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How much does a DWI cost in New Hampshire?
A first DWI in New Hampshire carries a statutory fine of $500–$1,200. This guide stacks every cost layer an official New Hampshire source prices — the fine, court costs, the license reinstatement fee, the DWI program, ignition interlock, and the SR-22 insurance filing — and says plainly which layers no official source prices at all.
| New Hampshire DWI costs at a glance | Figure |
|---|---|
| Statutory fine — first DWI | A first-offense DWI is a class B misdemeanor. RSA 265-A:18 sets a mandatory minimum fine of $500, and New Hampshire's general sentencing law, RSA 651:2, caps a class B misdemeanor fine at $1,200. The offender must also pay all fees arising from the required impaired driver care management program (IDCMP) services and referrals. |
| Statutory fine — second DWI | The statute separates a second offense: $750–$2,000. Second offenses also carry longer suspensions and program requirements — see the sections below. |
| Court costs & fees | No single statewide court-cost figure is published in the official New Hampshire sources reviewed, so court costs are additional and set in the individual case. |
| License suspension — first offense | The license is revoked for not less than nine months and up to two years. The court may suspend up to six months of that revocation if the offender completes the required screening or evaluation, follows the service plan, and completes an approved impaired driver education program. |
| License reinstatement fee | No official New Hampshire page opened in this research published a DWI reinstatement fee amount, so the fee is recorded as unverified. Restoration also requires completing the IDCMP process and the approved impaired driver education program. |
| Ignition interlock | Conditional — restricted license / court order — The court may require an ignition interlock device under RSA 265-A:36, including during any period in which the revocation is reduced. It is not automatic for every first offense, and the offender pays the device costs; no official price is published. |
| DWI education / treatment program | A first offender is referred to an Impaired Driver Care Management Program (IDCMP) for an alcohol and drug abuse screening within 14 days of conviction, a full substance use disorder evaluation within 30 days if the screening indicates a likely disorder, and completion of a DHHS-approved impaired driver education program before the license is restored. The statute requires the offender to pay all IDCMP fees but does not state an amount. |
| SR-22 insurance filing | An SR-22 requirement after a DWI is widely described in non-official sources, but no official New Hampshire page confirming it was opened in this research, so it is recorded as unverified. A conviction generally leads insurers to treat a driver as higher risk, which can raise premiums; no official source states a dollar figure. |
The fine
A first-offense DWI is a class B misdemeanor. RSA 265-A:18 sets a mandatory minimum fine of $500, and New Hampshire's general sentencing law, RSA 651:2, caps a class B misdemeanor fine at $1,200. The offender must also pay all fees arising from the required impaired driver care management program (IDCMP) services and referrals.
Court costs & fees
No single statewide court-cost figure is published in the official New Hampshire sources reviewed, so court costs are additional and set in the individual case.
License suspension & reinstatement
The license is revoked for not less than nine months and up to two years. The court may suspend up to six months of that revocation if the offender completes the required screening or evaluation, follows the service plan, and completes an approved impaired driver education program.
No official New Hampshire page opened in this research published a DWI reinstatement fee amount, so the fee is recorded as unverified. Restoration also requires completing the IDCMP process and the approved impaired driver education program.
The national picture — which states charge the most to reinstate — is in our license reinstatement guide.
Ignition interlock
The court may require an ignition interlock device under RSA 265-A:36, including during any period in which the revocation is reduced. It is not automatic for every first offense, and the offender pays the device costs; no official price is published.
How interlock pricing works (installation, monthly lease, calibration, removal) is in our ignition interlock cost guide.
DWI education & treatment program
A first offender is referred to an Impaired Driver Care Management Program (IDCMP) for an alcohol and drug abuse screening within 14 days of conviction, a full substance use disorder evaluation within 30 days if the screening indicates a likely disorder, and completion of a DHHS-approved impaired driver education program before the license is restored. The statute requires the offender to pay all IDCMP fees but does not state an amount.
SR-22 & insurance
An SR-22 requirement after a DWI is widely described in non-official sources, but no official New Hampshire page confirming it was opened in this research, so it is recorded as unverified. A conviction generally leads insurers to treat a driver as higher risk, which can raise premiums; no official source states a dollar figure.
What an SR-22 is, which states charge a filing fee, and how long it must be carried: SR-22 cost guide.
Towing, impound & other charges
No other mandatory statewide charges beyond the fine and the IDCMP fees the offender must pay were published in the official New Hampshire pages reviewed.
Worked total: the verified charges stacked
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Statutory fine | $500–$1,200 |
| Total of the verified state-set charges above | $500–$1,200 |
That total is deliberately incomplete: it leaves out everything no official New Hampshire source prices statewide — court costs where they are set county by county, interlock lease payments to a private vendor, towing and storage, and the insurance increase that follows an SR-22. Add your own figures for those in the cost calculator.
Sources: New Hampshire RSA 265-A:18 (penalties) · New Hampshire RSA 651:2 (sentences and limitations). Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court and the driver-licensing agency.
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