2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 50 - Motor and Non-Motor Vehicles and Traffic › Chapter 22 - Regulation of Traffic › Subchapter III-A - Impaired Operating or Driving › Part B - Operating a Vehicle › § 50–2206.13. Penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug

§ 50–2206.13. Penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug.
(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, a person violating any provision of § 50-2206.11 or § 50-2206.12 shall upon conviction for the first offense be fined $1,000, or incarcerated for not more than 180 days, or both; provided, that:
(1) A 10-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s alcohol concentration was at least 0.20 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or per 210 liters of breath, or was at least 0.25 grams per 100 milliliters of urine; or
(2) A 15-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s alcohol concentration was more than 0.25 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or per 210 liters of breath or 0.32 grams per 100 milliliters of urine; or
(3) A 20-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s alcohol concentration was more than 0.30 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or per 210 liters of breath or 0.39 grams per 100 milliliters of urine; and
(4) A 15-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s blood or urine contains a Schedule I chemical or controlled substance as listed in § 48-902.04, Phencyclidine, Cocaine, Methadone, Morphine, or one of its active metabolites or analogs.
(b) A person violating any provision of § 50-2206.11 or § 50-2206.12 when the person has a prior offense under § 50-2206.11, § 50-2206.12, or § 50-2206.14 and is being sentenced on the current offense shall be fined not less than $2,500 and not more than $5,000, or incarcerated for not more than one year, or both; provided, that a 10-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed, and in addition :
(1) A 15-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s alcohol concentration was at least 0.20 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or per 210 liters of breath, or was at least 0.25 grams per 100 milliliters of urine; or
(2) A 20-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s alcohol concentration was more than 0.25 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or per 210 liters of breath or more than 0.32 grams per 100 milliliters of urine; or
(3) A 25-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s alcohol concentration was more than 0.30 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or per 210 liters of breath or 0.39 grams per 100 milliliters of urine; and
(4) A 20-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s blood or urine contains a Schedule I chemical or controlled substance as listed in § 48-902.04, Phencyclidine, Cocaine, Methadone, Morphine, or one of its active metabolites or analogs.
(c) A person violating any provision of § 50-2206.11 or § 50-2206.12 when the person has 2 or more prior offenses under § 50-2206.11, § 50-2206.12, or § 50-2206.14 and is being sentenced on the current offense shall be fined not less than $2,500 and not more than $10,000, or incarcerated for not more than one year, or both; provided, that a 15-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed, and in addition:
(1) A 20-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s alcohol concentration was at least 0.20 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or per 210 liters of breath, or was at least 0.25 grams per 100 milliliters of urine; or
(2) A 25-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s alcohol concentration was more than 0.25 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or per 210 liters of breath or 0.32 grams per 100 milliliters of urine; or
(3) A 30-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s alcohol concentration was more than 0.30 grams per 100 milliliters of blood or per 210 liters of breath or 0.39 grams per 100 milliliters of urine; and
(4) A 25-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed if the person’s blood or urine contains a Schedule I chemical or controlled substance as defined in § 48-902.04, Phencyclidine, Cocaine, Methadone, Morphine, or one of its active metabolites or analogs.
(d) An additional 30-day mandatory-minimum term of incarceration shall be imposed for each additional violation of any one or more provisions of § 50-2206.11 or § 50-2206.12 if the person has 3 prior offenses under § 50-2206.11, § 50-2206.12, or § 50-2206.14 and is being sentenced on the current offense.
(d-1)(1) In addition to any other penalty provided by law, and notwithstanding §§ 50-2201.05a, and 50-2206.55(a-1)(1), a person violating any provision of § 50-2206.11 or § 50-2206.12 when the person has 2 prior offenses under § 50-2206.11, § 50-2206.12, or § 50-2206.14 within the past 5 years and is being sentenced on the current offense shall have his or her driver's license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle in the District revoked until such time as the Department may reinstate the person's driver's license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle in the District pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection.
(2) A person whose driver's license or privilege to operate in the District was revoked pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection may, after 5 years from the date of revocation, apply to the Department for reinstatement. Upon receipt of an application, the Department may reinstate the persons driver's license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle in the District for good cause shown.
(e) The fines set forth in this section shall not be limited by § 22-3571.01.
(Sept. 14, 1982, D.C. Law 4-145, § 3d; as added Apr. 27, 2013, D.C. Law 19-266, § 103(e)(3), 59 DCR 12957; June 11, 2013, D.C. Law 19-317, § 113(f)(1), 59 DCR 12957; Oct. 8, 2016, D.C. Law 21-155, § 702(a), 63 DCR 10143; Mar. 29, 2018, D.C. Law 22-77, § 4(a), 65 DCR 1555.)
Section References
This section is referenced in § 50-2206.17.
Effect of Amendments
The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 19-266 added this section.
The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 19-317 added (e).
Emergency Legislation
For temporary (90 days) addition of this section, see § 103(e)(3) of the Comprehensive Impaired Driving and Alcohol Testing Program Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-3, January 29, 2013, 60 DCR 2762, 20 DCSTAT 410).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 113(f)(1) of the Criminal Fine Proportionality Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-45, April 1, 2013, 60 DCR 5400, 20 DCSTAT 1300).
For temporary (90 days) addition of this section, see § 103(e)(3) of the Comprehensive Impaired Driving and Alcohol Testing Program Second Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-51, April 17, 2013, 60 DCR 6344, 20 DCSTAT 1360).
Editor's Notes
Applicability of D.C. Law 19-317: Section 401 of D.C. Law 19-317 provided that the act shall apply only to offenses committed on or after June 11, 2013.