Pennsylvania DUI
DUI lawyer in Pennsylvania: your notice sets the license deadline
The license case moves first, and the paper notice you were given prints your hearing deadline.
Answered day and night. A professional reviews your Pennsylvania case for free and connects you with a Pennsylvania DUI lawyer.
Arrested for DUI in Pennsylvania? Your notice sets the date.
Read the appeal date on any PennDOT suspension notice. Your criminal court date does not replace those instructions.
The two clocks: court and PennDOT
Your Pennsylvania DUI arrest opened a criminal case and a separate license case with the PennDOT. If that date passes, your license can be suspended before you ever see a judge.
Pennsylvania sorts DUI by BAC tier. A refusal can be charged at the highest tier. (PennDOT rule)
A first offense in Pennsylvania
| What | The rule |
|---|---|
| Lowest tier | up to 6 months probation, a $300 fine, alcohol highway safety school |
| High BAC tier | 12 month license suspension, 48 hours to 6 months prison, $500 to $5,000 fine |
The judge picks a number inside each range. So ask where cases like yours land in Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania penalty rules).
Second and later offenses
| What | The rule |
|---|---|
| Second offense, lowest tier | 12 month license suspension, 5 days to 6 months jail, $300 to $2,500 fine |
An earlier case changes every number above. Tell the lawyer the date and state of each prior case (Pennsylvania repeat-offense rules).
Add-on fines, interlock and the newest change
- Interlock cost: about $1,200 to lease an interlock for a year (PennDOT).
- The tiers: General Impairment (.08 to .099% BAC), High BAC (.10 to .159%), Highest BAC (.16% and higher) (PennDOT).
Newest change in Pennsylvania. Since Act 58 of 2025, a Pennsylvania DUI within 10 years of finishing ARD counts against you like a prior offense. (Pennsylvania Act 58 of 2025)
See how the interlock works and the DUI penalties table.
What a lawyer costs in Pennsylvania
Lawyers in Pennsylvania set their own fees. Ask what a quote covers: the court case, the PennDOT 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 Pennsylvania and holds an active Pennsylvania license. Ask for the bar number on the call and it is yours to keep.
What to do now
The date on your license notice is the one that can take your license first. Once it passes, the PennDOT can suspend you without a hearing. Call us now, and a Pennsylvania DUI defense lawyer can file the hearing request before that date and start on your defense.
Call about Pennsylvania DUI (877) 317-9931
Answered day and night. A professional reviews your Pennsylvania case for free and connects you with a Pennsylvania DUI lawyer.
Send your case details
Send the date of your Pennsylvania arrest and the date printed on your PennDOT notice. Those two dates set your deadline, so the lawyer who calls you starts there.