If you are facing a DUI in South Carolina and wondering whether it is worth fighting your case, it is important to understand the costs you will face if you get convicted. Drunk driving convictions carry serious consequences—and a conviction could very realistically impact the rest of your life.

Additionally, there are several ways to fight a DUI in South Carolina—including ways to fight your DUI even if you were driving drunk. As a result, regardless of the facts of your case, it is well worth hiring an experienced defense lawyer to represent you.

10 Costs of a South Carolina DUI

What will your DUI cost you if you get convicted? Here are 10 examples of the lifetime costs of a DUI in South Carolina:

1. Fines, Assessments, and Surcharges

All DUI charges in South Carolina carry fines. The fines you are facing depend on several factors, including your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and whether you are facing a DUI charge as a repeat offender. Additionally, if you are being accused of causing a serious accident while driving under the influence, you may be facing a felony DUI charge—and these charges carry substantial financial penalties.

Along with fines, a DUI conviction will also lead to assessments and surcharges. These can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on the nature of your case. These financial costs alone are reason enough for most people to hire a defense lawyer to fight their DUI.

2. Driver’s License Suspension and Reinstatement

A DUI conviction can also lead to the loss of your driver’s license in South Carolina. Once you become eligible for reinstatement, you will need to pay to get your driver’s license back. This will cost you at least $100, and you will need to find (or pay for) a ride to the DMV.

3. Transportation Costs

While your driver’s license is suspended, you will need to find a way to get around. While you may be able to rely on your friends, family members, and coworkers in some circumstances, they may not be willing to be your chauffeur for months (or years) on end. If you are eligible for a route-restricted license, this is an option—but it is an expensive one. Alternatively, you will need to pay to ride the bus or take Uber or Lyft wherever you need to go.

4. Ignition Interlock Device Purchase and Installation

Before restoring your driving privileges, you may also need to install an ignition interlock device (IID) in your vehicle. While South Carolina has long had an ignition interlock law, last year Governor McMaster signed a new law that makes installing an IID mandatory starting in May 2024. You will need to buy an IID and have it installed at your expense, and you will need to have it inspected at a service center every 60 days.

5. Increased Insurance Premiums

Another out-of-pocket cost you will face after a DUI conviction in South Carolina is an increase in your insurance premiums. As a “high-risk” driver, your annual premiums will increase by hundreds of dollars (if not more). This increase will last for a minimum of three years—meaning well over a thousand dollars in additional financial costs triggered by your DUI conviction.

6. The Costs of Jail Time or Community Service

All DUI charges in South Carolina carry the possibility of jail time; and, to avoid jail time, you may need to perform community service. Both of these will interfere with your ability to work—which will add to the financial costs of your DUI. If you get sentenced to community service, you will also need to make sure you have reliable transportation so that you can get where you need to be on time, as missing your community service can lead to additional fines and jail time.

7. Losing Your Job (or Losing Future Job Opportunities)

For many people, getting convicted of DUI will put their job at risk. Even if you don’t lose your current job, finding another job in the future will be much more difficult with a DUI on your record. Since DUI convictions aren’t eligible for expungement in South Carolina, this will be an issue for the rest of your life.

8. Losing Your Professional License or Security Clearance

Another way that a DUI conviction can impact your finances is by putting your professional license or security clearance in jeopardy. For doctors, lawyers, accountants, real estate brokers, and other licensed professionals, getting a DUI has the potential to lead to license suspension or revocation. A DUI conviction can also disqualify you from obtaining (or maintaining) a federal security clearance in some cases. Hiring a lawyer to help protect your license or security clearance will add to the costs of your DUI—and there is no guarantee that these efforts will be successful.

9. Losing Scholarship Opportunities

If you are in school or thinking about going back to school, having a DUI on your record could disqualify you from various scholarship opportunities. For example, getting a DUI will disqualify you from eligibility for the South Carolina LIFE Scholarship for a year. A DUI conviction could render you ineligible to apply for other scholarships as well.

10. Losing Financing and Financial Assistance Opportunities

Having a DUI on your record can also prevent you from obtaining financing (i.e., a mortgage or car loan) on favorable terms, and it can render you ineligible for various forms of financial aid. This could set back your plans for getting an education or becoming a homeowner—and, without a borrowing history, you will most likely have to pay higher interest rates in the future.

Schedule a Free Consultation with North Charleston DUI Lawyer Rad S. Deaton

A DUI conviction can prove incredibly expensive, and having a DUI on your record can truly impact all aspects of your life. As a result, it is important to fight your DUI charge by all means available. To discuss your case with North Charleston DUI lawyer Rad S. Deaton in confidence, give us a call at 843-225-5723 or request a free initial consultation online today.