Who is New Hampshire Criminal Defense Lawyer Mark Stevens 603-893-0074

Hello. One of the most frequently asked questions I get is "What are the New Hampshire DWI penalties?" There is a statute that defines the penalties for a DWI conviction. Below is a copy of that statute. If you have any questions regarding a pending New Hampshire DWI case, please feel free to call me at 603-893-0074. Ask for Mark Stevens.

265-A:18 Penalties for Intoxication or Under Influence of Drugs Offenses.

I. Except as otherwise provided in this section:

(a) Any person who is convicted of any offense under RSA 265-A:2, I shall be:

(1) Guilty of a class B misdemeanor;

(2) Fined not less than $500;

(3) Required to furnish proof of successful completion of an impaired driver intervention program prior to the restoration of the person's driver's license or privilege to drive, provided that, if the person has previously completed, or been required by a court or the department of safety to complete, an impaired driver intervention program (I.D.I.P.) or any similar program in any jurisdiction, the person shall be required to furnish proof of successful completion of the multiple DWI offender intervention detention center program (M.O.P.) or an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner of health and human services;

(4) The person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked for not less than 9 months and, at the discretion of the court, such revocation may be extended for a period not to exceed 2 years. The court may suspend up to 6 months of this sentence, provided that the person has entered into the relevant driver intervention program required by subparagraph (3) within 45 days after conviction, or as soon thereafter as any extenuating circumstances approved by the department of health and human services allow;

(5) The sentencing court may sentence the person to additional alcohol and/or drug treatment and counseling, or to a treatment program approved by the commissioner of health and human services, or both. In addition, the court may require the person to submit to random urinalysis or such other tests as the court may deem appropriate; and

(6) The court in which the person was convicted may reduce the conviction to a violation upon a motion filed by either party at least one year after the date of the conviction. In deciding whether to reduce the conviction to a violation, the court may consider the person's subsequent driving record, any evidence of drug or alcohol treatment, the hardship that having a criminal record may cause for the person, and any other factors that the court deems relevant.

(b) Any person who is convicted of any aggravated DWI offense under RSA 265-A:3, except as provided in subparagraph (c), shall be:

(1) Guilty of a class A misdemeanor;

(2) Fined not less than $750;

(3) Sentenced to a mandatory sentence of not less than 10 consecutive days of which 3 consecutive 24-hour periods shall be served in the county correctional facility and 7 consecutive 24-hour periods shall be served at the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center established under RSA 265-A:40, which sentence shall begin no later than 21 days after conviction. In the event that the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center has no available space, the person shall be assigned to an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner of health and human services. The person shall begin following any treatment recommendations arising out of the final evaluation given to the person at the multiple DWI offender intervention detention center or equivalent program within 60 days after the person has completed serving the required 7 consecutive 24-hour periods or such other time as the court may order;

(4) The person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked for not less than 18 months and, at the discretion of the court, such revocation may be extended for a period not to exceed 2 years. Except for good cause found by the court and noted in writing, the court may suspend up to 6 months of this sentence, provided that the person has entered into the relevant driver intervention program required by subparagraph (3) as soon as any circumstances approved by the department of health of human services allow;

(5) The sentencing court may sentence the person to additional alcohol and/or drug treatment and counseling, or to a treatment program approved by the commissioner of health and human services, or both. In addition, the court may require the person to submit to random urinalysis or such other test as the court may deem appropriate; and

(6) A person who leaves the relevant driver intervention program required by subparagraph IV(a)(3) before completion and fails to return and complete it as soon as extenuating circumstances approved by the department of health and human services allow or who fails to begin following treatment recommendations within the time required by subparagraph IV(a)(3) shall be in contempt of court and shall serve a minimum of 14 days in the county correctional facility.

(c) Any person who is convicted of aggravated DWI under RSA 265-A:3, I(b) or II(b), shall be:

(1) Guilty of a class B felony;

(2) Fined not less than $1,000;

(3) Sentenced to a mandatory sentence of not less than 21 consecutive days of which 14 consecutive 24-hour periods shall be served in the county correctional facility followed by 7 consecutive 24-hour periods served at the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center established under RSA 265-A:40, which sentence shall begin no later than 21 days after conviction. In the event that the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center has no available space the person shall be assigned to an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner of health and human services, and the remainder of the sentence may be deferred at the court's discretion. The person shall begin following any treatment recommendations arising out of the final evaluation given to the person at the multiple DWI offender intervention detention center or equivalent program within 60 days after the person has completed serving the required 7 consecutive 24-hour periods or such other time as the court may order. The court may, at the satisfactory completion of any ordered treatment, suspend any remaining deferred sentence. Failure to successfully complete any court-ordered intervention program or recommended treatment shall result in the imposition of any remaining deferred sentence; and

(4) The person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked for not less than 18 months and, at the discretion of the court, such revocation may be extended for a period not to exceed 2 years. Except for good cause found by the court and noted in writing, the court may suspend up to 6 months of this sentence, provided that the person has entered into the relevant driver intervention program required by subparagraph (3) as soon as any extenuating circumstances approved by the department of health and human services allow.

II. Any person convicted of a violation of RSA 265-A:19, II shall be subject to the penalties set out in this section for a violation of RSA 265-A-3. Any person convicted of a violation of any other provision in RSA 265-A:19 or a violation of RSA 265-A:2, II shall be subject to the penalties set out in this section for a violation of RSA 265-A:2, I.

III. Any person who is convicted of an offense under RSA 265-A:2, I, RSA 265-A:3, or RSA 630:3, II and the offense occurred while the person was under the age of 21 shall be sentenced according to the provisions of this section, except that in all cases the person's driver's license or privilege to drive shall be revoked for not less than one year.

IV. Upon conviction of any offense under RSA 265-A:2, I or RSA 265-A:3, based on a complaint which alleged that the person has had one or more prior convictions under RSA 265-A:2, I or RSA 265-a;3, or RSA 630:3, II, or under reasonably equivalent offenses in an out-of-state jurisdiction, within 10 years preceding the date of the second or subsequent offense, the person shall be subject to the following penalties in addition to those provided in paragraph I:

(a) For a second offense:

(1) The person shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

(2) The person shall be fined not less than $750.

(3) (A) If the complaint alleges that the prior conviction occurred within 2 years preceding the date of the second offense, the person shall be sentenced to a mandatory sentence of not less than 37 consecutive days of which 30 consecutive 24-hour periods shall be served in the county correctional facility followed by 7 consecutive 24-hour periods to be served at the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center established under RSA 265-A:40 within 21 days after conviction, except that in circumstances where the state-operated 7-day multiple DWI offender intervention detention center has no available space the person shall be assigned to an equivalent 7-day residential intervention program approved by the commissioner of health and human services. The person shall begin following any treatment recommendations arising out of the final evaluation given to the person at the multiple DWI offender intervention detention center or equivalent program within 60 days after the person has completed serving the required 30 consecutive 24-hour periods or such other time as the court may order.

(B) If the complaint alleges that the prior conviction occurred more than 2 but not more than 10 years preceding the date of the second offense, the person shall be sent