You may suffer in every aspect of your life if you are convicted of a DWI offense in Missouri.  You will incur Criminal and Administrative penalties, and these penalties may affect you personally, professionally and socially:

A first offense DWI is a Class B Misdemeanor and:

• 8 points are added to your Missouri Driving Record

• May result in jail time of up to 6 months

• You will pay fines of up to $500 and your license will be suspended for 30 days with a 60 day restricted driving period to follow if you are an adult driver, and your license will be suspended for 90 days if you are under 21 years of age 

A second Missouri DWI offense escalates to a Class A Misdemeanor and you are deemed a “Prior Offender:”

• 12 points are added to your Missouri Driving Record

• May result in jail time of up to 1 year with a minimum of 5 days served unless a minimum of 30 days of community service is performed (as per court approval)

• ou will pay fines of up to $1,000 and your license will be revoked for 1 year indefinitely and, if it is within 5 years of your previous DWI, you will receive a 5-year license denial

• Community Service of 30 days is required for probation

• You will be required to take and pass both the written and driving portions of the Missouri Driving Test

• Possible Ignition Interlock Device is required for 1 month

A subsequent Missouri DWI escalates to a Class D Felony and you are deemed a “Persistent Offender:”

• 12 points are added to your Missouri Driving Record

• May result in jail time of up to 4 years with a minimum of 10 days served unless a minimum of 60 days of community service is performed (as per court approval)

• You will pay fines of up to $5,000 and you will receive a 10-year license denial

• Community Service of 60 days is required for probation

• You will be required to take and pass both the written and driving portions of the Missouri Driving Test

All Missouri DWI offenders are required to pay their fines and reinstatement fees and also complete SATOP, the Missouri Substance Abuse Traffic Offender Program, before their license is reinstated.  Depending on your BAC at the time of arrest, you may also be required to complete an intensive weekend intervention program.

In addition to fines, suspensions, revocations and/or jail-time, you will suffer financially.  If your license is suspended or revoked, how will you commute to your job?  You will likely be fired.  Now, take into consideration that you had to file an SR-22 form with your insurance company and you were assessed thousands-of-dollars in penalties.  Finally, the stigma that accompanies a DWI charge can be overwhelming.  If you caused an injury or even a fatality because of your careless behavior, you will live with the guilt for the rest of your life.