Where to Find FL DUI Records

According to the laws of DUI in Florida, if a driver is found with impaired driving ability and/or a Blood Alcohol Level or BAL that is above the legal limit then the police can arrest him or her for a DUI conviction. In both the cases the penalties are the same. The penalties include monetary fines, imprisonment, license revocation, attending a FL DUI School, probation, community service, vehicle forfeiture or immobilization and/or installation of an ignition interlock device. The amount and tenure vary according to the number of the offenses committed within a stipulated period of time. The laws of both the North and the South Florida DUI are the same.

Florida DUI Records

The Florida driving records are called the motor vehicle records, or MVR. These records give you the details of your traffic violation history, suspensions of the driver’s license and other facts related to your driving history. The FL DUI records can be obtained from your driving records. As an individual you can apply for your own records to cross check or for employment purpose. Your driving record can also be required by your employer for screening purpose. Also, your insurance company would need it when you change to a new one. A clean driving record is a pathway to lesser premiums.

Obtaining the Florida DUI Records

To obtain the FL DUI records, you need to request for one from Division of Driver Licenses. You need to send an application letter and furnish details including name, date of birth, address, Social Security Number and the driving license number.

There are three kinds of records- three-years record, seven years record and certified records. Prices of each type are $2.10, $3.10 and $3.10. Make your payments in check or money order in favor of the Division of Driver Licenses.

Enclose the bank check with your request mail and send it to the Bureau of Records, P.O. Box 5775, Tallahassee, FL 32314-5775 through the usual USPS. If you are sending the request through the overnight courier services send it to Bureau of Records, 2900 Apalachee Parkway, MS 90, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0575. If you find any discrepancy in the records, you need to approach the Customer Support Division who will review them on your request. You can reach the division at (850) 617-2000 and talk to the Customer Support Executive personally.

Florida DUI Laws and Penalties

As per the FL DUI, laws the acceptable limit of BAL while driving is 0.08% less. But if the driver is below 21 years, then the limit is lowered to 0.02%. For the commercial drivers the legal limit is 0.04%. If a driver is found intoxicated or influenced by alcohol or any other controlled substances, then the driving privilege of the individual is restricted for one year. This restriction is applicable for the commercial vehicles only. There are no provisions for these drivers to apply for an occupational or restricted license.

There are different penalties that all the defaulters of the FL DUI laws have to abide by. For the first Florida State DUI conviction, the amount that the offender will be charged as a fine is within $500 to $1000. If the BAL is more than 0.15% or if there is a minor in the vehicle in operation, then the amount will be increase to a range of $1000 to $2000. The offender must do a community service of 50 hours and on failure of this, a $10 must be paid for each hour of this stipulated time.

In general the jail time for the first conviction is six months. But in presence of a minor in the car or BAL of more than 0.15%, the term increases to nine months. Additionally, if the vehicle in operation is the only mode of transportation of the convict’s family then the court can order to immobilize or impound it for ten days but not while the driver is incarcerated.

For a second conviction of FL DUI, the amount of fine is restricted within $1000 and $2000. In case of some aggravated circumstances like a BAL result of 0.15% or the presence of a minor below 15 years in car the fine is doubled to $2000 and can go up to $4000. The time to be spent in jail is nine months in a normal scenario but in case of aggravated circumstances the time can increase up to one year. If the second conviction has taken place within five years of the first offense, then the offender must spend consecutive ten days in jail.

If the individual re-offends for the third time in total and after ten years of the second offense the minimum fine he or she may be asked to pay is $2000 which can extend up to $5000. If the BAL is higher than 0.15% or if the car had a minor in it then the fine amount increases to $4000. Also, a third time offender must spend at least one month in jail with a minimum of forty eight consecutive hours spent there.

For the third offense within ten years the license is revoked for five years and a restricted license can be reinstated after two years. If one of the third convictions has occurred within five years and another within ten, then the penalty is the same as that of the second conviction otherwise as a first offense. For a fourth and subsequent offenses involving DUI manslaughter, a vehicular homicide or an intoxication assault the license is permanently revoked and no reinstatement is allowed.

When the DUI results in damage to someone’s property or injury to any individual it is considered as a misdemeanor offense of the first degree. In this case the driver is fined for a maximum of $1000 and/or is sent to jail for one year. The third DUI offense within ten years and subsequent DUI cases by the same driver are treated as a third degree felony. In such cases the driver is punished with $5000 fine along with or without an imprisonment of five years.

A FL DUI causing death is a second degree felony. The driver is charged with DUI manslaughter. The Court can fine him or her for $10,000 and/or an incarceration of 15 years. If the driver who is involved in a crash that result in death runs away from the spot then the driver will require to pay $10000 as fine when caught. He or she may be sent for thirty years of imprisonment as well. Both the fine as well as the imprisonment tenure remains the same for the vehicular homicide.