If you are like most North Dakota drivers who are arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired or intoxicated by alcohol, you are likely to have a lot of questions. What is going to happen to me? Will I need to pay a fine? Will I need to spend time in jail? Will I lose my driving privileges? These are just some of the things you will need to learn about.
According to the North Dakota Department of Transportation, the exactly penalties that you may face for a drunk driving arrest may vary based upon a myriad of circumstances. Some of these circumstances include whether or not you had any previous drunk driving convictions. Other factors include whether or not you had any passengers under the age of 18 in your vehicle at the time you were stopped by officers and what your blood alcohol content level was at the time.
In North Dakota, both first and second drunk driving convictions are treated as Class B misdemeanors. A third conviction is a Class A misdemeanor and a fourth conviction is a Class C felony. Even for a first offense, you may face some combination of a fine, jail time and loss of driving privileges if your BAC was high enough. You may also be required to undergo evaluation for potential substance addiction or abuse. The same is generally true of all offenses but the fine amounts, jail times and license suspension times may increase with subsequent convictions.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but rather is meant to give North Dakota residents a solid overview of the state’s penalties for drunk driving.
