DUI penalties vary dramatically from state to state. Some states like Arizona impose mandatory jail time for first offenses, while others like Wisconsin don't even treat a first OWI as a criminal offense.
Strictest DUI States
Arizona, Alaska, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Nebraska consistently rank among the toughest on DUI offenders with mandatory jail time, high fines, and long license suspensions.
Most Lenient DUI States
Wisconsin (first offense is civil), South Dakota, North Dakota, and Vermont tend to have lighter penalties for first offenses.
BAC Limits
49 states set the limit at 0.08%. Utah is the exception at 0.05%. All states set 0.04% for commercial drivers.
Lookback Periods
States use lookback periods to determine if your offense is a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd offense. These range from 5 years (Alabama, Mississippi) to lifetime (Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas).