DUI Classes: What to Expect
How long are DUI classes?
DUI class length varies by state and offense. First-offense classes typically range from 12-16 hours (over several weeks). Second offenses require longer programs, sometimes 18+ months. Cost ranges from $150-$800.
- Alcohol/Drug Education — Required for almost all DUI convictions. Educates about effects of alcohol and drugs. Typically 12-16 hours for first offense.
- Assessment/Evaluation — Determines if you have substance abuse issues. Required in some states before class assignment. May lead to a treatment requirement.
- Treatment Programs — For those assessed as having alcohol/drug problems. Longer and more intensive. May include individual or group counseling.
- It's not as bad as you think. It's a classroom setting (or online now) with videos, worksheets, quizzes, and group discussion.
- No 'scared straight' tactics. No public shaming. Everyone there made the same mistake you did.
- Typical session: Sign in (attendance strictly tracked) → Lecture or video (30-45 min) → Discussion or worksheet → Break → More content → Sign out.
- Online: More convenient, self-paced (usually), available 24/7. Must be state-approved to count. Not allowed in all states or situations.
- In-Person: Traditional classroom, set schedule. May feel more engaging. Sometimes required by the court or probation officer.
- Always verify your class is state-approved BEFORE enrolling — non-approved classes won't count and you'll have to start over.
- Some states or courts require Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Your court order says how many.
- Get your attendance card signed at each meeting. Meetings are free and held in most communities multiple times per week.
- No requirement to speak — you can just listen. 'Take what you need, leave the rest.' Many people find unexpected support in these meetings.
- Many states require attending a Mothers Against Drunk Driving panel where you hear from DUI victims and their families.
- Emotionally difficult but typically only 2-3 hours, one-time requirement. Cost: $25-$75.
- These panels are designed to show the human impact of impaired driving. Most people find them more meaningful than expected.
Class Requirements by State
Each state names its own education or assessment program. Where none is listed here, open that state’s guide for details.
| State | Program | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Court Referral Program (DUI or substance abuse court referral program) | Everyone convicted of DUI is referred for a substance abuse evaluation and must complete the education or treatment it recommends, at their own cost. Skipping it violates probation. |
| Alaska | Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP) | The court must order every DUI and refusal conviction to satisfy the screening, evaluation, referral, and program requirements of an alcohol safety action program (AS 28.35.030(h)). Report in person with your judgment or revocation notice. DMV says proof of completion is needed to reinstate in most cases. |
| Arizona | See state guide | See state guide |
| Arkansas | Drug & Alcohol Safety Education Program (DASEP) | Anyone suspended for DWI must finish a state-approved alcohol education program or licensed treatment program before reinstatement. DASEP includes screening and 12 to 15 hours of education. The provider sends proof of completion to Driver Services. |
| California | See state guide | See state guide |
| Colorado | Level I or Level II Alcohol and Drug Education and Therapy (BHA-licensed DUI services) | The court orders an alcohol evaluation through probation, which sets the class level. The level is set by the court-ordered evaluation. Persistent drunk drivers (BAC 0.15 or more, two or more alcohol-related violations, driving while restrained, or refusal) must complete Level II education and therapy, and file an Affidavit of Enrollment (DR 2643) with the DMV to reinstate. |
| Connecticut | Pretrial Alcohol Education Program (alcohol intervention program) | Optional diversion for eligible first offenders who have not used it in 10 years. It includes a DMHAS evaluation and a one-year alcohol intervention program of 10 or 15 sessions, or a treatment program of at least 12 sessions. Finishing it gets the DUI charge dismissed. After a conviction for a second or later offense, probation requires a Court Support Services Division assessment and treatment if ordered. A $100 application fee and a $100 evaluation fee apply, unless waived. |
| Delaware | DUI Evaluation & Referral Program (DERP) course of instruction or rehabilitation | No DUI license is reinstated until you finish the course or rehabilitation program set by a DERP screening. First offenders under 0.15 usually get 16 hours of classes. The DERP fee is at least $100. Finishing DUI Treatment Court counts as the course. |
| Florida | See state guide | See state guide |
| Georgia | DUI Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction Program (DUI Intervention Program) | Required after any DUI conviction. It has two parts: an assessment and a 20-hour intervention course. You need the certificate of completion to reinstate after a first DUI. A clinical evaluation, and any treatment it recommends, is required for a second DUI within 10 years; a court can also order one on a first DUI as a probation condition. |
| Hawaii | Judiciary Driver Education Program (14-hour OVUII class and substance abuse assessment) | Every OVUII sentence includes a referral to the Driver Education Program for an assessment by a certified substance abuse counselor. If the assessment finds abuse or dependence, the court orders treatment. A first offense also requires at least a 14-hour substance abuse rehabilitation program. |
| Idaho | Alcohol evaluation by a DHW-approved substance use disorder provider, plus any recommended treatment | Anyone who pleads or is found guilty of DUI must get an alcohol evaluation before sentencing. The court can waive it on a first DUI if it already has a recent assessment from the last 12 months. If the evaluation recommends treatment, the court orders it unless treatment would be inappropriate. |
| Illinois | DUI evaluation and DUI Risk Education (10 hours minimum for minimal risk) | Everyone convicted or placed on supervision for DUI must get a DUI evaluation from a licensed provider before sentencing. A first offender rated minimal risk must complete at least 10 hours of DUI risk education; higher risk ratings add treatment. The Secretary of State also requires it to reinstate, and it cannot be waived. |
| Indiana | Court Alcohol and Drug Program (IOCS-certified) | Not a statewide reinstatement requirement. Courts commonly order a limited assessment and an alcohol and drug education course (8–20 hours) or treatment as a condition of probation or sentencing. |
| Iowa | Substance use disorder evaluation and the course for drinking drivers | Everyone convicted of OWI must get a substance use disorder evaluation before sentencing and follow its recommendations. The court or the DOT also orders the course for drinking drivers. Both must be done before your license is reinstated. |
| Kansas | Alcohol and drug evaluation (K.S.A. 8-1008), with alcohol and drug safety action education or treatment | Everyone convicted of DUI, and everyone considered for diversion, must get an alcohol and drug evaluation from a licensed provider. It costs at least $150, paid by you. You must follow the provider’s recommendations, which can include an alcohol and drug safety action education program or treatment, as part of your sentence or probation. |
| Kentucky | Kentucky DUI Program (alcohol or substance abuse assessment, education, and treatment) | A DUI conviction comes with a court order to a licensed DUI program. A certified assessor uses the Kentucky DUI Assessment Instrument to place you in education, treatment, or both. For a first offense the program lasts 90 days under KRS 189A.040, though you can finish early. You must enroll within 10 days of the entry of judgment (KRS 189A.045), and you can’t get your full license back until you finish. |
| Louisiana | Court-approved substance abuse program and driver improvement program | On a first offense, any suspended sentence requires probation that includes a court-approved substance abuse program, with a screening for substance use disorder, and a court-approved driver improvement program. |
| Maine | Driver Education and Evaluation Programs (DEEP) | Everyone with a Maine OUI, including administrative suspensions and court convictions, must complete a DEEP program before driving privileges are restored. Adults take the 20-hour Risk Reduction Program; drivers under 21 take a 16-hour program. A treatment option also exists. Register by calling DEEP at (207) 626-8600. |
| Maryland | Alcohol Education Program (AEP) or Alcohol Treatment Program | After a DUI or DWI conviction, the MVA may send a referral letter. You get an alcohol assessment, which sends you to the 12-hour AEP or a longer 26-session Alcohol Treatment Program. Start within 90 days of the due date in the letter and send the provider’s completion letter. A court must also order a comprehensive alcohol abuse assessment, and a program if one is recommended, when a DUI conviction comes within 5 years of a prior one. |
| Massachusetts | Driver Alcohol Education Program (24D program) | Ordered by the court as a condition of probation under a §24D disposition. You must enroll and finish it at a licensed, court-approved impaired driving program. Repeat offenders may be placed on probation conditioned on at least 14 days in a residential alcohol treatment program (§24(1)(a)). |
| Michigan | Court-ordered alcohol and drug screening, assessment, and rehabilitative programs | Before sentencing on any OWI, the court must order a screening and assessment. It may then order education or treatment. With High BAC or any prior conviction, the court must order a treatment or self-help program of at least 1 year. You pay the cost if no other funding is available. |
| Minnesota | Chemical use assessment (county alcohol safety program) | Anyone convicted of a DWI must complete a chemical use assessment by a court-appointed assessor. It must be done within three weeks of the court appearance. The report recommends a level of care, which the judge can order as part of the sentence. |
| Mississippi | Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program (MASEP) | Required after a DUI conviction or nonadjudication before your license can be reinstated or you can get an unrestricted license. It is a 12-hour statewide course completed over about four weeks. |
| Missouri | Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program (SATOP) | Required to reinstate your license after any alcohol-related suspension or revocation, including an administrative one. You must also complete the SATOP assessment and recommended course before a hardship license after a DWI conviction. |
| Montana | ACT program (Assessment, Course, and Treatment) | After a first DUI conviction you must complete a chemical dependency assessment by a licensed addiction counselor and a 12-hour education course (PRIME for Life). If treatment is ordered for a first offense, the course is not also required. Treatment level follows the assessment. |
| Nebraska | Presentence alcohol assessment | Anyone convicted of DUI must take part in an alcohol assessment by a licensed alcohol and drug counselor during the presentence evaluation, at their own cost. The judge reviews it and can order you to follow its recommendations, such as an alcohol education class or treatment, as part of the sentence. |
| Nevada | DUI school (course on alcohol and other substance use disorders) and Victim Impact Panel | A first DUI sentence requires you to pay for and finish an approved DUI education course and attend a Victim Impact Panel. A second DUI requires a treatment program. An evaluation is required before sentencing for a first DUI at 0.16 or more, a second DUI, and for drivers under 21; at 0.16 or more on a first DUI, a treatment program is also ordered. |
| New Hampshire | Impaired Driver Care Management Program (IDCMP) | A first DWI conviction means an IDCMP referral, an alcohol and drug screening within 14 days of conviction, a full substance use disorder evaluation within 30 days of conviction if the screening shows a likely disorder, and following the resulting service plan. You must also complete a state-approved impaired driver education program before your license is restored. For a second or later offense, the license is not restored until you finish the IDCMP service plan and pay all fees. |
| New Jersey | Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC), run by the Intoxicated Driving Program (IDP) | A DWI conviction includes IDRC (the statute sets detainment at 12 to 48 hours): a 12-hour program over two days at your county IDRC, or a 48-hour program at a regional site, depending on your sentence. A third or later offender may be sentenced to jail or inpatient treatment instead, with a 12-hour IDRC follow-up. You get an at-risk screening and education. The IDP then reports to the MVC on restoration. Skipping it brings more suspension and possible jail. |
| New Mexico | See state guide | See state guide |
| New York | Impaired Driver Program (IDP) | A plea in a DWI case must include completing the IDP, including any assessment and treatment, unless the court waives it. Taking part is also the path to a conditional license. You pay the program fee. |
| North Carolina | DWI substance abuse assessment, then ADETS (Alcohol and Drug Education Traffic School) or treatment | DMV will not restore your license after a DWI conviction until it gets a certificate of completion. To earn one, get an assessment from an agency authorized by DHHS, then finish ADETS or a treatment program, depending on the result. The revocation is extended until DMV has the certificate. |
| North Dakota | Addiction evaluation by a licensed addiction treatment program | Every DUI sentence must order an addiction evaluation by an appropriate licensed addiction treatment program. If the evaluation shows you need treatment, the court may order it. |
| Ohio | Driver Intervention Program (DIP) | A first offender may attend a certified 72-hour (3-day) Driver Intervention Program instead of 3 days in jail, if the court allows. Programs are certified by the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health. They include alcohol and drug education, screening, and small-group sessions, and can refer you for a full assessment. |
| Oklahoma | See state guide | See state guide |
| Oregon | DUII screening interview and DUII services (treatment) program | Required after a DUII conviction and as part of DUII diversion. You meet with an Alcohol and Drug Screening Specialist (ADSS), pay the $150 screening fee (ORS 813.021), and complete the treatment program you are referred to. The ADSS reports completion or failure to the court. Diversion participants generally must finish within 12 months. |
| Pennsylvania | CRN evaluation, Alcohol Highway Safety School, and drug and alcohol assessment | Alcohol Highway Safety School is part of the sentence for a first or second offense at every tier, but not a third or later offense, and it is a condition of ARD. Every DUI offender completes a Court Reporting Network (CRN) evaluation. The CRN can recommend Alcohol Highway Safety School or a full assessment. A full drug and alcohol assessment is required before sentencing if your BAC was 0.16 or more, you had a prior DUI within 10 years, or the CRN recommends it. Treatment the court orders must be finished before PennDOT restores your license. |
| Rhode Island | Special course on driving while intoxicated (DWI school), plus alcohol or drug treatment if ordered | The sentencing judge must order a special course on driving while intoxicated and/or alcohol or drug treatment. The course has tuition of at least $25 plus a $175 fee. The court can let a servicemember or veteran complete a VA-approved counseling program instead. |
| South Carolina | Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program (ADSAP) | Required after a DUI or DUAC conviction. Enroll in a certified ADSAP program within 30 days; the court must be told if you fail to enroll in that time. Failing to enroll or take part is reported to the court and can be contempt. SCDMV will not reinstate your license or issue a special driving privilege until enrollment is confirmed. |
| South Dakota | Court-ordered chemical dependency evaluation (SDCL §32-23-2.1) | Required on a first DUI conviction with a BAC of 0.17 or more. A licensed or certified addiction counselor, or a health care professional trained in chemical dependency evaluation, evaluates you at your cost and sends recommendations to the judge. Each circuit lists approved evaluation agencies. |
| Tennessee | Licensed DUI School (Prime for Life curriculum) | Proof of a completed alcohol or drug education course is required to reinstate after a 2nd or later DUI conviction. For a first offense, the judge may order DUI school as a probation condition. Licensed schools teach at least 12 hours. |
| Texas | See state guide | See state guide |
| Utah | DUI screening, assessment, and educational series (or substance use disorder treatment) | Every DUI sentence includes a screening and, if indicated, an assessment. For a first offense the court orders an educational series unless it orders treatment. Treatment is mandatory for a third or later offense within 10 years. |
| Vermont | Impaired Driver Rehabilitation Program (IDRP), formerly Project CRASH | After a DUI suspension, your license is reinstated only after you complete the IDRP alcohol and driving education program and an assessment by a state-designated counselor, at your own expense. The assessment can add a required treatment program. Enrollment is also required to get an RDL. |
| Virginia | Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP) | Every DUI conviction requires entering and completing an alcohol safety action program. Enrollment within 15 days is also a condition of any restricted license. VASAP monitors interlock compliance. |
| Washington | Alcohol/drug assessment, followed by alcohol and drug information school (ADIS) or substance use disorder treatment | A DUI conviction requires a diagnostic evaluation by a licensed substance use disorder program. Based on it, the court orders either an alcohol and drug information school course or more intensive treatment. Deferred prosecution requires treatment. |
| West Virginia | Safety and Treatment Program | Every DUI offender must complete an education component and a substance abuse evaluation through an approved provider before reinstatement. It can’t be waived. Test and Lock drivers have a deadline to enroll. |
| Wisconsin | Intoxicated Driver Program (IDP) assessment and Driver Safety Plan | Anyone convicted of OWI must contact the approved IDP assessment agency in their county within 72 hours after conviction. The assessor writes a Driver Safety Plan of education or treatment. Your license stays suspended until you comply with the plan and pay reinstatement fees. |
| Wyoming | Substance use disorder assessment and 8-hour DUI education class | The court orders a substance use disorder assessment at or before sentencing. For a probationary license, WYDOT requires an alcohol assessment and at least an 8-hour DUI education class approved by the Wyoming Department of Health, plus any treatment the counselor recommends. |
From each state’s guide, which links the official sources. Educational information, not legal advice.
Pro Tips
✓ Don't wait — some have waitlists. Enroll early.
✓ Complete early — shows good faith to the court.
✓ Keep ALL certificates — you'll need proof of completion.
✓ Use state-approved providers only — non-approved classes won't count.
✓ Ask about payment plans — most providers offer them.
✓ Don't be late — attendance is strict. Late = absent in many programs.
How to Find Classes
- Check your court paperwork — it often lists approved providers
- Call your state DMV for a list of approved programs
- Ask your attorney (if you have one)
- Search "[Your State] DUI class providers" online
- Verify the provider is state-approved before enrolling
Find Your State's Requirements
Get state-specific details on classes, deadlines, and what to expect.
Select Your State →Requirements vary by state, county, and individual case. Check your court paperwork and consult your attorney for your specific requirements.