The cost of a DUI conviction in Pennsylvania is more than just money. There are a lot of collateral consequences and costs associated with a DUI conviction.
Fines alone range from $300.00 to $15,000.00. It is extremely rare for a Court to impose a maximum fine for a DUI, but it is possible. In most counties, judges give the statutory minimum fines. The minimum fines range from $300.00 to $2,500.00.
The costs assessed by the court system add up to usually more than the fines imposed. There are many statutorily imposed costs. They average around $2,500.00. Court costs include the costs of the testing, Court Reporting Network Evaluation, Drug and Alcohol assessment, supervision fees, and other statutorily mandated costs. There is also the cost of prosecution. This cost is determined by the District Attorney office and includes all their expenses incurred in prosecuting your case. This cost can range from zero to thousands of dollars. This might include the prosecutor getting an expert opinion on whether the drugs found in your blood caused you to be impaired. If you are convicted, you will be required to pay the Court system back for the cost of the District Attorney office to hire the expert. If your case goes to trial and the expert must come to court to testify the costs can go into the thousands of dollars.
There are also indirect financial costs of being convicted of a DUI. Some of these could be the cost of losing a job and having to find new employment. The cost of getting rides to and from work. The cost to your reputation. The inability to work in certain professions. The costs of counseling. The loss of your driver’s license. The loss of your gun rights. The loss of your voting rights if the conviction is a felony. The possible immigration issues, or even travel issues with visiting other counties. These are just a few of the potential collateral consequences of being convicted of a DUI.