How Long Does a DUI Stay on Your Record in California? 2024
How long does a DUI stay on your record in California? In California, getting a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) charge can have long-lasting effects on many parts of your life, such as your ability to drive, your insurance rates, and even your future job prospects. If you’re being charged with DUI, you need to know how long the charge will stay on your record and what effects it might have.
How a DUI Conviction Affects Your Driving Record
If you get a DUI in California, it will stay on your record for ten years. This time window starts from the day you were arrested, and the DUI is viewed as a prior offense during this time. If you are found guilty of a DUI again during this time, you will face harsher punishments. These punishments could include losing your license for a longer time, paying larger fines, and going to jail for a longer time.
After ten years, the DUI will not be taken into account when deciding a person’s sentence for future DUIs. It’s important to remember that though the DUI may not affect your future penalties after ten years, it will still appear on your driving record and can be seen by law officers.
How a DUI Affects Your Criminal Record
In California, a DUI is both a traffic violation and a crime. This means it will appear on both your driving record and your criminal record. If you don’t take steps to get it taken off your criminal record, a DUI will stay on there forever.
Expungement is the formal process of removing a conviction from your public record. This makes it less likely the conviction will appear on background checks for jobs, housing, or professional licenses. However, even if you get your record erased, some people, like police and judges, may still be able to see your conviction.
How a DUI Changes Your Insurance Rates
If you have a DUI on your record, it will almost certainly raise your car insurance rates. Insurance companies see people who have been convicted of DUI as high-risk drivers, which generally means their rates go up significantly. This price hike could last for as long as your DUI stays on your driving record. You may get your insurance rates lowered after the DUI is taken off your record, but the effects of the DUI can last for a long time.
DUI and Business Licenses
People who wish to work as lawyers, doctors, teachers, and in certain other professions must go through background checks before they can get a license. If you have a DUI, it may be harder to get or keep a professional license, especially if your job involves driving or keeping people safe.
An expunged DUI won’t show up on most background checks, but state licensing boards may still be able to see it. This can make it harder to get a job or keep one in some highly regulated fields.
Can a California DUI Be Thrown Out?
A DUI charge may be erased from your criminal record in some situations. In California, you must have finished your probation without breaking any rules, complied with all court orders, and not be facing any new criminal charges to get your record erased. Once it’s erased, you can legally say on most job forms that you have never been convicted of DUI.
An erased DUI, on the other hand, stays on your driving record for ten years, and during that time, it can still affect your insurance rates and your ability to drive. Also, even if your DUI record is erased, it can still be used to make your punishments harsher if you are found guilty of another DUI within ten years.
DMV and Court Penalties
In California, getting a DUI can lead to punishments from both the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the criminal court system. If you fail or refuse a chemical test after being arrested, the DMV will usually take away your license right away, even if you haven’t been found guilty yet. If you are found guilty, the court may also fine you, send you to jail, or require you to go through DUI education programs.
FAQs
Q: How Long Does a DUI Show Up on a Background Check in California?
A: A DUI conviction in California will remain on your criminal record indefinitely unless removed. Even while it only affects your driving record for ten years, it is still accessible on criminal background checks unless cleared. Although expungement will remove it from most regular background checks, certain groups, such as law enforcement and licensing agencies, may still have access to the record.
Q: What Happens to a DUI After Ten Years in California?
A: In California, a DUI conviction is no longer considered a prior crime after ten years, which means the penalties for any subsequent DUI offenses will not consider the original DUI. However, the DUI remains on your driving record and may affect insurance prices or certain background checks. The DUI remains on your criminal record unless it is purged.
Q: How Much Does It Cost to Expunge a DUI in California?
A: In California, the price to expunge a DUI can vary. Usually, it includes court fees and attorney fees if you hire one. How much it costs depends on how hard the case is and whether you need a lawyer. It might be cheaper to get a DUI expunged if you do it yourself, but you should still talk to a lawyer to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.
Q: How Long Does a DUI Stay on Your Record in California and Affect Insurance?
A: A DUI remains on your driving record in California for ten years, affecting your vehicle insurance prices throughout that time. Insurance companies classify DUI offenders as high-risk drivers, resulting in dramatically higher rates. Once the ten-year time frame has passed, the DUI is deleted from your driving record, perhaps allowing for lower insurance costs, though rates may not drop immediately.
Contact Lee Law Group
If you have been charged with a DUI in California, an attorney at Lee Law Group can help you. Contact us today to speak with a representative.
