I Got a DUI in Arizona. What Do I Have to Do Now?
If you were recently arrested for a DUI in Arizona, you may have walked away with a stack of paperwork, a court date, questions about your driver's license, and absolutely no idea what you are supposed to do first.
You may be worried about getting to work. You may be wondering whether you can still drive. You may have heard something about a screening, classes, counseling, an ignition interlock device, Traffic Survival School, or SR-22 insurance.
And everyone seems to have an opinion about what happens next.
The most important thing to understand is this:
A DUI arrest in Arizona can set two different processes in motion—the criminal court process and the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) process.
They are related, but they are not the same thing. That distinction is important because action against your driving privileges can occur even before your criminal DUI case is resolved in court. Arizona's MVD specifically states that a driver's license can be suspended without a court conviction under the state's DUI administrative and implied consent procedures.
So instead of trying to understand everything at once, it helps to break the process into manageable pieces.
First: The Court and MVD Are Two Different Things
After a DUI arrest, it is easy to assume that nothing happens until a judge decides your case.
That isn't necessarily true.
The court handles the criminal DUI case. That process determines issues related to the criminal charge and, if there is a conviction, the criminal penalties imposed by the court.
The Arizona MVD, meanwhile, is responsible for your driving privileges.
Arizona law provides for administrative action against driving privileges under certain DUI circumstances. For example, Arizona's implied-consent law provides for license consequences when a driver refuses a required alcohol or drug test, and administrative suspension can also result from qualifying test results.
That means you should not assume:
“My court case hasn't happened yet, so I don't need to worry about my license yet.”
You may have deadlines and MVD requirements that exist independently of what is happening with the criminal case.
What Can Happen to My Driver's License After a DUI Arrest?
The answer depends on what happened during your arrest and your individual driving history.
For example, Arizona MVD currently states that under its implied-consent rules, a qualifying test can result in a 90-day suspension, while refusing the test can result in a 12- month suspension for a first refusal and a 24-month suspension for a second refusal within 84 months. Restricted-driving options may be available in some circumstances.
There may also be an opportunity to challenge an administrative suspension. MVD states that a request for a hearing generally must be made within 30 days of the suspension notice.
This is one reason it is so important to actually read the paperwork you receive after an arrest rather than putting it in a drawer because it is overwhelming.
Deadlines matter.
If you have questions about the criminal case or whether you should challenge an MVD action, those are legal questions and should be discussed with an attorney.
What Is an Alcohol or Drug Screening?
At some point, you may be told that you need an alcohol or drug screening. This is not simply another name for DUI classes.
For an MVD-required screening, Arizona describes the process as a face-to-face interview conducted by a qualified behavioral-health professional or technician. The screening lasts approximately 30 minutes to three hours and includes at least one standardized test designed to measure alcohol dependency or substance abuse.
The results of that screening can help determine what treatment is recommended. This is important because DUI requirements are not necessarily identical for everyone. Two people can both say, “I got a DUI,” while ultimately having different requirements.
Your situation may be affected by the circumstances of the offense, your driving history, screening results, court orders and MVD requirements.
DUI Education and DUI Treatment Aren't Necessarily the Same Thing
People frequently use terms such as DUI classes, DUI counseling, DUI education and DUI treatment as though they all mean the same thing.
They don't necessarily.
Arizona MVD currently describes DUI treatment as including 16 hours of education and at least 20 hours of group counseling, with the treatment recommendation based upon information obtained from the DUI screening agency or referring court.
MVD separately describes an education program consisting of at least 16 hours of classroom instruction for ignition-interlock deferment purposes.
The practical lesson is simple:
Don't sign up for a program just because someone calls it a “DUI class.”
Before paying for anything, find out exactly what you have been ordered or required to complete and make sure the program you choose satisfies that particular requirement.
What Is Traffic Survival School?
Here's another source of confusion.
Traffic Survival School (TSS) is not the same thing as DUI counseling or treatment.
Arizona MVD licenses Traffic Survival Schools, and MVD states that a DUI conviction is among the violations that automatically require successful completion of TSS. Failure to complete Traffic Survival School when required can result in license suspension.
It is also different from Defensive Driving School.
This is exactly why DUI requirements can feel so confusing: one person may hear the words screening, treatment, education and Traffic Survival School and assume they are four names for the same requirement.
They aren't.
What Is SR-22 Insurance?
You may also hear that you need an SR-22.
An SR-22 isn't actually a special type of car insurance policy. It is commonly used as proof of future financial responsibility filed with MVD by an insurance company.
Arizona MVD identifies SR-22 documentation as a potential requirement associated with DUI, drug-test refusal and certain other license actions.
Whether you need one and when you need it depends on your particular circumstances and reinstatement requirements.
Will I Need an Ignition Interlock Device?
Depending on the DUI conviction, you may also be required to install a Certified Ignition Interlock Device (CIID).
This is a breath-testing device connected to the vehicle's ignition system.
Before the vehicle starts, the driver provides a breath sample. Arizona MVD currently states that a breath alcohol concentration of 0.020 or higher prevents the vehicle from starting. The device may also request additional samples while the vehicle is being driven, although it cannot shut off a running vehicle. Arizona-certified devices also include a camera and
GPS for compliance monitoring.
The required length of time varies. A standard DUI conviction generally carries a 12-month interlock requirement, while certain circumstances can result in shorter or longer requirements.
One particularly important point: don't assume that voluntarily installing an interlock early means you will automatically receive credit toward a future requirement. MVD specifically warns that voluntary early installation does not necessarily count toward the legally required interlock period.
How Do I Eventually Get My License Back?
This is another place where people understandably become frustrated.
Completing the court case does not necessarily mean that your driver's license is automatically restored.
Depending upon your situation, MVD reinstatement can involve several separate steps.
Arizona MVD advises drivers to check their individual compliance requirements through AZ MVD Now. Depending on the case, those steps can include:
completing an approved alcohol or drug screening;
completing Traffic Survival School;
providing proof of future financial responsibility, such as an SR-22, when required;
completing the applicable suspension period;
installing a certified ignition interlock device when required;
paying applicable reinstatement fees; and
applying for reinstatement when all requirements have been satisfied.
This is why you shouldn't rely solely on what happened to a friend, coworker or family member who had a DUI.
Their requirements were theirs. Yours are yours.
“But I Still Have to Work.”
This is the part of the DUI process that paperwork doesn't always capture very well. You may still have a job.
You may have children.
You may be responsible for other family members.
You may live somewhere without convenient public transportation.
And now you may simultaneously be dealing with court appearances, attorney appointments, MVD requirements, transportation problems, screening, treatment and other obligations.
There are restricted-driving options available to some Arizona drivers, including certain special ignition-interlock restricted licenses, but eligibility depends on the specific license action and whether the driver meets MVD's requirements.
Don't assume that you qualify—or that you don't. Check your actual MVD status and requirements.
Don't Let Embarrassment Keep You From Taking Care of It
A DUI is serious.
Taking it seriously, however, doesn't require spending the next year beating yourself up. There is a difference between accountability and humiliation.
Accountability asks:
What happened? What contributed to it? What do I need to do now? And what needs to change so I don't find myself here again?
Those are useful questions.
Whether your DUI was an isolated terrible decision or part of a larger pattern involving alcohol or substance use, counseling can be an opportunity to look at what was happening before the arrest—not simply something to endure until someone signs a completion form.
For some people, that means examining alcohol or drug use.
For others, it means looking at stress, impulsivity, coping strategies, relationships, decision-making, trauma, anxiety or the circumstances that repeatedly put them in risky situations.
The goal isn't to label you.
The goal is to help you move forward differently.
Your First Steps After an Arizona DUI
If you're staring at all of this wondering where to begin, simplify it.
Read every document you were given. Pay particular attention to dates and deadlines.
Separate the court requirements from the MVD requirements. Don't assume satisfying one automatically satisfies the other.
Check your driver's-license status and compliance requirements with Arizona MVD. Arizona MVD directs drivers to use AZ MVD Now to see their individual compliance requirements.
Ask your attorney about legal questions. A counselor can explain treatment and screening, but shouldn't be giving you legal advice about your criminal case.
Before enrolling in any program, verify that it satisfies the requirement you actually have.
And finally:
Start early.
Waiting until a deadline is approaching tends to make an already stressful situation much worse.
One Bad Decision Does Not Have to Become Your Identity
You may be angry with yourself.
You may be embarrassed.
You may be worried about what other people think.
You may also simply want to get everything completed and put the experience behind you. That's understandable.
But there can be something useful on the other side of this experience.
A DUI can be a reason to stop and look at how you got here—not as an exercise in shame, but as an opportunity to make sure you don't end up here again.
You cannot change the decision that brought you to this point.
You absolutely have a say in the decisions you make from here.
Need Help With DUI Counseling in Arizona?
At the Crossroads Therapy provides online counseling for Arizona clients, with evening and Saturday appointments designed to make treatment easier to fit around work, family and other responsibilities.
Our approach is straightforward: accountability without humiliation, treatment without judgment, and practical help moving forward.
If you've been ordered to complete DUI-related services, first determine exactly what your court or MVD requires and confirm that the services you select will satisfy those specific requirements.
A DUI may be part of your story. It doesn't have to become the rest of it.
This article is provided for general educational information and is not legal advice. Arizona DUI, court and MVD requirements vary according to the individual case, driving history, type of offense and other circumstances. Consult your attorney regarding legal questions and Arizona MVD regarding your individual driving-privilege and reinstatement requirements.
