As a recently reported Chicago study in the news has shown, there are a number of different ways in which a person can determine what is the total cost of a DUI in Illinois. The cost of a drunk driving attorney varies depending on the lawyer used. The Illinois drunk and drugged driving costs not only vary because of the attorney, but also the criminal charges and the details of the case and what took place during your particular arrest, and then determining how to fight the case successfully.
Aside from the social stigma, inconvenience, and financial burden getting a DUI in Illinois can cost a person, a driving under the influence conviction comes with a heavy price tag of legal costs, fees, and penalties in 2022. It is important for every driver charged with DUI today in Illinois to review the average cost of a DUI lawyer to expect for a first offense case.
Just as essential, is knowing what free pro bono DUI defense help is available locally for individuals who cannot afford a nearby defense attorney.
These links below will navigate you to the specific type of case which pertains to your own situation, and the instructions needed to effectively dismiss this particular charge at your court date.
- BAC/Drug Blood Test Results Case
- Blowing Over the Legal Alcohol Limit Case
- Refusal to Blow or Take Sobriety Tests Case
It is an considered a DUI offense to drive, attempt to drive, or be in charge of any vehicle on a road or public place in Illinois if the level of alcohol, drugs, or medication in your breath, blood or urine exceeds the prescribed limit or .08 BAC, and can therefore be charged with the high cost of a DUI on Illinois. In addition to the risk involved to others on the road, those who are arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) face a series of Illinois DUI costs and fines to regain the privilege of driving.
However if you take the proper courses of action and get the proper help in time in fighting a drunk or drugged driving case as we help explain, it still may be possible for you to drastically minimize the severe mandatory state costs and penalties involved when a conviction can potentially be avoided or dismissed altogether.
How to know what a DUI in Illinois will cost
Initial Illinois DUI costs, fines, and fees
Upon a DUI arrest in Illinois, you will likely have to post bail, from several hundred to several thousand dollars, which will be returned to you minus nonrefundable fees if you appear as scheduled in court. You may also have to pay a towing and impound fee to get your car back, which is typically another $100 to $200 in IL DUI costs. If you are convicted of a DUI in Illinois, you will pay a high DUI fines, which can run from the hundreds to thousands of dollars, plus additional court costs.
The cost of Illinois DUI classes
You will be required to take a class on the dangers of a DUI in Illinois, and you’ll have to pay for it. Remedial substance abuse class starting at $50 a class and counseling fees of $200. Plus, there’s an additional Illinois DUI cost for drug and alcohol screening.
Illinois DUI License fees
Your license will be suspended, possibly for a year. To get it back, you’ll have to pay a restoration fee, $500 plus $10 for a new license; $500 for multiple DUI offenders. $50 formal hearing fee.
The cost of Illinois DUI Attorney’s fees
The fee charged by your attorney can vary by experience level, location and the complexity of the case. The cost of a DUI in Illinois can start at a minimum range of $250 just for simply entering a guilty plea, and depending on the seriousness of the DUI – the cost is typically starting at an average of $1,300 up to $25,000 when fighting the DUI charge in court with an attorney.
The Cost of Illinois DUI Insurance premiums
A DUI can increase your insurance by an average of 19%. However, the increase can vary depending on factors like where you live and your insurance company. How long you’ll pay a higher insurance rate depends on your insurance company, but generally it’s no less than three years. High risk insurance after a DUI will cost an additional average of $1,500 a year, and typically required for 3 years.
Other costs of a DUI in Illinois
Some other costs of a Illinois DUI offense charge could drive the financial drain of a IL DUI way above the $10,000 to $15,000. In a worst-case scenario, you’ll lose your job, particularly if your occupation requires driving. Those who keep their jobs could lose valuable work time attending to the requirements of court appearances, DUI school, community service, counseling and jail.
If you’re unable to get a hardship permit license that would allow you to drive to and from work while your license is suspended, you’ll have to figure in additional transportation costs. A DUI in Illinois could also impact future employment. How long the offense remains on your record depends on the state, but in Illinois it is permanent. A prospective employer will find that information in a background check.
Ignition Interlock Cost In Illinois For A First DUI Offense
For even a first-time DUI offense in Illinois, an Ignition Interlock Device and the cost for installation and maintenance of the device, is often part of the strict IL DUI penalties for a driver charged with driving under the influence or intoxicated.
An Ignition Interlock Device is a machine that records your blood alcohol content (BAC) and allows the car to start only if your BAC is below a set limit. Ignition Interlock Device installation in Illinois typically will cost $100 to $200, and the monthly rental fees range from $70 to $100. Regular maintenance and calibration will cost extra.
What Is The Cost Of A Second Or Third DUI Offense In Illinois?
The penalties and DUI costs in Illinois for driving while intoxicated are based on several factors, including a judge’s interpretation of the specific facts of each case. Fines and jail terms can also be affected by whether any bodily harm , property damage, or dangerous driving resulted from the driver’s actions.
A first DUI conviction in IL already has a high costs and fines, along with the potential of a license suspension. A second DUI offense in Illinois within a 10 year period will increase the serious penalties and costs, plus a possible prison term and an extension of suspension time of your drivers license.
A third DUI conviction in IL builds upon second offense DUI costs penalties in Illinois. The revocation of your driving license is typically indefinite from a minimum of 10 years or permanently. Since laws and cost of a driving under the influence in Illinois and throughout the country are always becoming more severe, many judges can give additional penalties to repeat multiple DUI offenders in Illinois.
The Cost of a Illinois DUI Offense if Defending Yourself in Court
It is strongly recommended that you retain a IL DUI attorney rather than attempting to defend yourself in court. This is necessary as a Illinois DUI attorney has the training and education to assert your legal rights appropriately in court. Without the expertise of a skilled DUI lawyer, it is difficult for a defendant to operate in court without mistakes being made in regards to speaking to the judge, prosecution, or others such as the police or possible witnesses. This can result in paying the high cost, penalties and fines of a DUI conviction in Illinois.
If you decide to defend yourself there is an advantage in saying “not guilty” and nothing more. The court still must prove that you are guilty of a DUI charge in Illinois. Therefore, by saying nothing more than “not guilty,” the prosecution is forced to prove the DUI case against you, which they may not always be able to do. However, it should be noted that most often people who defend themselves, risk the strong possibility of hurting their case by not challenging evidence properly or by taking the stand, which could result in assisting the prosecution of their IL DUI case against you.
It is always strongly recommended that you retain an experienced Illinois DUI attorney. When successful in reducing or dismissing the IL DUI charges, it can drastically lower the cost of what a Illinois DUI conviction would have been otherwise.
What are some common additional Illinois DUI costs?
Some other common consequences may increase the financial burden of DUI costs in Illinois above the $10,000 to $15,000 in many cases, after the total Illinois DUI cost amount is accumulated. A person charged and convicted in IL could lose their job, particularly if the occupation requires driving, and especially if a CDL license is needed. Also some additional Illinois DUI costs to consider, a conviction could affect the status of your professional license to practice medicine or fly a plane.
People who are fortunate enough to keep their current employment status, could still lose valuable work time by having to carry out the requirements of lengthy or multiple court appearances, Illinois DUI classes, community service, counseling and jail. If you’re unable to get a temporary hardship license that would allow you to drive to and from work while your license is suspended, you’ll have to factor in the additional cost of transportation to work or school.
A DUI/DWI in Illinois could also impact future employment opportunities, as a IL drunk driving offense charge conviction will be a matter of public record. A potential employer can find that information in a background check, and further complicate the difficulties of finding new work. Many people don’t fully understand the true total cost of a DUI in Illinois, such as this example of the personal cost of reputation and future opportunities, until they are face with it. However if you are currently still fighting a driving under the influence case in Illinois, there hope and help on this website that can assist you in potentially avoiding this negative outcome by learning how the facts about your own arrest details could be used to your benefit and defense.
What IL DUI defenses can be uses to win my case and help avoid further DUI costs and fees in Illinois? There are many different IL DUI defenses we can use to defend your case, and potentially avoid further DUI costs of a DUI conviction in Illinois, but only an experienced DUI attorney from your area can advise you on exact DUI defenses and courses of action to take, after they have the chance to review the details of your arrest of what took place during your particular DUI arrest.
Why should I hire a DUI attorney specialist in Illinois? A IL DUI attorney specialist is a criminal lawyer that specializes in fighting DUI charges in Illinois. This unique experience in the constantly changing and complex area of Illinois DUI law, gives them the insight to know which Illinois DUI defenses are best and most likely lead to winning a Illinois DUI case, and therefore possibly prevent the further high cost of a DUI in Illinois if a conviction can be avoided.
A IL DUI attorney specialist is typically well known throughout the local court by judges, prosecutors, and police officers, which can be beneficial in possibly negotiating a lesser plea than DUI, and potentially reduce the final costs and fines if a lesser charge than DUI can be successfully agreed upon.
How To Get The Best IL DUI Defense Options, And Possibly Avoid The High Cost Of A Illinois DUI Conviction Or Guilty Plea
The main issue of fighting a Illinois DUI case, is if the prosecution can successfully prove whether your ability to operate your vehicle was impaired by alcohol or drugs. For a DUI conviction in IL, the prosecutor must prove the details of its case as well as demonstrate that proper procedures were followed by police officers and other authorities during your arrest. This is precisely why the details of what took place during your arrest becomes crucial and can potentially be turned to your favor and used to help your case, and possibly avoid further Illinois DUI/Drunk Driving costs, fees, fines, and penalties.
By first having your arrest details reviewed through us free online, a skilled DUI attorney from your area will look at all of the facts and help find the best defense options based on any flaws in the evidence collected, or any possible violations of your rights.
Depending on the Illinois DUI offense charge:
• Was your blood alcohol actually over .08 BAC legal limit in Illinois at the time you were driving or about to drive?
• Was your ability to operate a motor vehicle impaired as a result of drinking or drugs? What is the evidence?
• Did you refuse to provide a breath sample into a roadside breathalyzer device or a breathalyzer instrument at the police station?
• Were you really in care or control of the vehicle with the intent to drive while intoxicated? Were you not driving or even in the vehicle when arrested for a DUI/DWI in Illinois?
In addition, were there any violations of your rights during your IL DUI arrest?
Good information and not waiting or hesitating to take action by having your arrest details carefully examined through us by a skilled DUI attorney from your area is the key to a successful DUI defense strategy in IL. This will best increase your chances of avoiding the severe consequences of a Illinois DUI/DWI offense case conviction, and possibly avoid further Illinois DUI fees, fines, and high cost of a DUI in:
Adams County
Alexander County
Bond County
Boone County
Brown County
Bureau County
Calhoun County
Carroll County
Cass County
Champaign County
Christian County
Clark County
Clay County
Clinton County
Coles County
Cook County
Crawford County
Cumberland County
De Witt County
DeKalb County
Douglas County
DuPage County
Edgar County
Edwards County
Effingham County
Fayette County
Ford County
Franklin County
Fulton County
Gallatin County
Greene County
Grundy County
Hamilton County
Hancock County
Hardin County
Henderson County
Henry County
Iroquois County
Jackson County
Jasper County
Jefferson County
Jersey County
Jo Daviess County
Johnson County
Kane County
Kankakee County
Kendall County
Knox County
La Salle County
Lake County
Lawrence County
Lee County
Livingston County
Logan County
Macon County
Macoupin County
Madison County
Marion County
Marshall County
Mason County
Massac County
McDonough County
McHenry County
McLean County
Menard County
Mercer County
Monroe County
Montgomery County
Morgan County
Moultrie County
Ogle County
Peoria County
Perry County
Piatt County
Pike County
Pope County
Pulaski County
Putnam County
Randolph County
Richland County
Rock Island County
Saint Clair County
Saline County
Sangamon County
Schuyler County
Scott County
Shelby County
Stark County
Stephenson County
Tazewell County
Union County
Vermilion County
Wabash County
Warren County
Washington County
Wayne County
White County
Whiteside County
Will County
Williamson County
Winnebago County
Woodford County
Addison
Algonquin
Alsip
Alton
Anna
Antioch
Arlington Heights
Auburn
Aurora
Barrington
Bartlett
Bartonville
Batavia
Beach Park
Beardstown
Belleville
Bellwood
Belvidere
Bensenville
Benton
Berkeley
Berwyn
Bethalto
Bloomingdale
Bloomington
Blue Island
Bolingbrook
Boulder Hill
Bourbonnais
Bradley
Braidwood
Bridgeview
Broadview
Brookfield
Buffalo Grove
Burbank
Burr Ridge
Cahokia
Calumet City
Calumet Park
Canton
Carbondale
Carlinville
Carmi
Carol Stream
Carpentersville
Carterville
Cary
Caseyville
Centralia
Centreville
Champaign
Channahon
Charleston
Chatham
Chester
Chicago
Chicago Heights
Chicago Ridge
Chillicothe
Cicero
Clarendon Hills
Clinton
Coal City
Collinsville
Colona
Columbia
Country Club Hills
Countryside
Crest Hill
Crestwood
Crete
Creve Coeur
Crystal Lake
Danville
Darien
Decatur
Deerfield
DeKalb
Des Plaines
Dixon
Dolton
Downers Grove
Du Quoin
Dwight
East Alton
East Moline
East Peoria
East St. Louis
Edwardsville
Effingham
Eldorado
Elgin
Elk Grove Village
Elmhurst
Elmwood Park
Eureka
Evanston
Evergreen Park
Fairfield
Fairview Heights
Fisher
Flora
Flossmoor
Forest Park
Fox Lake
Fox River Grove
Frankfort
Frankfort Square
Franklin Park
Freeport
Gages Lake
Galesburg
Geneseo
Geneva
Genoa
Glen Carbon
Glen Ellyn
Glencoe
Glendale Heights
Glenview
Glenwood
Godfrey
Goodings Grove
Grandwood Park
Granite City
Grayslake
Greenville
Gurnee
Hanover Park
Harrisburg
Harvard
Harvey
Harwood Heights
Hawthorn Woods
Hazel Crest
Herrin
Hickory Hills
Highland
Highland Park
Hillsboro
Hillside
Hinsdale
Hoffman Estates
Hometown
Homewood
Hoopeston
Huntley
Inverness
Island Lake
Itasca
Jacksonville
Jerseyville
Johnsburg
Joliet
Justice
Kankakee
Kewanee
La Grange
La Grange Park
La Salle
Lake Barrington
Lake Bluff
Lake Forest
Lake in the Hills
Lake Villa
Lake Zurich
Lansing
Lawrenceville
Lemont
Libertyville
Lincoln
Lincolnshire
Lincolnwood
Lindenhurst
Lisle
Litchfield
Lockport
Lombard
Long Grove
Loves Park
Lynwood
Lyons
Machesney Park
Macomb
Madison
Mahomet
Manteno
Marengo
Marion
Markham
Marseilles
Maryville
Mascoutah
Matteson
Mattoon
Maywood
McHenry
Melrose Park
Mendota
Metropolis
Midlothian
Milan
Mokena
Moline
Monmouth
Montgomery
Monticello
Morris
Morrison
Morton
Morton Grove
Mount Carmel
Mount Prospect
Mount Vernon
Mount Zion
Mundelein
Murphysboro
Naperville
New Lenox
Niles
Normal
Norridge
North Aurora
North Chicago
North Riverside
Northbrook
Northfield
Northlake
Oak Brook
Oak Forest
Oak Lawn
Oak Park
O’Fallon
Olney
Olympia Fields
Orland Hills
Orland Park
Oswego
Ottawa
Palatine
Palos Heights
Palos Hills
Palos Park
Pana
Paris
Park City
Park Forest
Park Ridge
Paxton
Pekin
Peoria