Pennsylvania DUI Laws

At the beginning of 2004, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania significantly changed its laws that pertain to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In an effort to curb drivers from operating a vehicle while intoxicated, law makers rewrote the book of DUI—and the consequences for a DUI conviction suddenly became much more severe. That’s why it’s important now more than ever to hire an experienced, qualified DUI defense attorney if you’ve been charged with DUI in Pennsylvania. Our lawyers are dedicated professionals that are ready to fight for your rights.

Before we go into any detail about the DUI laws in the Keystone Commonwealth, there’s one in particular that may affect you—it’s known as the Implied Consent Law. As a licensed driver in Pennsylvania, you have essentially given the state permission to request a blood, breath or urine test if police suspect you are DUI. If you refuse (legally the state cannot force you to take a chemical test) you’ll face three days in jail and a one-year license suspension. You have a right to request a hearing with PennDot, but you must do so within 30 days of receiving a notice of suspension from PennDot.

Pennsylvania’s legal limit

Like every other state or Commonwealth, Pennsylvania has a blood alcohol content limit of .08%. In Pennsylvania, if you were found to be in physical control of a vehicle (driving, operating), your blood alcohol content cannot reach this level within two hours of operating a vehicle. If police administer a breath test and your results read at this level then you’ll be arrested for DUI. If your BAC was between .08% and .10% this is considered general impairment. For anything higher than .10%, you’ll face harsher penalties the higher your actual BAC was.

DUI does not pertain to just alcohol—it also applies to the use of controlled substances. If there is any amount of a controlled substance found in your blood within two hours of operating a vehicle, you can be arrested for DUI.

These new DUI laws are complex, which means you need a lawyer that specializes in this area of law!