Can I Be Arrested for a DUI in Tennessee?
If you decide to drink and drive in the state of Tennessee, there are serious consequences per Tennessee DUI laws that you must face if you should be pulled over and arrested by law enforcement.
Can I Be Arrested for a DUI in Tennessee?
The answer is yes.
Effective July 1, 2016, new TN DUI laws went into effect which makes the consequences of impaired driving even more sobering. While some of the changes eliminate previous DUI laws, other laws increase the penalties associated with a DUI charge.
The significant changes per Tennessee DUI laws include:
- Any driver convicted of a 4 th or 5 th DUI charge will now be classified as type E felonies, with a sentence of anywhere from a mandatory minimum of 150 days in jail all the way up to a maximum of six years in prison.
- Any driver convicted of a 6 th DUI charge will now be classified as a type C felony, with a possible sentence of anywhere from a mandatory minimum of 150 days in jail to a maximum of 15 years in prison.
It should be noted that in determining prior DUI convictions, the Tennessee court can include DUI convictions from other states, providing that conviction meets the state of Tennessee’s definition of a DUI. Prior driving convictions for vehicular assaults and homicides will also be taken under consideration.
- Another major change to the new TN DUI laws states that any driver who is administered a breath or blood test will be charged $250.00 fee. This fee, known as a Blood Alcohol or Drug Concentration Test (BADT) fee, is in addition to all other costs associated with the DUI such as fines and other penalties.
- Underage Drinking While Impaired will only apply to those drivers 16 or 17 years of age. The penalty for this offense is a lesser charge and can be expunged from the underage driver’s record. The legal alcohol limit for any driver under age 18 is .02.
- The legal intoxication limit of .08 now applies to every driver age 18 and older. The previous law allowed 18- or 19-year-old driver charged with a DUI to plead guilty to a lesser charge of Underage Drinking While Impaired. Since the change, this no longer applies, and the standard adult DUI charge will stay on your driving record for a longer period.
The DUI Process
If you are pulled over for a suspected DUI in Tennessee, a law enforcement officer will perform a traffic stop. The law enforcement officer may ask you to perform a series of field sobriety tests to determine levels of impairment or intoxication. If there is just cause, you will be placed under arrest and transported to the local jail or medical facility for a breath test or blood draw. After receiving your breath or blood sample, you will be transported to the county jail or detention center for booking purposes.
Posting Bail (Bond)
DUI First Offense – TN Misdemeanor
For a first offense DUI in Tennessee, there is a mandatory jail sentence of anywhere from 48 hours to 11 months, 29 days (or a minimum of 7 days with a blood alcohol content of .20% or more). The fine for a first offense is between $350-$1500 and a mandatory 1-year license suspension.
TN DUI Laws Second Offense (and beyond)
Subsequent DUI offenses result in more jail time, higher fines and losing your regular driver’s license for a longer time. The judge will determine the length of jail time and the fine amount.
Requesting the Services of a Bondsman
Most people want to post their bond immediately after the booking process is complete to avoid serving jail time. But if you are unable to pay your bond amount in full, a family member or friend can find bail bonds near me and they will assist you in funding your bond amount. A bondsman will explain post bond meaning and offer their services to post your bond and you will be released from jail. A bondsman’s services are unique in that they can post your bond which is especially important if the bond is set at a very high dollar amount or this is a repeated, more costly DUI charge.
Tennessee Area Bondsman Services
If you are arrested for DUI in Robertson or Montgomery counties, you will be transported to the county jail for a mandatory minimum hold of at least 48 hours in accordance with Tennessee DUI laws. The state of Tennessee has a zero tolerance for DUI offenses. According to The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security https://www.tn.gov/safety/publicsafety/duioutline.html if you are pulled over for suspicion of a DUI, odds are that you will serve jail time unless you can post the bond amount. If you are arrested in Robertson County or Montgomery County Tennessee on a DUI call Fizer Bonding Company 24/7 for licensed, professional and discreet FAST jail release.
If you have additional questions about how bail works, see our web page on Bail Process.
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