If you were arrested in Hawaii for DUI, an officer believed that you were operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drug(s) to the extent that your motor skills, mental faculties and reaction times were so impaired that you were unable to operate that motor vehicle safely.  Driving with a blood alcohol content of .08% or greater is considered per se, or automatically, driving under the influence of alcohol.  In Hawaii, a DUI charge is known as Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of an Intoxicant (OVUII).  However, a DUI and OVUII in Hawaii mean the same thing: drunk driving.

It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere! (Photo credit: Andy Beal Photography)

IMPORTANT NOTE: WHAT HAPPENS IN HAWAII DOES NOT STAY IN HAWAII! With Hawaii being the vacation destination that it is – even if you were arrested and released on vacation – your DUI will follow you back to the mainland.  The Interstate Driver’s Compact states that if any disciplinary action is taken against you in one state that it will be reported to your home state.  So while your vacation may be over, the headache of dealing with your Hawaii DUI is not.  Your license can be suspended or revoked in your home state for your actions in another. 

HAWAII DUI PENALTIES

IMPORTANT: Hawaii’s state agency, The Administrative Drivers License Revocation Office, is responsible for determining your driving privileges.  The process and procedure for handling your driver’s license issue with this agency can be very daunting and confusing. Do not try to take them on alone.  Speak with a Hawaii DUI attorney as soon as possible so that you have the best chance of retaining your driving privileges.

If you are convicted of Hawaii DUI charges, you can expect to pay fines into the thousands of dollars, even for a first offense.  You will be subject to various penalties (depending on the circumstances) including 2-5 days in jail.  If you are convicted of your first Hawaii DUI, you’ll be required to attend 14 hours of Alcohol Education courses, submit to 72 hours of community service, and give up your driving privileges up to one year.   To obtain a restricted license, you will be required to install an Ignition Interlock Device.  Hawaiian legislators have also recently passed a new law that states if you’re arrested with a BAC of .15% or more, you will be additionally charged as a “Highly Intoxicated Driver.”  If you were found to be DUI with a .15% BAC expect to face supplemental charges and harsher penalties.

HAWAII DUI LAWYER

Hawaii DUI attorneys defend DUI offenses and drunk driving cases in Hawaii. A good Hawaii DUI attorney or criminal defense attorney will be able to assist you with your case and offer DUI defense strategies. They will be able to handle both the criminal DUI charges and the administrate case with the Administrative Drivers License Revocation Office (ADLRO), regarding your license suspension or revocation.

HAWAII DUI SCHOOL

If you are convicted of Hawaii DUI, in addition to fines and penalties, you will also be required to complete DUI school in order to restore your license by the ADLRO. In Hawaii, you may have your license suspended up to 3 months! No driving, at all! However, your Hawaii DUI attorney may be able to argue for a restricted license so you can still drive to work. Hawaii DUI school consists of alcohol education courses and its aim is to deter those convicted of an Hawaii DUI to not become repeat offenders. You can expect to spend 14 hours in alcohol education courses to satisfy the requirement.