Overview of Ohio OVI Penalties

OVI is classified as a traffic matter, but an OVI conviction often has a greater punitive effect on someone than any criminal misdemeanor and even many felonies. Unlike with the sentences available on an OVI conviction, very few misdemeanor and even lesser felony offenses mandate minimum sentences of incarceration, fines, or court-ordered treatment programs. Nor do they mandate a driver's license suspension.

Upon being convicted of an OVI charge, either by plea or conviction at trial, the case moves on to the sentencing phase. This phase can be complicated in that ORC 4511.19 involves an array of penalties and consequences which differ according to the type and gravity of the offense pled to or convicted of.

OVI varies widely in its severity, ranging all the way from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony. Every OVI conviction however, involves at least the following:

  • - A minimum and maximum period of incarceration and/or alternative driver intervention program, house arrest with electronic monitoring, continuous alcohol monitoring, or combination of the same
  • - A minimum and maximum fine
  • - A mandatory driver's license suspension including a period during which no driving privileges may be granted (commonly called the suspension's “hard-time”)
  • - For offenses occurring on or after September 30, 2008, a $475 license reinstatement fee payable to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles following the expiration of the court-imposed, or administrative license suspension if no court suspension is imposed (for offenses prior to September 30, 2008, the fee is $425)
  • - The imposition of six points on the person's driving record

Except for the amount of the reinstatement fee and number of points, the severity of these penalties escalates with each increase in the seriousness of the offense. And for all but the least serious OVI offenses, additional penalties are mandatory which include:

  • - Alcohol and drug assessment and treatment
  • - Restrictions on the grant of driving privileges such as the requirement of restricted license plates, interlock device, continuous remote alcohol monitoring
  • - Immobilization or forfeiture of the vehicle involved in the offense if it was registered to the offender

You can rely on the attorneys of Baldwin Valley & Wallace, LLC to guide you through your Ohio OVI case. To discuss the specifics of your case with one of our attorneys, please call or e-mail us to schedule a complimentary initial appointment at our conveniently located Centerville, Ohio office.