California DUI
DUI lawyer in California: 10 days to save your license
The license case moves first, and you have 10 days from the day you got the notice to ask for a hearing.
Answered day and night. A professional reviews your California case for free and connects you with a California DUI lawyer.
Arrested for DUI in California? 10 days to ask for the hearing.
Counted from the day you got the notice. If that was today, the last day is Monday, October 19. Miss it and the suspension starts on its own (DMV rule).
The two clocks: court and DMV
Your California DUI arrest opened a criminal case and a separate license case with the DMV. If that time runs out, your license can be suspended before you ever see a judge.
California runs the license case through APS (admin per se) at the DMV. Asking for the hearing does not stop the 30-day clock on your temporary license. (DMV rule)
Your paper license: you may drive for 30 days from the date of the order (DMV).
A first offense in California
| What | The rule |
|---|---|
| Fine | $390 to $1,000 plus penalty assessments |
| Jail | 96 hours to 6 months without probation; 48 hours (optional) to 6 months with 3 to 5 years of probation |
| License (court) | DMV suspends the license 6 to 10 months after a first conviction |
| License (DMV) | a 4-month suspension for a first offense at 0.08% or more |
| Program | a 9-month DUI program if your BAC was over 0.20% |
The judge picks a number inside each range. So ask where cases like yours land in California (California penalty rules).
Second and later offenses
| What | The rule |
|---|---|
| License, second offense (DMV) | a one-year suspension for a second offense within 10 years |
An earlier case changes every number above. Tell the lawyer the date and state of each prior case (California repeat-offense rules).
Add-on fines and the newest change
Interlock orders and add-on fines in California depend on the charge and the BAC. Ask the lawyer which ones apply to yours.
Newest change in California. Since September 25, 2026, California can charge a third DUI within 10 years as a felony. Before AB 1546, that took a fourth. (AB 1546 bill text and history)
See how the interlock works and the DUI penalties table.
What a lawyer costs in California
Lawyers in California set their own fees. Ask what a quote covers: the court case, the DMV hearing, a trial. DUI lawyer cost lists the questions to ask.
Check a lawyer's license
The lawyer who takes your case handles DUI cases in California and holds an active California license. Ask for the bar number on the call and it is yours to keep.
What to do now
Losing your license can mean losing your job, your rides and your routine. In California, you have 10 days from the day you got the notice to fight for it. Call at any hour, and a lawyer for California goes over your case tonight and asks for the police records.
Call about California DUI (877) 317-9931
Answered day and night. A professional reviews your California case for free and connects you with a California DUI lawyer.
Send your case details
Send the date of your California arrest and the date printed on your DMV notice. Those two dates set your deadline, so the lawyer who calls you starts there.