Missouri DUI: Laws, Penalties and Records

Missouri DUI Laws

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or both is prohibited across all the states in the United States of America. The state of Missouri is no exception and has its own set of driving under influence laws. The Missouri DUI laws prohibit driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher. For minors (under 21), this limit is set at 0.02 percent or more. For the commercial drivers a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 percent or more is considered illegal.

The first step of any Missouri DUI case is the arrest of an individual on charges of a DUI. If the police suspect that you are drunk while driving your car will be stopped and you will be asked to take the sobriety tests, blood test, breathalyzer test or urine tests. Like the DUI laws in the other states of the country, the DUI laws in the state of Missouri also have the Implied Consent Law. This means that all drivers in the state must agree to take the tests if he or she is suspected of drunk driving and is stopped by the police. On refusal to obey this, the driver’s license will be suspended for one year and you will have to go through a “substance abuse traffic offender program”.

Penalties for the Missouri DUI

The penalties for a Missouri DUI include a jail sentence, paying a fine, deprivation from driving privileges such as suspension of the driver’s license, and installing an ignition interlock device in the car. The penalties remain the same but become harsher each time a Missouri DUI offense is repeated.

The penalties for a first time DUI offense in the state of Missouri are listed below:

•    A jail sentence of up to six months
•    A fine not exceeding $500
•    The offender’s driver’s license is suspended for thirty days
•    After the completion of the suspension period, there is a  sixty days of restriction imposed on the license
•    The offender has to pay a sum of $45 as the license reinstatement fee
•    The court may order the DUI offender to install an ignition interlock device in the car

For a second conviction of DUI in the state of Missouri, the penalties are

•    A jail sentence, the duration not exceeding one year
•    The amount of fine for a second conviction does not exceed $1,000
•    The driver’s license of the offender is suspended for one year
•    The convicted is required to install an ignition interlock device after the reinstatement of his or her license
•    If the offender is arrested within five years of the previous crime, his or her license is suspended for a period of five years
•    After one year, the offender may have to install an ignition interlock device in the car
•    The offender must pay $45 as the driver’s license reinstatement fee

The penalties for a third DUI conviction in the state of Missouri are

•    A jail sentence of up to four years
•    A fine, the amount of fine not exceeding $5,000
•    The driver’s license of the offender is suspended for a period of ten years
•    The convicted is required to install an ignition interlock device
•    The offender must pay a fee of $45 for the reinstatement for his or her license
•    The offender is required to have the Missouri SR22 insurance

An ignition interlock device is an advanced method to prevent drunk driving. The ignition interlock device or an IID is connected to the dashboard of the car or some other location inside the vehicle. The driver is required to breathe into the IID before starting the vehicle. The device measures the level of alcohol in the blood stream of the driver. If the registered level is more than the legal limit, the engine does not start.

A SR22 is an official document that serves as the evidence that the driver has the “minimum liability insurance” that is mandatory under the Missouri state law. This document is required at the time of reinstatement of your driver’s license.

Missouri DUI Records

The state maintains records of all the Missouri DUI cases. These records contain all the details of the case. You may access these records. You may also want to cancel your Missouri DUI record. For information on this call 573 526 2407. You may also visit http://dor.mo.gov/mvdl/drivers/dwiinfo.htm for more information on the DUI records. The reinstatement requirements are different for different individuals depending on the offense and the suspension period.

To order for a copy of the driver record without personal information, send your request to the following address: Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing Division, 301 West High Street – Room 360, Jefferson City, MO 65101. Include the full name, date of birth, and the driver’s license number along with the appropriate fee with your request letter.

If you want to view the driver records with the personal information you must first procure a consent letter from the individual. Personal information include data such as the individual’s name, date of birth, address, height, weight, sex, eye color, social security number, recent photograph, telephone number, and the driver’s license number.

You may request for a driver record with the personal information by either downloading the DOR 4681 form or by submitting the DOR 4678 form, if you are a business entity.

For more information visit the motor vehicles website: http://dor.mo.gov/mvdl/drivers/records.htm.

The cost of obtaining a copy of the driver record in the state of Missouri is $5.88 and the fax fee that is charged for the transmission of the driver’s record is $0.50.

If you need to access the driver records frequently you may also set up an account with the Motor Vehicle Bureau. By doing this you may dial up the Interactive Telephone system that is maintained by the Bureau and get the records quickly. To set up your own account with the Bureau, call (573) 751 4300.

The DUI laws in the state of Missouri have been formed to stop the reckless driving and the fatalities that are caused due to drunk driving.