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Interactive guide · Legal & Injury

How to Calculate DUI Total Cost

Fines are the small part. Insurance, licence and lost income are the rest.

Open as a plain tool
The formula

How this number is built

total = fines + legal fees + (premium × surcharge × years) + lost income + interlock + programmes
Step by step

Calculating it yourself

Step 1

Get the actual fine schedule for the charging jurisdiction rather than a national figure.

Step 2

Ask several attorneys for a flat quote covering the whole case, not an hourly estimate.

Step 3

Call your insurer, or shop quotes, to find the real surcharge rather than guessing it.

Step 4

Count court dates, programme hours and licence appointments as lost work days.

Step 5

Add interlock, towing, impound and reinstatement — small individually, large together.

Questions

What people ask next

How long does a DUI affect insurance?

Commonly three to seven years depending on the state and insurer, with the largest surcharge in the earliest years.

Is a lawyer worth the cost?

It depends entirely on the facts and the jurisdiction. Compare the quoted fee against the surcharge and licence consequences the calculator shows above.

Search intent

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