When people ask how much a DUI costs in Utah, they're usually thinking of the fine. But the fine is only one line on a much longer bill. Between court costs, license and interlock requirements, insurance increases, and time missed from work, a first DUI is a multi-year expense that commonly totals $8,000–$20,000 or more once everything is added up. Here is the whole bill, itemized.
The Full Cost of a First Utah DUI
| Expense | Typical range | When it hits |
|---|---|---|
| Court fine + 90% surcharge (first offense, class B) | $1,405–$1,900+ | At sentencing; payment plans usually available |
| Towing, impound & storage | $400+ | Immediately — the day of arrest |
| Defense attorney (typical Utah flat-fee range) | $2,500–$7,500 | At hiring; quoted up front |
| Ignition interlock — install + monthly over an 18-month term | $1,200–$2,000 | After conviction, if required |
| Substance screening + education course (e.g., Prime for Life) or treatment | $150–$500+ | Ordered during the case; treatment costs more |
| License reinstatement fees + SR-22-style insurance filing | $100–$400 | End of suspension |
| Auto insurance increase (often the largest line) | $1,000–$2,500 per year, 3–5 years | First renewal after conviction |
| Probation supervision fees, where ordered | $30–$75/month | During probation (often 12–18 months) |
| Lost wages — court dates, jail/community service, no license | Varies widely | Throughout |
| Realistic 3-year total | $8,000–$20,000+ | Most of it after the courtroom |
1. Court Fines and Surcharges
A first DUI is a class B misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum fine that, once Utah's roughly 90% criminal surcharge is added, starts around $1,405 and can run past $1,900 before court fees. A second offense starts higher (about $1,560 with surcharge), and a felony DUI can reach $5,000 plus surcharge. Courts generally allow payment schedules — but the obligation follows you until paid, and unpaid fines can hold up license reinstatement and expungement later.
2. The Interlock Term Most People Don't Budget For
A first DUI conviction typically makes you an interlock-restricted driver for 18 months. Between installation and the monthly device, calibration, and monitoring fees, the full term usually runs $1,200 to $2,000 — paid by you, to a private provider, on top of everything the court ordered. Miss a payment or blow a violation and the term can extend.
3. Insurance: The Cost That Keeps Costing
For most people the single biggest line isn't the fine — it's insurance. A DUI conviction commonly raises premiums by $1,000–$2,500 per year, the increase typically lasts three to five years, and the SR-22-style filing requirement marks you as high-risk the entire time. Over the life of the increase, insurance alone often costs more than every court-imposed penalty combined.
4. Screening, Classes, and Supervision
Utah DUI sentences routinely include a substance-use screening (roughly $100–$150), an education course such as Prime for Life ($60–$300), or treatment if the screening recommends it — plus monthly supervision fees if you're placed on supervised probation. None of it is optional once ordered, and all of it is paid by you.
5. The Day-One Costs
Before you've seen a judge, you've already paid: towing from the scene, the impound lot, and storage for every day the car sits — commonly $400 or more to get your vehicle back. Add rides to work while your license status is sorted out, and the meter starts running the night of the arrest.
6. Attorney Fees — the Line That Works in Reverse
Defense representation is a real cost, and in Utah a first-DUI defense typically runs $2,500–$7,500 as a flat fee. It's also the only line on this bill that can shrink the others. A reduction to impaired driving changes the license consequences and what insurers see. A suppression win can end the case outright. Even a negotiated outcome can trim the interlock term, the probation length, and the record that follows you into every application for the next decade. Weigh the fee against the three-year total — not against the fine.
Second and Felony DUI: The Bill Multiplies
Everything above describes a first offense. A second DUI within 10 years raises the mandatory fine (about $1,560 with surcharge), extends the license suspension to two years, lengthens the interlock period, and adds mandatory jail or electronically monitored home confinement — with the monitoring, like everything else, billed to you. A felony DUI moves the case to district court, puts prison on the table, and pushes fines toward $5,000 plus surcharge, with supervision costs to match. The pattern holds at every level: the earlier and more seriously the case is defended, the smaller the lifetime number gets.
How the Math Changes With a Defense
Run the two versions side by side. Plead guilty at arraignment: every mandatory cost on the table above locks in at full price, plus a 10-year record with enhancement exposure if anything ever happens again. Defend the case: the fine, suspension, interlock, and insurance lines all become negotiable — and in the right facts, some of them disappear. That's the honest answer to "what does a DUI cost in Utah": it depends less on the statute than on what happens between arrest and resolution.
If you're facing a DUI and worried about what it will cost, the sooner you talk to a defense attorney, the more options you have. Cardon Stuart offers a free, confidential case assessment — reviewed personally by an attorney — and we're available 24/7. We also serve Spanish-speaking clients (se habla español). Call (801) 627-1110.