## What happens after a first-offense DUI/OUI in Connecticut? In Connecticut, the legal BAC limit is **0.08**. Drivers under 21 are subject to a near-zero limit. Commercial drivers are limited to 0.04. If you're charged with a first DUI/OUI, here's the framework. ### Classification Misdemeanor. ### Jail Up to 6 months (mandatory 48 hours OR 100 hours of community service). ### License suspension 45 days hard suspension, then 1 year of restricted driving with interlock. ### Ignition interlock device (IID) Required for 1 year after 45-day hard suspension. ## What aggravators do The framework above describes a basic, no-aggravator first offense. The penalties get worse — fast — when any of these are present: - **High BAC** — most states pile on extra mandatory jail and IID time once BAC crosses 0.15 or 0.20 - **Child in the vehicle** — many states elevate the charge or add mandatory jail - **Accident, especially with injury** — can convert a misdemeanor into a felony - **Refusing the breath/blood test** — usually triggers a longer license suspension on its own, separate from the criminal case ## You're fighting two cases, not one A DUI/DWI arrest sets two parallel processes in motion: 1. **The criminal case** — where the prosecutor has to prove you were impaired beyond a reasonable doubt. 2. **The administrative license case** — handled by the state DMV/MVD, with a much lower burden of proof and a tight deadline (often 7–30 days from arrest) to request a hearing or you lose your license by default. Missing the administrative deadline is one of the most common, costly mistakes. Talk to a lawyer immediately, not after your court date. ## Diversion, deferred adjudication, and pretrial alternatives Many states (and many local prosecutors in Connecticut) offer first-offense alternatives — diversion, deferred judgment, ARD, 24D, treatment programs — that can avoid a permanent conviction. Eligibility is fact-specific (BAC, driving history, accident, refusal). A local DUI defense attorney will know what your county's prosecutor offers. ## What you should do Don't plead guilty at your first appearance without talking to a lawyer. DUI/OUI cases have technical defenses (calibration of the breath device, traffic-stop legality, blood-draw chain of custody, field-sobriety test administration) that can change the outcome. Most Connecticut DUI defense attorneys offer free consultations. --- *This guide is general information about Connecticut DUI/OUI law as of early 2026 and is not legal advice. Penalties shift, prosecutors have discretion, and your specific facts will change the analysis. Talk to a licensed Connecticut criminal-defense attorney about your case before making decisions.*