Under New Jersey DUI - DWI laws, two categories exist for first time offenders based on Blood Alcohol Concentration levels.
For the first offense of DUI, if the offenders’s BAC is 0.08 percent or higher but less than 0.10 percent, or if the offender permits another person with a BAC over 0.08 percent but less than 0.10 percent to operate a motor vehicle, they face the following penalties:
- A fine of $250-$400
- Imprisonment for up to 30 days
- 3 months license suspension
- A minimum of six hours a day for two consecutive days in an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center
- An automobile insurance surcharge of $1,000 a year for 3 years.
If any DUI or DWI offense occurs within a school zone or school crossing, the penalty will be increased under Public Law 99, Chapter 185.
Also for the first offense for DUI, if the offenders’s BAC is 0.10 percent or higher, or the person operates a motor vehicle while under the influence of a narcotic, hallucinogenic or habit-producing drug, or permits another person with a BAC of 0.10 percent to operate a motor vehicle, they face these penalties:
- A fine of $300-$500
- Imprisonment for up to 30 days
- A license suspension between 7 months and 1 year
- A minimum of six hours a day for two consecutive days in an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center
- An automobile insurance surcharge of $1,000 a year for 3 years.
