Costs of DWI Conviction in New Jersey

Costs of DWI Conviction in New Jersey

If you are charged with DWI/DUI in New Jersey and decide not to retain any attorney, it is very likely that you will be convicted. Even if your BrAC (reading) is less than 0.08, the State will use evidence of observed intoxication, such as "field sobriety tests", which are sometimes more difficult to defend. See Evidence Used in Court for more information. It is safe to assume that you will most likely be convicted without an attorney when you are charged with a DWI/ DUI in New Jersey.

Just to help you in making a decision whether or not to retain an attorney, here are costs you need to be aware of that result from being found guilty. Besides the fines that you need to pay for court, you need to pay NJMVC a surcharge of at least $1,000 for three years for any DWI offense. Note that the calculation below is only an estimate. The fines can vary by the court where you are convicted. Also, you may have a problem keeping your automobile insurance. If you are lucky enough to keep your current policy after conviction, your insurance premiums usually at least double for a minimum of three years (this varies by the insurance company).

Here are the approximate additional costs of your first DWI conviction.

Approximate additional costs of your first DWI conviction

Description	Costs
Court Fines	$200 (minimum)
Court Costs	$33
Safe Neighborhood Service Fund	$75
Victim of Crime Compensation Fund	$50
Law Enforcement Fund	$30
IDRC (alcohol) class	$100
NJMVC Surcharge for three years	$3,000
DWI Surcharge	$200
Your additional car insurance premiums (note: this is just estimation. The figure varies by an individual case)	Approximately double your annual premium for at least 3 years
License reinstatement fee	$100
TOTAL: Minimum Additional Costs for a first DWI Conviction (estimated)	Approximately $6,000- $7,000 at least