Updated September 3, 2026
The fine for a first DUI in California starts at $390. Almost nobody pays $390. By the time penalty assessments, program fees, DMV fees, the interlock, and three years of higher insurance are counted, the all-in cost of a first offense commonly runs well into five figures. This guide lists where the money goes, in roughly the order it comes due, so the number is not a surprise and so the items that can be reduced are visible.
The fine, and the assessments on top of it
Vehicle Code section 23536 sets the base fine for a first offense at $390 to $1,000. California then adds penalty assessments, state and county surcharges, and court fees that are calculated as multiples of the base. The result on the payment sheet is typically several times the base fine. Courts can allow payment plans, and in many cases a portion can be converted to community service or labor. Ask; it is not offered automatically.
DUI school
A state-licensed alcohol and drug program is required for a conviction and for a restricted license. The three-month program for a standard first offense costs several hundred dollars. The six-month and nine-month programs ordered for high blood alcohol results or a refusal cost more, generally over a thousand. Programs offer fee reductions based on income under state rules, and the program itself will explain how to apply.
DMV fees and the SR-22
- A reissue fee to restore the license after a suspension, set by the DMV, plus a separate fee for a restricted license if one is issued.
- An SR-22, which is a certificate your insurer files with the DMV proving you carry the required coverage. The filing itself costs little. What it signals to the insurer is the expensive part, below.
Current fee amounts are on the DMV's DUI page, which is the authority on them; they change.
The ignition interlock device
An interlock is a breath tester wired to the ignition. It is the usual route to keeping full driving privileges during a suspension, and the court can order one for up to six months on a first offense. You pay the vendor for installation, a monthly lease, and calibration visits, and removal at the end. Over a six-month term the total commonly lands in the high hundreds to low thousands. State law requires vendors to reduce the cost substantially for drivers below set income levels, on a sliding scale; ask the vendor for the income-based rate before signing.
Insurance: the cost that lasts
A DUI conviction or a DMV suspension marks you as a high-risk driver for at least three years, the life of the SR-22. Premiums can double or more, and some carriers drop the policy and force a move to a higher-cost insurer. Spread over three years, the increase is usually the single largest line in the whole case, larger than the fine, the program, and the interlock combined. It is also the line most affected by the outcome: a wet reckless is treated better than a DUI by some carriers, and a won DMV hearing avoids the administrative suspension that triggers the SR-22, though a conviction in court brings its own suspension and its own SR-22.
The costs nobody lists
- Towing and impound. A tow plus daily storage from the night of the arrest, more if the car sat for days.
- Bail, if it was set rather than a release on citation.
- Missed work for the arrest, the court dates, the program sessions, and the DMV hearing.
- Getting around during any period without a license.
- Probation and booking fees where the county imposes them, and the victim impact panel fee.
- Restitution if there was a collision with damage or injury.
- A commercial license, which is disqualified for a year on a first offense regardless of what happens to the personal license, and the job that depends on it.
Attorney's fees
Fees vary with the case, the court, and whether the matter resolves early or goes to a hearing or trial. When you compare quotes, ask what is included: the DMV hearing, the arraignment, motions, trial, and whether the fee changes if the charge is reduced. A fee that covers the DMV hearing is buying the thing that most affects the insurance line above.
Where the number can move
Most items on this list are fixed by statute once there is a conviction. The ones that are not fixed are the outcome itself and the DMV suspension, and both are decided by evidence: the stop, the arrest, the tests, and the machine. A reduced charge lowers the fine, shortens the program, removes the court suspension, and often softens the insurance response. A won DMV hearing removes the DMV's own SR-22 trigger, leaving only the one a conviction would bring. Those two results are where the money is, which is why the police report is worth reviewing before the first court date rather than after a plea.
If you are adding up what a DUI will cost, the first step is finding out what the case actually looks like. A free consultation with a Long Beach DUI defense attorney covers the report, the 10-day DMV deadline, and the realistic range of outcomes.
This page is general information for Long Beach residents, not legal advice about any specific situation. Agency fees and procedures change; confirm details with the agency before you rely on them.
