your insurer confirming you carry at least minimum liability coverage.6Utah Driver License Division. SR22 Insurance That filing flags you as a high-risk driver and your premiums adjust accordingly.
Industry data puts the average national increase at around 88%. If you were paying $1,200 a year before conviction, you could be looking at roughly $2,250 or more. The SR-22 requirement generally lasts three years, but many insurers keep your rates elevated for five years or longer. Over that window, the additional premium cost lands somewhere between $3,000 and $6,000. For most drivers, insurance is the single largest long-term cost of a DUI.
You Can’t Deduct Any of It
None of the fines, surcharges, or fees from a DUI conviction are tax-deductible. Federal tax regulations prohibit deducting any amount paid to a government entity in connection with a violation of civil or criminal law, which covers court fines, surcharges, and administrative penalties.7eCFR. 26 CFR 1.162-21 – Denial of Deduction for Certain Fines, Penalties, and Other Amounts A narrow exception exists for restitution or remediation payments specifically identified as such in a court order; standard DUI fines do not qualify. Every dollar comes out of after-tax income.
When the Cost Goes Much Higher
Several situations push the total well beyond the first-offense range.
Repeat Offenses
Second and third convictions bring steeper fines, longer license suspensions, longer interlock requirements, and more intensive treatment mandates. The combined total can run past $20,000.
Commercial Drivers
If you hold a commercial driver’s license, a first DUI conviction triggers a minimum one-year CDL disqualification under federal regulations, and longer if you were hauling hazardous materials. A second alcohol-related offense means a lifetime CDL disqualification. For anyone who earns a living behind the wheel, a year without the license can mean tens of thousands of dollars in lost wages on top of every other cost here.
Pilots
FAA certificate holders must report a DUI-related motor vehicle action within 60 days. Missing that deadline is a separate violation that can lead to certificate suspension or revocation. A blood-alcohol reading of 0.15 or higher triggers mandatory evaluation by addiction specialists and possible monitoring. Two DUI convictions in a lifetime bring enhanced FAA scrutiny. The cost is not only evaluations and testing but the real risk of losing the ability to fly professionally.
Security Clearance Holders
A single DUI does not automatically disqualify you from a federal security clearance, but adjudicators review it under several guidelines, and trying to hide it is more damaging than the conviction itself. Multiple DUIs or a felony-level charge make obtaining or renewing a clearance significantly harder, and top-secret clearances come up for renewal every five years.
Crossing the Border
Canada treats impaired driving as a serious offense and considers most people with a DUI conviction inadmissible. If your conviction is less than five years old, entering the country requires applying for a Temporary Resident Permit, with its own fees and processing time. After five years, you can apply for criminal rehabilitation to clear your record for entry purposes. Neither application is cheap, and neither is guaranteed.