Effective January 1, 2011, the fines for an Illinois DUI have increased by $250.00. Keep in mind that the fine is just one cost of a DUI. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, the cost of a DUI offense can be as much as $19,000 when all expenses are taken into account.
When you are arrested for DUI, the meter starts running. Your vehicle will be towed and you will be required to pay the tow fine in order to recover it. You must post bond (bail) in order to avoid being detained in jail.
If you are found guilty of DUI, you must pay a fine. The fine varies by county. A Springfield Illinois DUI will cost $1,530 as of January 1, 2011 for a first offender who receives court supervision.
Upon receiving court supervision, you must obtain a drug and alcohol evaluation. You must then complete all the risk education and alcohol counseling that the evaluator recommends.
If your license is suspended due to refusing to take the breath test or registering over the legal limit of .08, you must, if you wish to drive during the period of the suspension, obtain an MDDP and install a BAIID at your expense. You must pay a fee to the BAIID installer and to the Illinois Secretary of State. In addition, once the suspension ends, you must pay the Secretary of State a reinstatement fee.
Court supervision does not prevent suspension of your driver’s license. Therefore, once the suspension is over and you pay the reinstatement fee, you automatically get your license back assuming it is otherwise valid. If you do not receive court supervision and instead are convicted of DUI, your driver’s license will be revoked for as much as 10 years.
At the end of the revocation period, your license is not automatically returned to you upon payment of the reinstatement fee. Instead, you must have a driver’s license hearing with the Secretary of State. At that point, you must obtain an updated evaluation and complete any additional requirements that arise as a result of the update.
You must pay the Secretary of State a $50.00 hearing fee. Once your license is reinstated, you must pay a $500.00 reinstatement fee and carry SR-22 insurance, a special type of insurance, for 3 years. It all adds up.