Costs vary from case to case, but are determined largely by the outcome of the case in the court of law. The good news is that you don’t have to concern yourself with the cost of court fees, court costs, or fines until after the case is finalized.
If convicted of DWI by a guilty finding of the court, or by entering a guilty plea, you’ll then be informed of what must be paid, why, and the cost. The court will require you to pay all fees associated with probation, any required DWI classes, and the cost of any chemical testing associated with your case.
Due to the TxDPS Driver Responsibility Program, you’ll also be forced by the State of Texas to pay surcharge fees if you ever intend to lawfully drive in Texas again. Whether the DWI occurred in or outside of Texas, you’ll have to pay either a $1,000.00 (1st DWI offense) or $1,500.00 (Subsequent DWI) surcharge every year for 3 years. If your Blood Alcohol Concentration was 0.16 or over, your surcharge will cost $2,500.00 per year for 3 years.
When taken together, surpassing $10,000.00 in costs is easily possible. If your drunk driving incident caused a car accident, you’ll be responsible for those costs as well.
Then there’s the matter of having to file for an SR-22. An SR-22 insurance policy could easily add a few thousand dollars to your yearly insurance costs, and that’s in addition to the regular premium increase which will occur if you’re convicted of the offense.
When considering the costs of legal defense fees, costs associated with posting bond, lost income when missing work for court, and vehicle storage lot & release fees, a Houston DWI can end up costing you thousands.
Fighting a Houston DWI charge is well worth the effort.
