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How much does a DUI cost in Virginia?

A first DUI in Virginia carries a statutory fine of $250–$2,500. This guide stacks every cost layer an official Virginia source prices — the fine, court costs, the license reinstatement fee, the DUI program, ignition interlock, and the SR-22 insurance filing — and says plainly which layers no official source prices at all.

Virginia DUI costs at a glance	Figure
Statutory fine — first DUI	Driving under the influence is a Class 1 misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum fine of $250 for a first offense. The maximum fine is the Class 1 misdemeanor maximum of $2,500 set by section 18.2-11. If a passenger age 17 or younger was in the vehicle, an additional fine of at least $500 and up to $1,000 applies.
Statutory fine — second DUI	The statute separates a second offense: $500–$2,500. Second offenses also carry longer suspensions and program requirements — see the sections below.
Court costs & fees	Virginia does not publish a single statewide court-cost figure for DUI cases; court costs are assessed in the court where the case is heard and come on top of the fine.
License suspension — first offense	First-time offenders lose their driver's license for one year, according to the Virginia DMV. A second conviction brings a three-year suspension.
License reinstatement fee	The DUI license reinstatement fee set by section 46.2-411 is $105. By law, $40 is retained by the DMV, $40 goes to the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program, and $25 goes to the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund.
Ignition interlock	Conditional — restricted license / court order — The Virginia DMV states that first-time offenders have a mandatory ignition interlock when they begin driving again. By statute, driving on a restricted license after a DUI requires a functioning, certified ignition interlock for a period of at least 12 consecutive months without an alcohol-related violation; the driver pays the device costs, which the state does not publish.
DUI education / treatment program	Every person convicted of DUI must enter and complete a Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP). The court sets the program fee within a statutory range of $250 to $300, so there is no single statewide amount.
SR-22 insurance filing	No SR-22 requirement for a first DUI could be verified from the official Virginia pages reviewed, so none is stated here. Insurance after a DUI is priced as high-risk coverage and generally costs more than a standard policy.

The fine

Driving under the influence is a Class 1 misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum fine of $250 for a first offense. The maximum fine is the Class 1 misdemeanor maximum of $2,500 set by section 18.2-11. If a passenger age 17 or younger was in the vehicle, an additional fine of at least $500 and up to $1,000 applies.

Court costs & fees

Virginia does not publish a single statewide court-cost figure for DUI cases; court costs are assessed in the court where the case is heard and come on top of the fine.

License suspension & reinstatement

First-time offenders lose their driver's license for one year, according to the Virginia DMV. A second conviction brings a three-year suspension.

The DUI license reinstatement fee set by section 46.2-411 is $105. By law, $40 is retained by the DMV, $40 goes to the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program, and $25 goes to the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund.

The national picture — which states charge the most to reinstate — is in our license reinstatement guide.

Ignition interlock

The Virginia DMV states that first-time offenders have a mandatory ignition interlock when they begin driving again. By statute, driving on a restricted license after a DUI requires a functioning, certified ignition interlock for a period of at least 12 consecutive months without an alcohol-related violation; the driver pays the device costs, which the state does not publish.

How interlock pricing works (installation, monthly lease, calibration, removal) is in our ignition interlock cost guide.

DUI education & treatment program

Every person convicted of DUI must enter and complete a Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP). The court sets the program fee within a statutory range of $250 to $300, so there is no single statewide amount.

SR-22 & insurance

No SR-22 requirement for a first DUI could be verified from the official Virginia pages reviewed, so none is stated here. Insurance after a DUI is priced as high-risk coverage and generally costs more than a standard policy.

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

Beyond the fine, first offenders pay the VASAP program fee of $250 to $300 and the $105 license reinstatement fee. Transporting a passenger age 17 or younger during the offense adds a further fine of $500 to $1,000.

Worked total: the verified charges stacked

Item	Cost
Statutory fine	$250–$2,500
License reinstatement fee	$105
Total of the verified state-set charges above	$355–$2,605

That total is deliberately incomplete: it leaves out everything no official Virginia 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: Virginia DMV — Drinking and Driving · Virginia Code — 18.2-270 (DUI penalties) · Virginia Code — 18.2-271.1 (VASAP and reinstatement fee) · Virginia Code — 18.2-11 (misdemeanor punishment). Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court and the driver-licensing agency.

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