Things To Know About Drunk Driving Classes in California

If you have recently received a DUI, attending a DUI class is often one of the required steps towards regaining your license. Many people will see you successfully completing these classes as a sign of responsibility and acknowledgment for your past actions. As such, doing your best in these classes is absolutely essential to ensure you get your license reinstated. On the other hand, if you fail these classes or never do the work, you may never get your license back. In an effort to prevent you from falling behind in your DUI class, here is what you absolutely need to know about drunk driving classes in California. Understanding what to expect from these classes can help you effectively prepare for them and get the most out of the lessons they teach.

 How Long Does DUI School Take?

One of the big questions often on the mind of those enrolled in DUI school is how long the schooling will take. The unfortunate answer is that this timing can vary based on a number of factors. The biggest factor that this timing is based on the BAC at the time of the offense and the number of previous offenses the violator has incurred. Some of the most common timings for DUI programs are:

• A 12-hour underage drinking program
• BAC below .20 first offense (a three-month program)
• BAC above .20 first offense (a nine-month program)
• Second time DUI offense (an 18-month program)
• Multiple DUI offender (a 30-month program)

As you can see, there are a variety of classes and timings to accurately and adequately reflect the severity of the offense committed. It’s important to note the time may be divided into instruction, group counseling, and drug and alcohol education during these classes (rather than a whole course only on driver safety.)

How Much Does a DUI Class Cost?

The cost of drunk driving classes in California will vary from county to county. In the small list below are some examples from larger counties. For instance, the costs for DUI classes in Ventura county are as follows:

• 12-hour program: $270
• Three-month program: $843
• Nine-month program: $1851
• 18-month program: $1900-2600
• 30-month program: $3000

These classes are so expensive because they serve as a further monetary and time-consuming punishment. Under most circumstances, however, you are likely only to incur a maximum of $1000 dollars maximum if you’re a first-time violation and have a bac below .20. If you cannot afford your court-ordered DUI program, then there are fee waivers available by application only. When this occurs, you will be financially assessed to ensure you cannot afford the program before assistance is granted.

How Can You Get To Classes If Your License Is Suspended

With all the talk of license suspension after a DUI, many people are left in the dark concerning how they will even get to the classes and work since their licenses are suspended. Luckily, there are a few resources for drivers to enable that retain some of the luxuries that a license provides you. One option that most will opt for is to obtain a restricted license. A restricted license allows a holder to drive:

• To and from the driver’s place of employment
• During the course of employment
• To and from DUI School

However, before this type of license is issued to you, the DMV will require proof of enrollment in DUI school and proof of financial responsibility. This proof of financial responsibility is most typically acquired through SR22 high-risk driver insurance, which proves that you have met the minimum insurance coverage required to drive. It is important to note that the SR22 high-risk drivers’ certificate is not itself an insurance policy. Rather, it is a certificate that officially verifies that the holder of the certificate meets the state-mandated minimum amount of insurance.

How Do You Show The Court and the DMV That You Are Enrolled?

When it comes to reinstating your license, there are multiple ways to ensure that the EMV is notified of your enrollment in DUI school. The easiest way to obtain proof of enrollment is to have the provider of the DUI school send proof of enrollment through certificates and attendance records. However, in many cases, proving that you showed up to the class is not enough to get your license reinstated. When you are in the middle of such scenarios, you will have to provide proof of completion of the DUI program, which the provider of the program will give to you after you have completed it.

What Happens If You Miss a Class?

Luckily, DUI school has provisions against participants missing any number of classes. As a general rule, DUI school students are allowed to miss a certain number of sessions. If they go over these allotted absences, they will be dropped from the DUI program and will be forced to reapply and pay another fee for another class. Furthermore, it is also important to note that those who miss classes at the DUI school must make those classes up before their license is reinstated. The number of classes a student is permitted to miss varies concerning the type of class in question. As a rule, the number of absences one is allowed to have for each class is as follows:

• 12-hour program: two absences
• Three-month program: five absences
• Nine-month program: seven absences
• 18-month program: 10 absences
• 30-month program: 15 absences

When you miss a class, you must make up the hours you missed before your license is reinstated. To put it simply, you must take no shortcuts!

We hope that this article has been very helpful in understanding what you need to know about drunk driving classes in California. If you are looking for SR22 insurance in California, be sure to reach out to the Serenity Group. We are dedicated to making the DUI insurance process as easy and stress-free as possible for you all while ensuring that your car insurance claims are properly handled. Contact us today to learn more about our services or get a quote on SR22 insurance.