What are the DUI insurance laws in Idaho?

People in Idaho can’t drive after drinking. Breaking DUI laws will increase one’s car insurance greatly, and instantly. You might be wondering what the penalty is for a DUI in Idaho. How long do you have to have SR-22 insurance in Idaho? We will answer these questions and much more.

Idaho drivers are under the implied consent law which states that they will give their blood, breath, or urine when stopped by law enforcement officers who suspect that they have been driving under the influence.

As is customary, those who refuse after they have been stopped receive Idaho’s consequences:

• A $250 fine
• The officer will take the driver’s license, thus losing most driving privileges.
• The driver receives a 30-day temporary license.
• A hearing will be scheduled within at least 30 days to determine why the driver refused to give blood, breath, or urine for a chemical test.

This hearing is the time when Idaho drivers will have to prove that they weren’t driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of their arrests.

If they can’t do this, their licenses will be revoked for one year. The second time they receive a hearing for a refusal and lose the case, their licenses will be revoked for two years if the first conviction was less than 10 years in the past.

Compare car insurance companies by entering your ZIP code into the FREE tool above and save money today.

What happens when you are convicted of a DUI in Idaho?

Idaho drivers who do consent to the BAC test will go to court to defend themselves against the DUI charge.

If they are convicted for their first offense, they may need to spend up to six months in jail and pay a fine of up to $1,000.

Their licenses will be suspended from three months to six months but they may be able to receive a restricted license after one month. They might be required to report to the court occasionally to be monitored for alcohol use and treatment.

Free Car Insurance Comparison

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

When does a DUI become a felony?

Third and subsequent DUIs will all be felonies with a mandatory jail sentence that can last one month or up to five years.

The fine can be as much as $5,000, and their licenses will be suspended for at least one year; their licenses can be ordered to be suspended for up to five years.

If, after a year’s suspension, third offenders are allowed to drive again, they will be required to have the IID in their vehicles. They will also continue to need to undergo alcohol treatment and possibly be monitored for their progress in the court system.

When can you be arrested for a DUI in Idaho?

Idaho drivers can be arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol even if they are driving any vehicle, including an ATV. The point is that they are driving at all, not the type of vehicle it happens to be.

• 0.08 BAC and Above – Any driver can be charged with a DUI
• 0.02 BAC and Above – People under the age of 21 are also restricted from driving various vehicles with alcohol in their systems.
• 0.04 BAC and Above – People who have decided to drink and drive on the job will be charged with a DUI if they have done so in their companies’ vehicles. The amount of alcohol that can lead to their arrest will be at least 0.04. This would include farmers riding tractors as well as truck drivers.

Idaho’s Per Se Law

Under Idaho’s Per Se law, it doesn’t always matter what the drivers’ BAC turns out to be.

Of course, drivers will be arrested if their BACs are 0.08 or above, but they can be arrested for DUI even if their BACs are below 0.08; this is up to the discretion of the arresting officer.

If the arresting officers have probable cause for stopping drivers because they are driving so erratically they impose a danger to the rest of the public, they will be able to arrest these drivers for DUI if the BAC is below 0.08.

They can also help secure a conviction for DUI by giving their testimony on performances on the field sobriety tests.

Free Car Insurance Comparison

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Requesting a Hearing

Idaho drivers will have two types of court cases to attend after they have been arrested for DUI. They will, of course, have their criminal cases to determine if they are guilty of DUI.

If so, they will receive their consequences, if not, they will go free. But, they will also have to face the Idaho Transportation Department.

The Idaho Transportation Department

It’s the Idaho Transportation Department that will suspend a driver’s license who has been arrested on a DUI charge. The driver will have to request a hearing with the department within seven days to keep the suspension from taking place.

Idaho drivers do this by requesting the hearing in letter form and sending it to the department within seven days.

After a Hearing With the Idaho Transportation Department

Those who fail to request their hearings with the department within seven days will face the same consequences as those who lose their cases.

Everyone’s licenses will be suspended for three months if this is the first offense, but they are eligible to obtain a restricted version after 30 days have passed.

If drivers lose their cases on a second offense and their first conviction was less than five years prior, their licenses will be suspended for one year. They won’t be eligible for any type of driver’s license during this time, restricted or otherwise.

Free Car Insurance Comparison

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Reinstating a Suspended License

A suspended license will have to be reinstated before Idaho drivers can legally drive again. In Idaho, a license suspended for DUI cannot be reinstated unless these people present proof of financial responsibility.

This means that they will have to first purchase the amount of coverage that Idaho mandates that every driver purchase.

Idaho drivers must purchase liability coverage, and they can present their certificates of insurance to the DMV as proof that they have purchased this mandatory insurance.

Drivers convicted of DUI can’t just present the certificate of insurance; they must have their insurance companies file what is called the SR-22 that will prove that they have purchased their required liability coverage.

In Idaho, drivers convicted of a DUI will have to file the SR-22 form for three years after their licenses are reinstated and this fact will be written in their driving records.

What this means is that when auto insurance companies see that an SR-22 filing is necessary, they will know that the driver is a high risk for them. Whether it be reckless driving or a minor driving violation, it takes a certain less-than-desirable driving record to be considered a high-risk driver.

What does high-risk mean to insurance companies?

Idaho insurance companies that sell auto insurance to high-risk clients sometimes take the opportunity to charge these clients extremely high rates.

The average Idaho auto insurance customer has the privilege of enjoying some of the lowest auto insurance rates in the country; auto insurance in Idaho is, on average, $553.38, but drivers convicted of a DUI can expect to be charged around $4,218.92.

Even if DUI offenders pay their premiums monthly, they would have to pay around $351.51 every month for just the barest liability coverage.

A better way is to seek out an insurance provider that specializes in high-risk auto insurance policies for an affordable price, but Idaho drivers may not necessarily know where to find these companies.

Obtain Quotes From This Comparison Website

Idaho drivers don’t have to search on their own they need high-risk auto insurance and the SR22 form. They can take advantage of this website’s comparison feature that will conduct the search for them.

There is a multitude of companies willing to insure high-risk drivers, and they have deals for these clients, and they are waiting for these people to contact them now.

Just enter your ZIP code in the box below and begin to compare car insurance companies instantly. We will help you find cheap car insurance and save!

Free Car Insurance Comparison

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption