Wyoming DUI Penalties First Offense: Fines, Costs, and What to Budget

The Court Fine Is the Smallest Part

When people search for Wyoming DUI penalties, the statutory fine is usually what they find first: up to $750 under W.S. § 31-5-233(e). That number looks manageable until you realize it represents maybe 5–10% of the actual financial hit.

A first-offense DUI in Wyoming carries total costs typically ranging from $4,145 to $14,145 — and that's before counting lost wages or career impacts.

Criminal Court Penalties

The circuit court judge sets the criminal penalties:

• Fine: $200 to $750 (judicial discretion within the statutory range)
• Court costs and surcharges: $200 to $400 in clerk fees, victim compensation surcharges, and laboratory analysis fees
• Jail: Up to 6 months, though there's no mandatory minimum for a standard first offense — most judges suspend jail time in favor of probation
• Probation: 1 to 3 years, which may carry its own supervision fees

WYDOT Administrative Fees

These fees hit regardless of what happens in criminal court because the administrative track runs independently:

• Record review request: $15 (required to check probationary license eligibility)
• Contested case hearing request: $25 (to challenge the administrative suspension within the 20-day window)
• Probationary license issuance: $55
• Reinstatement fee: $50 (to restore full driving privileges after the suspension period)
• New Class C license: $45
• Interlock administrative fee: $100 (only for IIRL applicants — waived for SNAP-eligible drivers)

Private Costs That Add Up Fast

The expenses that most first-time offenders underestimate are the private costs that no one bundles into a single estimate:

Substance abuse evaluation: $75 to $200. This Addiction Severity Index (ASI) assessment is mandatory before sentencing. Confirm the evaluator's BHD certification and current fee before booking.

DUI education class: $200 to $500 for a Level 0.5 Early Intervention course (typically 8 hours), administered by a provider certified through the Wyoming Department of Health's Behavioral Health Division.

Victim Impact Panel: $30 to $65 for a court-ordered MADD panel.

SR-22 insurance: $25 to $50 for the initial filing fee, plus $500 to $1,500 per year in increased premiums. Wyoming requires SR-22 high-risk insurance for 3 consecutive years — any coverage lapse triggers an immediate license suspension.

Ignition interlock (if required): $70 to $150 for installation, plus $70 to $150 per month in lease and calibration fees over a 6-month term. Required for BAC of 0.15% or higher, or chemical test refusal.

Legal representation: $1,500 to $5,000+ for a private defense attorney. Alternatively, the Wyoming State Bar's Modest Means Program connects eligible applicants (household income 200–300% of the Federal Poverty Level) with attorneys who charge a capped $100/hour and maximum $1,000 retainer.

The Three-Year Tail

The financial impact extends well past the case itself. SR-22 insurance requirements run for three full years, meaning the premium increases ($500–$1,500 annually) accumulate to $1,500–$4,500 in additional insurance costs alone.

And because Wyoming maintains a 10-year lookback period, a prior DUI conviction may count for penalty enhancement — a later conviction within that window can trigger enhanced repeat-offense penalties.

Putting It All Together

A realistic budget for a standard first-offense DUI in Wyoming (BAC under 0.15%, no test refusal, no trial):

High-BAC and refusal cases have additional interlock-related costs; use the IIRL section for that separate budget.

Our Wyoming First-Offense DUI Guide includes a cost-planning worksheet that itemizes every fee, helps you identify which costs are fixed versus variable, and maps out the payment timeline so nothing catches you by surprise.

See more Wyoming guides →