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How much does a OWI cost in Wisconsin?

A first OWI in Wisconsin carries a statutory fine of $150–$300. This guide stacks every cost layer an official Wisconsin source prices — the fine, court costs, the license reinstatement fee, the OWI program, ignition interlock, and the SR-22 insurance filing — and says plainly which layers no official source prices at all.

Wisconsin OWI costs at a glance	Figure
Statutory fine — first OWI	Wisconsin calls the offense OWI (operating while intoxicated). A first offense is a civil violation rather than a crime: the driver forfeits $150 to $300 under Wis. Stat. section 346.65. Court costs and statutory surcharges are added on top of the forfeiture amount.
Statutory fine — second OWI	The statute separates a second offense: $350–$1,100. Second offenses also carry longer suspensions and program requirements — see the sections below.
Court costs & fees	Court costs and surcharges are added to the $150 to $300 forfeiture, but WisDOT does not publish a single statewide total for a first OWI, so no figure is listed.
License suspension — first offense	A first OWI conviction results in the court revoking the driver's operating privilege. Separately, an administrative suspension of six months runs from the arrest process, and refusing the chemical test brings a one-year revocation.
License reinstatement fee	Reinstating a driver license after an OWI-related revocation or suspension costs $200, according to the WisDOT DMV fee schedule. The general reinstatement fee for other actions is $60, and an occupational license costs $50.
Ignition interlock	Conditional — restricted license / court order — An ignition interlock (IID) restriction applies to a first OWI if the driver's alcohol level was 0.15 or higher, or if the driver refused testing. The restriction runs from conviction until one year after an occupational license is issued or the regular license is reinstated; device costs are paid by the driver and are not published by WisDOT.
OWI education / treatment program	After a first OWI, the driver must submit to an alcohol and drug assessment and complete a Driver Safety Plan based on that assessment. WisDOT does not publish the assessment or plan fee.
SR-22 insurance filing	WisDOT publishes SR-22 certificate filing information in financial-responsibility contexts, but an SR-22 requirement specific to a first OWI could not be confirmed on the official pages opened for this guide. Insurance after an OWI is priced as high-risk coverage and generally costs more than a standard policy.

The fine

Wisconsin calls the offense OWI (operating while intoxicated). A first offense is a civil violation rather than a crime: the driver forfeits $150 to $300 under Wis. Stat. section 346.65. Court costs and statutory surcharges are added on top of the forfeiture amount.

Court costs & fees

Court costs and surcharges are added to the $150 to $300 forfeiture, but WisDOT does not publish a single statewide total for a first OWI, so no figure is listed.

License suspension & reinstatement

A first OWI conviction results in the court revoking the driver's operating privilege. Separately, an administrative suspension of six months runs from the arrest process, and refusing the chemical test brings a one-year revocation.

Reinstating a driver license after an OWI-related revocation or suspension costs $200, according to the WisDOT DMV fee schedule. The general reinstatement fee for other actions is $60, and an occupational license costs $50.

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

Ignition interlock

An ignition interlock (IID) restriction applies to a first OWI if the driver's alcohol level was 0.15 or higher, or if the driver refused testing. The restriction runs from conviction until one year after an occupational license is issued or the regular license is reinstated; device costs are paid by the driver and are not published by WisDOT.

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

OWI education & treatment program

After a first OWI, the driver must submit to an alcohol and drug assessment and complete a Driver Safety Plan based on that assessment. WisDOT does not publish the assessment or plan fee.

SR-22 & insurance

WisDOT publishes SR-22 certificate filing information in financial-responsibility contexts, but an SR-22 requirement specific to a first OWI could not be confirmed on the official pages opened for this guide. Insurance after an OWI 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

A driver who needs to drive during the revocation can apply for an occupational license, which costs $50 under the WisDOT fee schedule.

Worked total: the verified charges stacked

Item	Cost
Statutory fine	$150–$300
License reinstatement fee	$200
Total of the verified state-set charges above	$350–$500

That total is deliberately incomplete: it leaves out everything no official Wisconsin 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: Wisconsin Legislature — Wis. Stat. 346.65 (OWI penalties) · Wisconsin DOT — First OWI offense · Wisconsin DOT — DMV fees. Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court and the driver-licensing agency.

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