A first DUI in Delaware is generally classified as a misdemeanor (unclassified).
Jail: none – 12 months; mandatory min none (imprisonment may be fully suspended for evaluation/treatment)
Fine: $500–$1,500 ($500-$1,500 confirmed against § 4177(d) official text (older $230-1,150 figures are outdated))
License suspension: 12-month revocation (reducible via IID program after ~30 days) – 12–18 months (higher BAC); hardship: IID license after short hard period
Ignition interlock: Required — IID license is the standard route through revocation.
Alternative disposition: First Offense Election (§ 4177B): avoids conviction — 1-year revocation + treatment + probation; NOT expungeable as innocence and counts as a prior forever. One use per lifetime.
Lookback period: 10 years. Priors within 10 years count (5-year window applies to some refusal enhancements); 3rd offense = Class G felony, 4th = Class E.
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