What Are the Penalties for OWI in Wisconsin?

 

Contact an OWI attorney to discuss your OWI charges

If you are convicted of an OWI offense in Wisconsin, the cost can be steep. You face fines, suspension of your driver’s license, and even jail time. The penalties increase for each offense. As soon as possible after your arrest, contact an attorney to protect your rights and your defense.

First Offense

The first offense is not a crime, but even your first offense will cost you money if you are convicted. The fine due ranges from $150-$300, plus surcharges and fees. You may have your driver’s license suspended for up to nine months. Your automobile insurance premiums will also increase.

Second Offense

The first offense may feel steep, but your second OWI conviction brings something more: up to six months in jail. In addition, the fines increase to between $350 and $1,100 dollars, and you will lose your license for at least 12 months.

Third Offense

For your third offense, you will be fined between $600 and $2,000. Beyond this, you will go to jail for between 45 days and 1 year.

Fourth Offense

By the time you reach a fourth conviction for OWI, even if the offenses are up to 15 years apart, you are guilty of a Class H felony. Your fine will be between $600 and $10,000, and you will go to jail for at least 60 days, and up to 6 years in prison. You will lose your driving privileges forever.

Later Offenses

Beyond your fourth offense, an OWI conviction is a Class G felony. You can be fined up to $25,000, with a sentence from six months in jail to ten years in prison. The seventh offense requires a mandatory three-year prison sentence. You will lose your driver’s license forever.

OWI convictions take away your money and your freedom, and impact the rest of your life. If you have been arrested, even for a first offense, you need to take it seriously and work with an experienced lawyer. Contact Eisenberg Law Offices online at https://www.eisenberglaw.org/contact-us/ , or at (608)256-8356. We will give you the defense you deserve.

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