The maximum court fine for a first offense DWI in Texas is $2,000, set by the state’s Class B misdemeanor punishment range. That is the ceiling a judge can impose on the fine itself, and plea agreements often land below it. The number most drivers actually pay once everything is tallied, though, runs well into the thousands once court costs, a mandatory education course, towing, bond, license reinstatement, and years of higher insurance premiums are added in.
The Standard First-Offense Fine
A standard first DWI is prosecuted under Texas Penal Code Section 49.04 as a Class B misdemeanor.1State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Section 49.04 – Driving While Intoxicated The punishment range allows a fine of up to $2,000, jail of up to 180 days, or both.2Texas Public Law. Texas Penal Code Section 12.22 – Class B Misdemeanor A conviction also carries a minimum of 72 hours in jail, even if the judge imposes nothing more than that.
The $2,000 is a ceiling, not a floor. What a judge actually imposes depends on the facts and any plea agreement. But the fine is one line on a longer bill.
When the Fine Ceiling Goes Higher
Three situations push a first-offense DWI past the standard range.
BAC of 0.15 or Higher
If your blood alcohol concentration was 0.15 or higher, the charge becomes a Class A misdemeanor.1State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Section 49.04 – Driving While Intoxicated The maximum fine doubles to $4,000 and jail exposure rises to one year.3State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Section 12.21 – Class A Misdemeanor
Open Container in the Vehicle
An open container within arm’s reach keeps the offense a Class B misdemeanor and leaves the $2,000 fine ceiling intact, but the mandatory minimum jail time jumps from 72 hours to six days.1State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Section 49.04 – Driving While Intoxicated
Child Passenger Under 15
Driving while intoxicated with a passenger younger than 15 is charged under Texas Penal Code Section 49.045 as a state jail felony.4State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Section 49.045 – Driving While Intoxicated With Child Passenger That raises the maximum fine to $10,000 and brings confinement of 180 days to two years in a state jail facility.5State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Section 12.35 – State Jail Felony Punishment It is also a felony conviction, which is a different legal category from a misdemeanor DWI.
Costs That Stack on Top of the Fine
The fine is often the smallest piece. Expect several of these to apply:
- Court costs and administrative fees that are separate from the fine and commonly run several hundred dollars, varying by county.
- A required DWI education course, generally $70 to $200 depending on the provider.
- Ignition interlock device installation plus monthly lease and monitoring, often $70 to $150 per month for however long the court orders it. IIDs are increasingly common, especially in higher BAC cases.
- Towing and daily impound storage after the arrest, which climbs quickly if the car sits for several days.
- Bail or bond. If a bondsman is used, the fee is typically 10 percent of the bond amount and is not refundable.
- Probation supervision fees, usually $25 to $60 per month, if you are placed on community supervision. Most first offenders are. Over a probation term that can run up to two years, that adds several hundred dollars more.
One number worth setting aside: older sources still reference a $3,000 Driver Responsibility Program surcharge spread over three years. That program was repealed effective September 1, 2019, and no surcharges under it are assessed anymore.6Texas Department of Public Safety. Driver Responsibility Program Repealed If a site quotes a “$3,000 civil fee” for a Texas DWI, it is out of date.
License Reinstatement Fees
A DWI arrest triggers the Administrative License Revocation process independent of the criminal case.7Texas Department of Public Safety. Administrative License Revocation (ALR) Program If you failed a breath or blood test and have no alcohol-related contacts in the past 10 years, the suspension is 90 days; with a prior contact in that window, it is one year.8Texas Public Law. Texas Transportation Code Section 524.022 – Period of Suspension
Getting the license back costs money. The ALR reinstatement fee is $125, and the conviction-based reinstatement fee is $100. Depending on the situation, both can apply.9Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Fiscal 2024 Revenue Object 3025 – Drivers License Fees
If you need to keep driving during the suspension, you can petition a court for an occupational driver license. That requires a court order, proof of financial responsibility through an SR-22, and additional filing fees.10Texas Department of Public Safety. Occupational Driver License
Insurance Is the Long-Tail Cost
This is where the real money goes. A DWI conviction marks you as a high-risk driver, and premium increases of 40 to 100 percent or more are common. Those elevated rates typically last three to five years, sometimes longer. On a policy that was $1,500 a year before the arrest, even a 50 percent bump means an extra $750 annually for several years running. The insurance tab alone often ends up larger than the court fine.
Texas also requires an SR-22 certificate, which your insurer files with the state to prove you carry required coverage. The filing fee itself is only about $25, but you must maintain the certificate for two years from the date of the conviction or qualifying event.11Texas Department of Public Safety. Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate (SR-22) The expensive part is the premium behind it.
Payment Plans and the Cost of Not Paying
Texas courts generally allow payment plans for fines and court costs. A typical plan requires a down payment of 15 to 20 percent of the balance, with the rest in monthly installments. Some courts charge a small administrative fee for the plan itself. Community service hours are sometimes available as an alternative for defendants who can show financial hardship.
Letting the balance go unpaid makes things worse fast. The court can issue a warrant, add failure-to-appear charges, or suspend your license until the debt is cleared. Stacking a non-payment suspension on top of an ALR suspension turns a bad situation into one that gets harder to fix every month.