The penalties, from the manual
California DUI penalties: what the handbook publishes, and what it does not.
What the handbook publishes
What counts as illegal
The handbook lists five limits, and which one applies depends on who you are.
If you are over 21
0.08% or higher
PDF page 79
If you are under 21
0.01% or higher
PDF page 79
At any age, on DUI probation
0.01% or higher
PDF page 79
Driving a vehicle that needs a commercial license
0.04% or higher
PDF page 79
Driving a passenger for hire
0.04% or higher
PDF page 79
What a conviction costs
Jail
Up to six months
PDF page 80
Your license, on a conviction
The DMV will suspend or revoke your driving privilege for one year
PDF page 80
How long a DUI conviction stays on your record
10 years, and another one inside that window can bring a further penalty
PDF page 80
What else is required
A DUI program, a California Insurance Proof Certificate, and any license reissue or restriction fees
PDF page 80
An ignition interlock device
May be required
PDF page 80
What happens at the arrest, before any court
California's Administrative Per Se law makes this part automatic, and it runs on a clock.
Your license, at the arrest
The officer may take it and give you a temporary one for 30 days
PDF page 80
To ask the DMV for a hearing
Within 10 days of the arrest
PDF page 80
If you refuse the test
The DMV suspends or revokes your driving privilege
PDF page 80
How alcohol reaches those numbers
The handbook prints a blood alcohol table by sex, body weight and number of drinks, and it is the only one in the five manuals this site cites. It is reproduced in full below these three lines, which are the table's own notes.
What the table covers
Body weights from 100 to 240 pounds, and 0 to 5 drinks
PDF page 79
Blood alcohol concentration by body weight, sex and number of drinks
Body weight in pounds
| Drinks | Sex | 100 | 120 | 140 | 160 | 180 | 200 | 220 | 240 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | M | .00 | .00 | .00 | .00 | .00 | .00 | .00 | .00 |
| F | .00 | .00 | .00 | .00 | .00 | .00 | .00 | .00 | |
| 1 | M | .06 | .05 | .04 | .04 | .03 | .03 | .03 | .02 |
| F | .07 | .06 | .05 | .04 | .04 | .03 | .03 | .03 | |
| 2 | M | .12 | .10 | .09 | .07 | .07 | .06 | .05 | .05 |
| F | .13 | .11 | .09 | .08 | .07 | .07 | .06 | .06 | |
| 3 | M | .18 | .15 | .13 | .11 | .10 | .09 | .08 | .07 |
| F | .20 | .17 | .14 | .12 | .11 | .10 | .09 | .08 | |
| 4 | M | .24 | .20 | .17 | .15 | .13 | .12 | .11 | .10 |
| F | .26 | .22 | .19 | .17 | .15 | .13 | .12 | .11 | |
| 5 | M | .30 | .25 | .21 | .19 | .17 | .15 | .14 | .12 |
| F | .33 | .28 | .24 | .21 | .18 | .17 | .15 | .14 |
- These are estimates. The handbook says so, and it adds that even one drink can affect your ability to drive safely.
- M is male and F is female, which is how the handbook labels the two series.
- Subtract 0.01% for each 40 minutes that lapse between drinks.
- 1 drink = 1.5 oz. 80 proof liquor, 12 oz. 5% beer, or 5 oz. 12% wine.
- Fewer than 5 persons out of 100 will exceed these values.
The handbook also prints three condition labels beside this chart. Which rows each label covers is drawn rather than written, so this page does not reproduce it. The legal limits are above.
PDF page 79
Every figure above carries the page of the official handbook it came from. Open it and check.
What the handbook does not publish
These are not on this page because the handbook does not carry them. Each one was searched for in the pinned document before it was written down.
- What the fine is. The handbook says only that you may have to pay one (PDF page 80). It names no amount and no range anywhere.
- What an ignition interlock device costs. The handbook says one may be required and stops there.
- How long the knowledge test takes. No page of the handbook states a time limit.
Not one of the five manuals this site cites says what an ignition interlock costs, and four of them require or allow one.
This page reports what the official handbook states. It is not advice, and it says nothing about what would happen in any particular case.
More
Every practice question here carries the page of the official handbook it came from.
How many questions the test has, and what happens if you fail