Kentucky DUI Alcohol Assessment

Every First-Offense Conviction Requires This

After a DUI conviction in Kentucky, the court orders a substance abuse assessment and a 90-day education or treatment program through a facility licensed by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS). This is not optional, and it is not waivable. Completing both the assessment and the recommended program is a mandatory requirement for license reinstatement — the KYTC will not restore your driving privileges until the treatment provider submits a Certificate of Completion directly to the Division of Driver Licensing.

The Clinical Assessment

The assessment is a face-to-face clinical intake conducted by a state-certified evaluator at a licensed facility. It is not a written test you pass or fail. The evaluator interviews you, reviews your drinking history and patterns, and administers standardized screening tools to determine whether your alcohol or substance use falls into a low-risk or higher-risk category.

The fee is $100, paid directly to the certified provider at the time of the assessment. This is a fixed rate under CHFS regulations (908 KAR 1:310). It cannot be billed to Medicaid or private insurance — you pay out of pocket regardless of your coverage.

The assessment must be completed in person. Online assessments are strictly prohibited and will not be accepted by the KYTC. This is a common mistake: drivers complete an out-of-state or online assessment, submit the certificate, and have it rejected — losing the fee and the time.

What the Assessment Determines

The evaluator's final recommendation dictates which program track you are assigned to:

Low-risk assessment → 20-hour education program. This is the standard track for most first-offense cases. The program is typically structured as three-hour weekly sessions over approximately seven weeks. Many providers use the Prime for Life curriculum, a nationally recognized DUI education program that focuses on risk reduction rather than treatment.

Higher-risk assessment → intensive outpatient or residential treatment. If the evaluator identifies clinical signs of alcohol or substance dependency, the recommendation escalates to a more intensive program. This is significantly longer and more expensive than the 20-hour education track, potentially involving multiple sessions per week over several months.

The assessment itself takes one to two hours. Most first-offense drivers with no prior treatment history are placed on the 20-hour education track.

Finding a Certified Provider

Only facilities certified by the CHFS Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities are accepted. A provider that is not CHFS-certified — even if they are a licensed counselor or therapist — cannot produce a certificate that the KYTC will accept.

The Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health maintains an online directory of certified DUI service providers. When selecting a provider, confirm:

1. They are currently CHFS-certified (certifications can lapse)
2. They conduct the assessment in person at a physical location
3. They offer the 20-hour education program at the same facility (to avoid transferring between providers)
4. They electronically transmit completion certificates to the KYTC

Education Program Costs and Timeline

The 20-hour education program costs between $300 and $500, paid to the provider. This is separate from the $100 assessment fee. Some providers allow payment plans; others require full payment before enrollment.

The weekly schedule means the program takes roughly seven to eight weeks to complete from the first session. Add the assessment appointment (which usually precedes the first class by one to two weeks) and the total timeline from starting the process to receiving a completion certificate is roughly two to three months.

Start the assessment as early as possible after conviction. Every week of delay pushes your reinstatement date later. The KYTC will not begin processing your license restoration until the provider submits the certificate, and that only happens after you complete every required session.

The Certificate of Completion

When you finish the program, the provider submits a clinical report to the court and transmits proof of completion electronically to the KYTC Division of Driver Licensing. You do not hand-carry a paper certificate to the KYTC — the transmission is provider-to-agency.

Confirm with your provider that the transmission has been sent. Providers occasionally delay or fail to transmit, and you will not discover the problem until you attempt reinstatement at a Regional Office and are told your file is incomplete.

The Kentucky First-Offense DUI Guide includes a provider selection checklist and a timeline that integrates the assessment and education program with the interlock compliance schedule, so both requirements finish in time for reinstatement.

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