PA DUI Penalties for Commercial Licensed Drivers

Possessing a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania comes with tremendous responsibility, especially when it comes to drinking. Should you have a CDL in Pennsylvania and be stopped for DUI, you are in serious risk of losing your CDL and other major fines and penalties.

A driver with a CDL who is operating his or her commercial vehicle is required to have a Blood Alcohol Content level less than .04. In fact, a BAC of .04-.159 is considered the high-tiered level for CDL drivers. Should you be convicted of a DUI with a CDL license, whether in your commercial vehicle or your personal vehicle, you will have your CDL suspended for at least one year and this is in addition to what happens to your regular driver’s license.

If your commercial vehicle was transporting hazardous materials, then your CDL disqualification will jump to three years. Once you receive your second driving under the influence conviction, no matter if it occurred in your personal or commercial vehicle, you may be banned for life from carrying a CDL.

First Offense Commercial DUI

Should you be convicted for the first time of a DUI in Pennsylvania and carry a CDL, the penalties you can incur are as follows:

• Anywhere from two days to six months in jail
• $500-$5,000 in charges
• Personal license suspension: at least 12 months for your non-CDL license
• Commercial License suspension: at least 12 months for CDL and three years for carrying hazardous materials

The penalties mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg. Most CDL drivers convicted of a DUI in Pennsylvania lose their jobs with their trucking company. On the other side of things, anyone with a CDL DUI on a driving record will have trouble getting another CDL-related job in the future. A driving under the influence conviction with a CDL never leaves your permanent record. It is always on there for people to research and find.

Other Penalties and Requirements

Other penalties and requirements outlined by Pennsylvania include the following:

• Attend an alcohol highway safety school
• Comply with and meet all alcohol and drug treatment requirements outlined by the sentencing judge
• Possible 150 hours of community service

Second Offense

A CDL second offender of DUI laws in Pennsylvania faces the following:

• Jail time of at least 30 days
• Fines between $750 and $5,000
• 150 hours of community service
• Attend an alcohol highway safety school
• Comply with all alcohol and drug treatment requirements outlined by the sentencing judge

Third Offense

A third offender of CDL DUI laws in Pennsylvania faces the following:

• Imprisonment for at least 90 days mandatory
• Fines between $1,500 and $10,000
• 150 hours of community service
• Comply with all alcohol and drug treatment requirements outlined by the sentencing judge

Fourth and Subsequent Offenses

A fourth and subsequent offender of CDL DUI laws in Pennsylvania faces the following:

• Imprisonment for at least one year mandatory
• Fines between $1,500 and $10,000
• 150 hours of community service
• Comply with all alcohol and drug treatment requirements outlined by the sentencing judge

No matter the circumstance, should a CDL holder be convicted of a DUI a second time, they may forfeit the chance to hold a CDL ever again. This can be reduced under certain circumstances, but cannot be reduced to less than 10 years.