San Diego, California
DUI lawyer in San Diego: 10 days to save your license
A DUI arrest in San Diego starts a license case and a court case.
Answered day and night. A professional goes through your San Diego case for free and puts you through to a California DUI lawyer.
Arrested for DUI in San Diego? 10 days to ask for the hearing.
Counted from the day you got the notice. If that was today, day 10 is Monday, October 19, so ask before then.
The license deadline here
The DMV can suspend your license unless a hearing is requested within 10 days from the day you got the notice. That deadline comes before your court date, and missing it can cost you the right to drive.
The rule is the same in San Diego as anywhere else in California: 10 days from receipt of the suspension order. The court date on your citation does not pause it (California DMV, Driver Safety Offices).
Newest California change. 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)
What a first offense costs in San Diego
| 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 | 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 |
California sets these ranges, and the judge picks inside them. The state's penalty page has the full text, and the California DUI page covers second offenses and interlocks.
The court that hears the case
Every DUI in San Diego County is filed in the Superior Court of San Diego County, at the courthouse that covers the area of the arrest. The DMV hearing is held by a DMV Driver Safety Office, not the court.
The court: Superior Court of San Diego County.
Nearby: DUI lawyers in Los Angeles. The California DUI page has the whole state's rules, and the BAC calculator shows what a reading can mean.
What to do now
Every day you wait takes time from the 10 days you have after the day you got the notice. The professional who answers looks over your San Diego case for free, any hour of the night. You are then connected with a California DUI defense lawyer, who can request the police reports and start on your defense.
Review my California case (877) 317-9931
Answered day and night. A professional goes through your San Diego case for free and puts you through to a California DUI lawyer.
Send your case details
Send the date of your San Diego arrest and the date on your DMV notice. A DUI lawyer who takes San Diego cases needs those two dates first.