Multiple Offense

Escalating Penalties

Second and subsequent DUI offenses carry much harsher penalties than first‑time offenses. Florida law mandates increased fines, longer license revocations, ignition interlock requirements and mandatory jail sentences. A second DUI within five years of the first results in a minimum 10‑day jail sentence and fines between $1,000 and $2,000. 

Your license will be revoked for at least five years, although you may apply for a hardship license after one year. You must install an ignition interlock device for a minimum of one year.

A third DUI within 10 years of any prior conviction is a third‑degree felony. Penalties include fines of $2,000 to $5,000, a minimum 30‑day jail sentence and a 10‑year license revocation. The court will order installation of an ignition interlock device for at least two years. A fourth or subsequent DUI is also a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, permanent license revocation and mandatory ignition interlock.

Additional Consequences

• Probation and community service: Repeat offenders face lengthy probation periods and substantial community service requirements.

• Vehicle impoundment: Courts may impound or immobilize your vehicle for extended periods, especially when offenses occur within five years of a prior conviction.

• Financial burdens: Fines and court costs increase, and you may be required to pay for alcohol monitoring, ignition interlock installation and probation supervision.

• Substance abuse treatment: The court may order intensive outpatient or residential treatment as a condition of probation.

Case Law and Legal Defenses

Florida appellate courts have emphasized that DUI cases are highly fact‑specific. For example, in Velazco v. State, the Florida Supreme Court held that DUI causing serious bodily injury and DUI causing property damage are degree variants of the same offense and that convicting a defendant of both violates double‑jeopardy principles. This decision illustrates how careful statutory interpretation can reduce exposure to multiple convictions arising from a single incident. Repeat DUI cases may also involve challenges to the legality of prior convictions, such as improper advice about plea consequences or ineffective assistance of counsel.

Ticket Shield’s Strategy

Defending multiple DUI cases requires experience and creativity. Ticket Shield reviews the legality of every prior conviction to determine whether it can be challenged or excluded from sentencing considerations. We challenge the traffic stop, field tests and chemical tests, and we seek alternative sentencing options such as residential treatment, sobriety courts or SCRAM alcohol monitoring to avoid lengthy incarceration. Our attorneys also represent clients in hardship license hearings and work to reinstate driving privileges as soon as possible. We strive to reduce felony charges to misdemeanors and minimize the long‑term impact on your life.